Civil Aviation Act, 2009 (Act No. 13 of 2009)RegulationsCivil Aviation Regulations, 2011Part 121 : Air Transport Operations - Carriage on Aeroplanes of more than 19 Passengers or CargoSubpart 5 : Aeroplane Instruments and Equipment121.05.18 Flight data recorders |
| (1) | An air service operator shall ensure any aeroplane operated is equipped with the FDR specified in technical standard 121.05.17 of Document SA-CATS 121. |
| (2) | The operator shall ensure that the FDR required by this Subpart complies with the specifications as prescribed in technical standard 121.05.17 of Document SA-CATS 121. |
| (3) | Each FDR installed in an aeroplane shall be located in such a manner that ensures maximum practicable protection is provided, in order that, in the event of an accident or incident, the recorded data may be recovered in a preserved and intelligible state. |
| (4) | The parameters of the FDR shall be determined to be within the ranges, accuracies and recording intervals as prescribed in technical standard 121.05.17 of Document SA-CATS 121 and, where required by subregulation (1), shall comply with the requirements of— |
| (a) | a Type I/IA FDR capable of recording the parameters that accurately determine the aeroplane flight path, speed, attitude, engine power, configuration and operation; or |
| (b) | a Type II/IIA FDR capable of recording the parameters that accurately determine the aeroplane flight path, speed, attitude, engine power and configuration of lift and drag devices. |
| (5) | No operator may operate an aeroplane equipped with a FDR using — |
| (a) | metal foil; |
| (b) | photographic film technology; or |
| (c) | from 1 January 2016, magnetic tape. |
| (6) | The FDR required by subregulation (1) shall be capable of retaining the data recorded during at least the last 25 hours of its operation except for the Type IIA FDR, which shall be capable of retaining the information recorded during at least the last 30 minutes of its operation. |
| (7) | The data obtained from a FDR shall be obtained from aeroplane sources which enable accurate correlation with information displayed to the flight crew. |
| (8) | The FDR shall start automatically to record the data prior to the aeroplane being capable of moving under its own power and shall stop automatically after the aeroplane is incapable of moving under its own power. |
| (9) | An aeroplane may commence a flight with the FDR inoperative: Provided that— |
| (a) | for aeroplanes with an approved MEL, the aeroplane is operated in accordance with that MEL and such MEL incorporates the provisions of paragraph (b) below; or |
| (b) | for aeroplanes without an approved MEL— |
| (i) | the aeroplane shall not depart from an aerodrome where repairs or replacements to such FDR can be made; |
| (ii) | the aeroplane does not exceed six further consecutive flights with the FDR unserviceable; |
| (iii) | not more than 48 hours have elapsed since the FDR became unserviceable; and |
| (iv) | such FDR is not a CVR combined with the FDR and the CVR is serviceable and functioning in accordance with the requirements of regulation 121.05.18. |