Standardization and regulation for CNS/ATM avionics

Abstract

Worldwide standards and regulations govern aircraft communications, navigation, surveillance (CNS) and air traffic management (ATM) capabilities for all aircraft, including military fleets. These capabilities enable an aircraft to interact with air traffic services and gain access to civil airspace. The U.S. Department of Defense makes multi-billion dollar decisions on how and when to equip its airborne fleets for flying in civil airspace, according to technical standards and specifications, mandatory carriage regulations, and programmatic considerations. Standards development requires the participation of multiple and diverse stakeholders worldwide. Standards bodies determine how and when standards originate and evolve while governmental or quasi governmental organizations publish regulations that apply those standards. This paper describes the roles, responsibilities, and relationships of standards organizations; the types of documents they produce, relationships among the documents, and how they are applied; and regulatory processes and relationships at the national, regional, and world levels.