AMC1 CAT.GEN.MPA.195(b) Handling of flight recorder recordings: preservation, production, protection and use    

CAA ORS9 Decision No. 15

INSPECTIONS AND CHECKS OF RECORDINGS

1. The operator should perform an inspection of the FDR recording and the CVR recording every year unless one or more of the following applies:

   1. If the flight recorder records on magnetic wire or uses frequency modulation technology, the time interval between two inspections of the recording should not exceed 3 months.

   2. If the flight recorder is solid-state and the flight recorder system is fitted with continuous monitoring for proper operation, the time interval between two inspections of the recording may be up to 2 years.

   3. In the case of an aircraft equipped with two solid-state flight data and cockpit voice combination recorders, where

      1. the flight recorder systems are fitted with continuous monitoring for proper operation, and

      2. the flight recorders share the same flight data acquisition,

      a comprehensive inspection of the recording needs only to be performed for one flight recorder position. The inspection of the recordings should be performed alternately so that each flight recorder position is inspected at time intervals not exceeding 4 years.

   4. Where all the following conditions are met, the inspection of the FDR recording is not needed:

      1. the aircraft flight data is collected in the frame of a flight data monitoring (FDM) programme;

      2. the data acquisition of mandatory flight parameters is the same for the FDR and for the recorder used for the FDM programme;

      3. an inspection similar to the inspection of the FDR recording and covering all mandatory flight parameters is conducted on the FDM data at time intervals not exceeding 2 years; and

      4. the FDR is solid-state and the FDR system is fitted with continuous monitoring for proper operation.

2. The operator should perform every 5 years an inspection of the data link recording;

3. The operator should perform, at intervals not exceeding 2 years, an inspection of the recordings of flight recorders other than an FDR, which are installed on an aircraft, in order to ensure compliance with CAT.IDE.A.191 or CAT.IDE.H.191.

4. When installed, the aural or visual means for preflight checking of the flight recorders for proper operation should be used on each day when the aircraft is operated. When no such means is available for a flight recorder, the operator should perform an operational check of this flight recorder at intervals not exceeding 150 flight hours or 7 calendar days of operation, whichever is considered more suitable by the operator.

5. The operator should check every 5 years, or in accordance with the recommendations of the sensor manufacturer, that the parameters dedicated to the FDR and not monitored by other means are being recorded within the calibration tolerances and that there is no discrepancy in the engineering conversion routines for these parameters.