Aircraft height-keeping performance monitoring is a quality check on the engineering work and approval process associated with the safety of RVSM operations.

Yes, all operators are required to participate in the regional monitoring program. This participation usually means an operator will need to monitor two (2) individual aircraft of each type that they operate.

Monitoring can take place any time after the engineering upgrade work for RVSM compliance is completed and the aircraft has obtained airworthiness approval from their State Authority The operator has six months from receipt of airworthiness approval to complete their required height monitoring flight.

Aircraft can be monitored for RVSM by scheduling a GPS-based monitoring system flight or by flying over a ground based monitoring station (if the aircraft is Mode S equipped).

The cost of a GMU monitoring flight will vary depending on factors which include monitoring location and technician time. Generally, the cost for one aircraft is approximately $2,100 plus travel and per diem if travel to monitoring location is required.

Typically a monitoring flight can be scheduled within as little as 24 hours notice from the date of request.

A typical monitoring flight should take no more than two hours and consists of the following: the monitoring technician will temporarily set up the GMU in your aircraft (this takes approximately 15 minutes); the technician needs to collect approximately 30 minutes of data in RVSM airspace (FL290-410).

Yes, for a fleet of 3 or more aircraft self-monitoring is generally available. Operator self-monitoring includes a training charge of approximately $1,595 and a processing charge of approximately $750 for each flight.

*this charge is only applicable to those operators who train at CSSI HQ…the training charge is more if we travel to their facility to conduct training (again not including travel)

The basic requirements to conduct a monitoring flight are:

1.  30 minutes of straight and level flight at FL290-410 inclusive
2.  5-amp plug-in power (not lav/shaver outlet)
3.  Pre-flight access to cabin or cockpit windows to fix suction cup mounted GPS antennas
4.  limited access to flight crew by monitoring technician for transponder code changes and flight information

Monitoring results are typically completed within 10 business days of the monitoring flight. The data is initially processed by CSSI and then forwarded to the FAA’s Wm. J. Hughes Technical Center (WJHTC) for calculation of the aircraft’s altimetry system error (ASE) value. Upon completion of the results, for US registered operators the WJHTC will update the US RVSM approvals page with the date of your successful RVSM monitoring flight. For Non-US registered operators the WJHTC will provide the results of the successful monitoring flight to the operator’s regional monitoring authority (RMA).