Flight Procedure Design software used in the calculation of final approach minima for non-precision approaches
- Published
- Effective
AI-generated summary of the official EASA document. Verify against the PDF before acting.
What to do
Affected National Competent Authorities must ensure that service providers identify and correct all affected approaches by issuing NOTAMs within two working days of the directive's effective date. They must also prevent the use of affected FPDAM software versions for OCA/H calculations unless verified safe, update instrument approach charts accordingly, and communicate the directive's content to military ATM/ANS oversight authorities to maintain equivalent safety levels.
Summary
EASA Safety Directive 2025-02R1 addresses a critical safety issue related to the Flight Procedure Design and Management (FPDAM) software used in calculating final approach minima for non-precision approaches. The directive highlights that certain versions of the FPDAM software, including version 10.10.2.152, may produce obstacle clearance altitudes/heights (OCA/H) that are too low, potentially compromising obstacle clearance. This affects Flight Procedure Design service providers and Air Traffic Services providers contracting these services across Europe.
What changed
EASA Safety Directive 2025-02R1 revises the previous directive 2025-02 by updating safety objectives and recommended corrective actions to address the persistence of the software error in later versions of the FPDAM software. It expands the scope to include earlier and later software versions and emphasizes urgent corrective measures to prevent the use of affected software versions for calculating OCA/H on non-precision approaches.
Why it matters
This directive is crucial for aviation professionals because incorrect final approach minima can lead to inadequate obstacle clearance, increasing the risk of collision during non-precision approaches. Operators, MROs, and compliance teams must ensure that flight procedures are safe and compliant with regulatory requirements to maintain operational safety and avoid regulatory penalties.
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