RVSM Monitoring
 

Pilots flying in reduced vertical separation minimum (RVSM) monitoring airspace will soon find themselves becoming familiar with another new compliance standard, as well as a new acronym, AGHME. This stands for Aircraft Ground Height Monitoring Equipment, and Nov. 18, 2012, is the final day to demonstrate compliance with a revised FAA rule on RVSM.
According to an NBAA story from the July/August Business Aviation Insider, the revision evolved after numerous incidents in which aircraft were found out of compliance with current RVSM standards. The new requirement means operators flying within RVSM airspace must be able to verify and record height-measurement details every two years or within 1,000 flight-hour intervals.
The rule requires at least two airplanes for each type a flight department operates, or each specific aircraft with a single type. Operators have a choice of three different methods of demonstrating compliance. One involves carrying a GPS monitoring unit onboard the aircraft during normal flight operations. Another requires mode S-equipped aircraft to overfly specific AGHME positions in North America, where actual altitudes can be measured and discrepancies noted. European flying offers operators a chance to use any of three GPS-based monitoring units (GMUs) in the region to verify altitudes.
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This was an email. I have no personal knowledge of this requirement.
I haven't flown that high in FOREVER! :cool:

USMCFLYR

We ended up using ARINC to conduct a GMU flight which was pretty painless, although 30min straight and level can be difficult depending on where you are based. For those that don't frequent the AGHME sites often while still up in RVSM ARINC and CSSI are the only two companies I believe that are approved.

If you want to check your status and latest AGHME record date click this link:

RVSM Approvals and AGHME Monitoring Status Results

personally, I keep a copy of our status in the a/c flightbook making sure it's been conducted every two years. YMMV

Our last RVSM Manual has us checking every month.
Easier than VOR checks!
Dave

Stupid question, has there been any incidents or accidents involving aircraft in RVSM airspace where the altimetry equipment was casual?

Sounds like BS to me.

The new requirement means operators flying within RVSM airspace must be able to verify and record height-measurement details every two years or within 1,000 flight-hour intervals.

Important note: the longer of the two

You can go over two years if still within 1000hours for example.

Just checked the AGHME website. All sites were down for maint. Dec. 11 but it looks like Wichita, Atlantic City, and Cleveland appear to be back in operation.

Also, it looks like they added Portland, OR for all in the NW

RVSM Height Monitoring vs ADS-B Out
 

My aircraft is equipped with ADS-B Out, do I still need to perform an RVSM Monitoring Flight test?

FAA information on ADS-B

The answer for North America is yes, after you have ADS-B installed in your aircraft, you currently still need to perform a separate RVSM Monitoring flight test to remain in compliance. You must perform the test if your aircraft is at either 1,000 flight hours since the last RVSM Monitoring test or it has been 2 years since the last RVSM Monitoring flight test (whichever period is longer). This RVSM Monitoring requirement is expected to change after January 2020 to RVSM Monitoring required every 2 years (removing the 1,000 flight hours option) and this article will be updated when more is known.

You must also satisfy the RVSM monitoring requirement by some other method (method other than ADS-B Out — AGHME ground station overflight or E2GMU test flight) in the 24 months prior to installation of the ADS-B Out system.

Before you equip ADS-B Out, make sure you are current with the RVSM Monitoring flight test in the past 24 months prior to the installation.

Until the time when the FAA announces new RVSM Monitoring testing procedures include ADS-B Out, your aircraft will need to perform an RVSM Monitoring test using the ground system AGHME (MODE S required) or a portable RVSM Monitoring toolkit. This article will be updated when the change is announced.

Contact www.sigmaaviation.com for more information.