RTCA’s Program Management Committee (PMC) held its Fall 2022 meeting approving four guidance documents, reviewing workplans for the Special Committees (SC), and incorporating changes to the various committee Terms of Reference (TOR) that reflect leadership and work plan changes.

Chaired by Dr. Chris Hegarty of The MITRE Corporation, the 22-member PMC is the RTCA oversight body charged with producing timely and robust standards and guidance documents to ensure interoperability of aviation systems and equipment. The standards encourage innovation and serve as the basis for meeting Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations. An important responsibility of the PMC is ensuring the operational application of the technical standards.

As mentioned, the Members of the PMC approved four standards:

• DO-262F Change 1– Minimum Operational Performance Standards for Avionics Supporting Next Generation Satellite System, presented by SC-222, Aeronautic Mobile Satellite (Route) Services (AMS(R))
• DO-365C – Minimum Operational Performance Standards (MOPS) for Detect and Avoid (DAA) Systems, presented by SC-228, Minimum Performance Standards for Unmanned Aircraft Systems
• DO-397 – Guidance Material: Navigation Gaps for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), presented by SC-228, Minimum Performance Standards for Unmanned Aircraft Systems
• DO-398 – Operational Services and Environment Definition (OSED) for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Detect and Avoid Systems (DAA), presented by SC-228, Minimum Performance Standards for Unmanned Aircraft Systems

One document, DO-387 Change 1 – Minimum Operational Performance Standards (MOPS) for Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) Sensor Systems for Traffic Surveillance, was presented but was sent back to SC for proper formatting.  Once done, the PMC members will conduct an electronic ballot if completed prior to the next PMC meeting.

Three SCs received approval for changes to their work plans.  These are SC-147 – Traffic Alert & Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), SC-214 – Standards for Air Traffic Data Communication Services, and SC-235 – Non-Rechargeable Lithium Batteries. The Integration and Coordination Committee (ICC) reported the ad hoc tasking to adjust the SC-239 – Low Range Radar Altimeter Terms of Reference (TOR) wording was completed. This adjusted TOR was approved by the PMC members in April. And additionally, five SCs had administrative changes to their TORs.

Additionally, the PMC discussed improving visibility of SC progress, way forward on SC-240 – Topics on Software Advancement and the Forum of Aeronautical Software, International Coordination, SC Chair reports, and AAM/UAM activities within the SC’s.  Also, the FAA provided updates on actions on published documents.

NOTE: The new documents are available on the RTCA Store at: https://my.rtca.org/nc__store.