European Commission SES SPI IR Legislation

For the operational use of ADS-B Out (covering ADS-B NRA, RAD and APT), the European Commission Single European Sky Surveillance Performance and Interoperability Implementing Rule (SPI IR) applies.

The SPI IR was approved in July and was published in the Official Journal of the European Union in November 2011. According to the SPI IR, all aircraft operating IFR/GAT in Europe will have to be compliant with Mode S Elementary Surveillance, whilst aircraft with maximum Take-Off Mass greater than 5700kg or maximum cruising True Air Speed greater than 250kts will have to be compliant with Mode S Enhanced Surveillance and “ADS-B out”. The mandate dates are January 2015 for forward fit and December 2017 for retrofit, with further provisions for State aircraft.

This Rule will accelerate both the aircraft ADS-B equipage and the ADS-B ground system deployment.

The new Surveillance techniques ADS-B and WAM, supported by the Rule, will enable the deployment of a rationalised (i.e. cost-efficient and spectrum efficient), high performance and interoperable Surveillance infrastructure.

Further details are available on: the  Regulatory Support for the Single European Sky and the Transport Implementing rules pages.

'Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1207/2011', published on 23/11/2011, and it can be downloaded here.