NPA 2014-13

Assessment of changes to functional systems by service providers in ATM/ANS and the oversight of these changes by competent authorities

This Notice of Proposed Amendment (NPA) addresses a regulatory issue related to the assessment of changes to functional systems performed by certified service providers in the field of ATM/ANS and the oversight of these changes by competent authorities.

The specific objective is to provide a harmonised set of rules (by clarifying and enhancing the existing ones) for certified service providers to perform the assessment of changes to functional systems, and enhance the rules for competent authorities for the oversight of these changes. The objective is, therefore, to improve harmonisation and to facilitate the maintenance of a high level of safety by providing a clear set of implementing provisions, Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) and Guidance Material (GM).

This NPA proposes:

  • more explicit requirements for the oversight of changes to functional systems after their implementation during the ongoing oversight by the competent authorities;
  • more explicit requirements for the approval of the change management procedures by competent authorities;
  • enhancement of the requirements for the review decision and review of the changes to functional systems by competent authorities;
  • more explicit requirements to introduce processes into the management system of certified service providers to actively search for the need to change the functional system;
  • more explicit requirements for the change management procedures and for the changes affecting more than one certified service provider and aviation undertakings; and
  • requirements for the assessment and the assurance of changes to the functional systems applicable to all certified service providers.

The proposed changes are expected to improve understanding of the concepts associated with the assessment of changes to the functional systems by certified service providers and the relationship between the service providers and the competent authorities during the oversight activities of the latter. By improving the understanding of these concepts, it is expected that harmonisation across Europe will also improve.