Guidance and Reference

• Guidance on Amendment 48 to Annex 6, Part I Autonomous Distress Tracking Equipage Requirements​

This page provides guidance on Amendment 48 to Annex 6, Part I, which established a revised applicability date for the equipage of the autonomous distress tracking capability described in paragraph 6.18 – Location of an aeroplane in distress.  The revised text, adopted in July 2022, now reads:
 

6.18.1 As of 1 January 2025, all aeroplanes of a maximum certificated take-off mass of over 27 000 kg for which the individual certificate of airworthiness is first issued on or after 1 January 2024, shall autonomously transmit information from which a position can be determined by the operator at least once every minute, when in distress, in accordance with Appendix 9.

• Complying with the revised Standard

 A system which meets the requirements of the Standard is typically referred to as an autonomous distress tracking system or ADT system.
 

Affected aeroplanes must have an ADT system installed no later than 1 January 2025. It should also be noted that the intent of the Standard is that once installed, the ADT system should be operational and in use.  It is not intended that the system should be installed on the aircraft but not become operational until 1 January 2025.
 

• Affected aircraft

Equipage Standards in Annex 6 that are intended to apply on a future date often take one of two forms – affect all new aircraft of an existing type, or affect only for new aircraft types. Which aircraft are affected is described in one of two forms in the Annex as explained below:

• Export Certificate of Airworthiness

Most States of Design/Manufacture facilitate the transfer of aircraft onto the registry of another State by the issue of an "Export Certificate of Airworthiness" or similarly titled document.  While an Export Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) is not valid for the purpose of flight, such a document provides confirmation by the exporting State of a recent satisfactory review of the airworthiness status of the aircraft.  The Export CofA confirms the aircraft's conformity with the approved type design and its acceptable airworthiness status, stating in effect that if the aircraft were to remain on the aircraft register of the exporting State it would continue to qualify for the continuance of its CofA. While some States may not have either the provision for export certification or any requirement for such certificates from States from which they receive exported aircraft, most States of Design/Manufacture issue an Export CofA prior to the delivery of a newly manufactured aircraft to the importing State. If there is an agreement, through bilateral agreements or other means, the Export CofA also attests compliance with the requirements of the importing State.
 

The issuance of an Export CofA also confers the transfer of the regulatory responsibility for meeting continuing airworthiness requirements for a specific aeroplane from the exporting State to the importing State. Many exporting States also issue a formal confirmation that the aeroplane has been deregistered from that State.^[1]
 

As mentioned above, ADT equipage requirements are determined based upon the date that an aeroplane is first issued a CofA. In respect of newly manufactured aeroplanes and the transferal of the aeroplane from the exporting State (State of Design/Manufacture) to the importing State (State of Registry), there are some variations in how the first CofA is issued. When issued, an Export CofA may constitute the first issuance of a CofA. The following examples outline the practices that are typically used by States of Design/Manufacture, particularly when exporting aeroplanes, and provide practical implementation guidance in respect of the ADT equipage requirements.
 

While an Export CofA confirms an aircraft's conformity with the approved type design and its acceptable airworthiness status, an Export CofA in itself does not grant the right of international flight and cannot be validated in accordance with Annex 8, Part II, 3.2.4. To be eligible for international flight, an aircraft having an Export CofA should carry a valid Article 31 compliant Certificate of Airworthiness issued by the State of Registry, or some equivalent document mutually acceptable to the exporting and importing States, as well as any State over which the aircraft will fly on its delivery flight.
 

The autonomous distress tracking provisions are intended for newly manufactured aeroplanes involved in international commercial operations.  Practical examples are given below that illustrate when equipage would be required.

The above-mentioned examples are intended to provide guidance to States on the implementation of Amendment 48 to Annex 6, Part I. States are urged to implement Amendment 48 to Annex 6, Part I, within their national regulatory frameworks as soon as practicable to facilitate the highest level of uniformity in accordance with the Convention on International Civil Aviation. States are also urged to notify ICAO of any differences in respect of Amendment 48 to Annex 6, Part I.  States should also consider the use of the Electronic Filing of Differences (EFOD) System for notification of differences.
 

^[1] As of 2 November 2023, if a Contracting State or common mark registering authority issues a certificate of deregistration, it shall issue the certificate in accordance with Section 9 of Annex 7.