A Complete Manual for Conducting International Flight Operations
RVSM Requirements
RVSM Requirements
Every aircraft which is capable of flight in RVSM, generally flight levels 290-410, although it varies around the world, must receive special approval to do so and the aircraft’s equipment must be certified and inspected for flight operations in RVSM airspace.
RVSM Manual
Required Equip Failures
Ops Specs C046
D092
RVSM Maintenance Manual
The aircraft should have its own RVSM manual which is published by the manufacturer and is usually contained in the Aircraft Flight Manual or its supplements. For the Citation XL the RVSM manual is contained in the AFM Section V, supplement 19. The aircraft RVSM manual will have limitations which must be complied with prior to flight. Examples of limitations would be required equipment, ( Pilot and copilot primary altimeters with independent cross coupled static sources, autopilot, altitude alerter and transponder), pilot training requirements, minimum speeds for flight in RVSM, minimum weights for RVSM, etc.
RVSM Manaul
Required Equipment Failures
Failures of any of the required equipment should be referenced against the aircraft MEL to determine RVSM capability. Would the failure of 1 transponder prevent the aircraft from being RVSM compliant? How would the aircraft be configured? According to the Gulfstream IV MEL, RVSM operations only require 1 transponder, however, that transponder must be coupled to the same static source as the autopilot and flight director to be considered legal.
Gulfstream IV MEL (example)
Commercial aircraft operating in RVSM should have Operations Specification C046 issued or the equivalent LOA for Part 91 operations. C046 approval will be cross referenced for approval in airspace such as the Central East Pacific, MNPS, NOPAC, etc.
Operations Specification C046
Additionally, each individual aircraft must be listed in D092 under the aircraft operators approved maintenance program. If the specific tail number is not listed, the aircraft is not RVSM compliant.
D092 Maintenance Program
The Aircraft Operator will also have an RVSM maintenance manual which states how the aircraft will be maintained and inspected in order to be considered RVSM compliant, however the FAA is in process of eliminating the RVSM maintenance manual requirements.
RVSM Maintenance Manual
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
The material contained on this site is to be used for reference only. You should always follow your primary resources first (aircraft manuals, government regulations, etc.).
Savant Aero is no way affiliated with any aircraft manufacturers.
