EASA AD US-2019-12-09
ROCKWELL COLLINS - SUPERSEDED BY FAA AD 2021-05-17 - SEE EASA AD 2019-0179
Summary
FAA Airworthiness Directive 2019-12-09 is a final rule addressing Rockwell Collins, Inc. Flight Display System Application FDSA-6500 part numbers installed on Bombardier Inc. Model CL-600-2B16 (604 variant) and various Textron Aviation Inc. models including 525B, B200 series, B300 series, and C90GTi airplanes. This directive imposes operating limitations on the Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) due to conflicting display indications and aural alerts during resolution advisory scenarios.
What Changed
This new airworthiness directive prohibits operation with TCAS in TA/RA mode by requiring revisions to the Limitations section of the airplane flight manual or supplement and installation of a placard on each primary flight display. It addresses a software translation error in the FDSA-6500 that causes incorrect TCAS pitch indications relative to the aircraft symbol, potentially misleading pilots during resolution advisories.
Why It Matters
The directive is critical for aviation professionals because the conflicting TCAS information could lead pilots to over-correct or under-correct aircraft separation, increasing the risk of mid-air collisions. Operators and maintenance teams must ensure compliance to maintain flight safety and regulatory adherence while awaiting a software update from Rockwell Collins that will resolve the issue.
What To Do
Affected operators must revise the Limitations section of the airplane flight manual or supplement to prohibit TCAS operation in TA/RA mode and install the required placard on each primary flight display by July 23, 2019. Compliance must be recorded in aircraft maintenance records as specified. Comments on the directive are accepted until August 22, 2019.
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