Advisory Circular Subject: Acceptance of Aeronautical Data Processes
and Associated Databases Date: 09/20/10
Initiated by: AIR-130
AC No: Ab. Purpose of this Advisory Circular (AC.
a. This AC will help you to
(1) Obtain a Letter of Acceptance (LOA) from the Federal Aviation Administration FAA) that acknowledges compliance with this AC regarding aeronautical data processing.
(2) Evaluate whether data processes comply with the requirements of RTCA, Inc.
document DOA,
Standards for Processing Aeronautical Data.
(3) Define the data quality requirements (DQRs) for aeronautical data when obtaining airworthiness approval of new equipment or installations where the function of the equipment is dependent on an updateable database.
(4) Understand how an organization adheres to the data preparation and data transmission criteria applicable to the functions performed by that aeronautical data chain link or participant.
b. This AC is not mandatory and does not constitute a regulation. In it, we describe a means, though
it is not the only means, to obtain a LOA that acknowledges compliance with this AC. However, if you use the means described herein, you must follow it in all respects.
2. To Whom this AC Applies. We wrote this AC for aeronautical data service providers, original
equipment manufacturers, avionics manufacturers, and operators.
3. Summary of Major Changes and Scope. a. AC 20-153 only applied to navigation databases. This AC applies to other types of aeronautical data,
such as terrain, obstacle, and airport map databases.
b. This AC provides a means for manufacturers of existing systems with RTCA/DO-200 compliance to obtain a LOA.
09/20/10 AC Ab c. The standards used in this AC do not apply to Contracting States, or entities acting on
behalf of Contracting States, publishing data as addressed in International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Annex 15.
d. This AC does not apply to software programming pins (for option selectable software, configuration files,
aircraft personality modules, registries, or other lookup tables used by airborne systems and equipment to adapt equipment to the aircraft.
e. This AC does not address airborne system databases that are used by an airborne system and approved as part of the type design of the aircraft or engine. Examples of airborne system databases include engine power settings (takeoff, climb, Maximum Continuous Thrust (MCT), Cruise) and airfield performance data (takeoff distance, V speeds.
