Amendment to UK Regulation (EU)139/2014

Overview

The CAA propose to make changes to Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC), Guidance Material (GM), Certification Specifications (CS) and Guidance material (GM) for UK Reg (EU) No 139/2014 regarding the ICAO change to the reporting method of pavement bearing strength from Aircraft Classification Number (ACN) and Pavement Classification Number (PCN) to Aircraft Classification Rating (ACR) and Pavement Classification Rating (PCR) which becomes applicable on 28^th November 2024.  

The benefits expected;

1. The ACR/PCR system overcomes the deficiencies and limits of the ACN-PCN system and allows consistency between pavement design and pavement rating systems.
2. The new system enables optimised use (in terms of allowable aircraft weights and frequencies) of existing and future pavements, without excessive conservatism.
3. For aircraft operators this should globally lead to less pavement induced weight restrictions
4. For aerodrome operators, it provides a consistent damage-based approach to optimise the use of their pavements, assess the impact of overload operations, and improve pavement life predictability providing the ability to plan maintenance rather than performing reactive maintenance when a failure occurs.
5. For aircraft manufacturers it allows the optimisation of landing gear geometry (both leg and overall geometry) of their future products.

Also included are changes stemming from Amendment 15 to ICAO Annex 14, ‘Aerodromes’, Volume I Aerodrome Design and Operations, (ICAO State Letter AN 4/1.2.28-20/35) and editorial amendments. The changes will apply to both UK Reg (EU) No 139/2014 and CAP 168 Licensing of Aerodromes.

Introduced are CS and GM for Engineered Materials Arresting Systems (EMAS), Instrument Runway Visual Range (IRVR) interfaces and Pilot Controlled Lighting (PCL).

Why your views matter

It is important to the CAA that the everyone has an opportunity to voice their opinion on matters that could affect them. For this reason, we are asking for comments on these proposed changes to the Regulations.

We welcome comments from every sector of the community. This includes the general public, government agencies and all sectors of the aviation industry, whether as an aviator, aviation consumer and/or provider of related products and services.

What happens next

At the end of the response period, we will review and publish each comment and submission received.

Your feedback will be used to guide the development of the regulatory changes and refine the CS, AMC and GM.