1. Status of the work of RTCA SC-202
Co-Chairs:

2. Define the Risks of T-PED’s to Aviation Safety
T-PED’s & Commercial Airplanes: Assessing the Risk & What To Do About It
Define T-PED’s
Transmitting - Portable Electronic Devices
Define the Risks of T-PED’s to Aviation Safety
Explain the purpose of RTCA SC-202
Review the committee findings & recommendations
Address the committee’s remaining tasks

3. Defining The Risk Of T-PED’s
Unlike Avionics Systems
installed on airplanes,
T-PED’s are consumer
electronics, purchased from
retail outlets and used by
consumers without specific
training

4. Defining The Risk of T-PED’s: Radio Sensitivity & Relative Signal Strengths
Distance to the moon
384,000 kilometers
Human Hair
40 µmeters
If the distance to the moon is compared to the transmitting power of a commercial airliner’s VHF radio , then the width of a human hair can break VHF squelch.

5. Assessing The Risk Of T-PED’s
T-PED emissions
may reach antennas used by sensitive airplane navigation
and communications receivers. Unlike HIRF, the RF source is inside the airplane.

6. Assessing The Risk of T-PED’s
Emissions from
T-PED’s may be picked up by airplane wiring or nearby airplane systems devices themselves. Again, unlike HIRF, the RF source is inside the airplane.

7. Maintaining and Enhancing Aviation Safety: RTCA Special Committee 202
The FAA requested that RTCA, Inc. form a special committee to present an up-to-date evaluation of the use of portable electronic devices (PED’s).
Particular attention was to be paid towards intentional transmitters such as mobile phones, wireless RF network devices, and other wireless-enabled devices such as personal digital assistants (T-PED’s).
Phase 1 – current T-PED technologies
Phase 2 – upcoming, next-generation T-PED technologies plus guidance for airplane design and certification.

8. RTCA SC-202 Schedule Special Committee SC-202 – Phase 1 Phase 2 2003
April 1963
SC-88 Document
Completed
September 1988
SC-156 Document
Completed
August 1996
SC-177 Document
Completed
Previous PED Committees
1963
1996
January 2003
FAA Request
May 2003
First Meeting
October 2004
SC-202 Phase 1
Document Completed
Special Committee SC-202 – Phase 1
Phase 2
2003
2005

9. Committee Representation
Regulatory Agencies
FAA (Flight Standards, Aircraft Certification, Spectrum Management), UK-CAA, Transport Canada, DGAC-France, FCC
Airlines
United, Delta Air Lines, US Airways, Continental, Northwest, American, Lufthansa, JAL, ANA, FedEx, UPS, Southwest, QANTAS, Air Wisconsin, ANA
Airplane Manufacturers
Airbus, Cessna, Boeing, Bombardier
Avionics Manufacturers
Rockwell-Collins, Honeywell, Connexion, Matsushita, General Dynamics, Teledyne, AirCell, Row 44
Consumer Electronics
Verizon, Intel, Sony-Erickson, Panasonic, QUALCOMM,
XCube Communications, CEA, Sony, Motorola, Dell, CTIA, Freescale Semiconductor
Associations, Universities, Agencies
NASA, UofOK, ARINC, SITA, ALPA, AFA, IATA,
EUROCAE, Carnegie Mellon
Aviation Industry Consultants
CAVOK International, Alion, Eagle’s Wings,
AJ Systems, Overlook Systems

10. Accomplishments
Developed and published guidance on a regulatory approval process for selective use of T-PED technologies.
Provided examples of:
Characterization of current wireless technologies
Applicable aircraft avionics operating standards
Flight critical systems categorization
Mitigation of potential T-PED effects
Guidance for PED policies and procedures development
passenger and public education goals
Recommended revisions to FAA AC A.
Proposed FAR revisions to incorporate PED Usage Signage.
Published recommendations on acceptable and enforceable use of T-PED geared towards:
Airlines,
Airplane Manufacturers,
Consumer Electronics Industry,
Regulatory Authorities, and
Consumers.

11. Maintaining and Enhancing Aviation Safety: Continuing Efforts
Refining recommendations for:
T-PED design
Aircraft design and certification
Operational risk mitigation.
Assess and Characterize additional T-PED Technologies
Ultrawideband devices
Pico-Cell Technology
Wireless Medical Devices
Active RFID Tag Technology.
Assess and recommend FAA regulation revisions to address allowable PEDs (Part 14 CFR and ).
Increasing coordination with EUROCAE Working Group 58.
Validation of the end-to-end process.

12. Maintaining and Enhancing Aviation Safety: RF Emission Limits Assessment
Coordination with:
Regulatory Authorities
Consumer Electronics Industry
Avionics Manufacturers
Develop recommendations for RF emission limit changes for consumer portable electronic devices
explore the possibilities for regulatory middle ground between Aviation Industry emissions requirements, and existing FCC limits for the Consumer Electronics Industry

13. Defining recommendations for Airplane Design and Certification:
Maintaining and Enhancing Aviation Safety: Airplane Design and Certification
Defining recommendations for Airplane Design and Certification:
address tolerance to intentional transmissions and spurious emissions
Identify PED environments to support:
Aircraft certification
System certification – STC
If required, identify changes to equipment RF susceptibility
Will be a separate DO-yyy document
Completion after final update to DO-294
Will build upon process and guidelines in DO-294
Work to define common document with EUROCAE Working Group 58
Expected completion July 2007

14. RTCA SC-202 Schedule
July 2007 Design & Certification Document Completed
December 2006
Document
Publication
Recommendation
March Phase 1
Document
Update Released
1st Qtr 2007
SC-202 Phase 2
Document
Released
July 2006 Draft Document Completed
October 2004
SC-202 Phase 1
Document
Completed
Phase 2 Tasks In Work
Review
Comment
DO-YYY work
2004
2007

15. Concluding Remarks
Committee efforts provide level playing field for T-PEDs impact assessment.
Making progress towards acceptable and enforceable policies and processes for the allowance of passenger and crew use of T-PEDs.
Replacing anecdotal understanding of T-PED operation on aircraft with a common facts-based understanding of the T-PED impacts and situation.
Developing recommendations and process for operational allowance plans and for airplane design and certification
Further information on RTCA and SC-202 available at