Federal Aviation Administration, DOT

Pt. 91, App. G

APPENDIX G TO PART 91 - OPERATIONS IN
REDUCED
VERTICAL
SEPARATION
MINIMUM (RVSM) AIRSPACE

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Section 1. Definitions
Reduced
Vertical
Separation
Minimum
(RVSM) Airspace. Within RVSM airspace, air
traffic control (ATC) separates aircraft by a
minimum of 1,000 feet vertically between
flight level (FL) 290 and FL 410 inclusive.
RVSM airspace is special qualification airspace; the operator and the aircraft used by
the operator must be approved by the Administrator. Air-traffic control notifies operators of RVSM by providing route planning
information. Section 8 of this appendix identifies airspace where RVSM may be applied.
RVSM Group Aircraft. Aircraft within a
group of aircraft, approved as a group by the
Administrator, in which each of the aircraft
satisfy each of the following:
(a) The aircraft have been manufactured to
the same design, and have been approved
under the same type certificate, amended
type certificate, or supplemental type certificate.
(b) The static system of each aircraft is installed in a manner and position that is the
same as those of the other aircraft in the
group. The same static source error correction is incorporated in each aircraft of the
group.
(c) The avionics units installed in each aircraft to meet the minimum RVSM equipment requirements of this appendix are:
(1) Manufactured to the same manufacturer specification and have the same part
number; or
(2) Of a different manufacturer or part
number, if the applicant demonstrates that
the equipment provides equivalent system
performance.
RVSM Nongroup Aircraft. An aircraft that
is approved for RVSM operations as an individual aircraft.
RVSM Flight envelope. An RVSM flight envelope includes the range of Mach number,
weight divided by atmospheric pressure
ratio, and altitudes over which an aircraft is
approved to be operated in cruising flight
within RVSM airspace. RVSM flight envelopes are defined as follows:
(a) The full RVSM flight envelope is bounded
as follows:
(1) The altitude flight envelope extends
from FL 290 upward to the lowest altitude of
the following:
(i) FL 410 (the RVSM altitude limit);
(ii) The maximum certificated altitude for
the aircraft; or
(iii) The altitude limited by cruise thrust,
buffet, or other flight limitations.
(2) The airspeed flight envelope extends:
(i) From the airspeed of the slats/flaps-up
maximum endurance (holding) airspeed, or

the maneuvering airspeed, whichever is
lower;
(ii) To the maximum operating airspeed
(Vmo/Mmo), or airspeed limited by cruise
thrust buffet, or other flight limitations,
whichever is lower.
(3) All permissible gross weights within the
flight envelopes defined in paragraphs (1) and
(2) of this definition.
(b) The basic RVSM flight envelope is the
same as the full RVSM flight envelope except that the airspeed flight envelope extends:
(1) From the airspeed of the slats/flaps-up
maximum endurance (holding) airspeed, or
the maneuver airspeed, whichever is lower;
(2) To the upper Mach/airspeed boundary
defined for the full RVSM flight envelope, or
a specified lower value not less than the
long-range cruise Mach number plus .04
Mach, unless further limited by available
cruise thrust, buffet, or other flight limitations.
Section 2. Aircraft Approval
(a) An operator may be authorized to conduct RVSM operations if the Administrator
finds that its aircraft comply with this section.
(b) The applicant for authorization shall
submit the appropriate data package for aircraft approval. The package must consist of
at least the following:
(1) An identification of the RVSM aircraft
group or the nongroup aircraft;
(2) A definition of the RVSM flight envelopes applicable to the subject aircraft;
(3) Documentation that establishes compliance with the applicable RVSM aircraft requirements of this section; and
(4) The conformity tests used to ensure
that aircraft approved with the data package
meet the RVSM aircraft requirements.
(c) Altitude-keeping equipment: All aircraft.
To approve an aircraft group or a nongroup
aircraft, the Administrator must find that
the aircraft meets the following requirements:
(1) The aircraft must be equipped with two
operational independent altitude measurement systems.
(2) The aircraft must be equipped with at
least one automatic altitude control system
that controls the aircraft altitude - 
(i) Within a tolerance band of Section65 feet
about an acquired altitude when the aircraft
is operated in straight and level flight under
nonturbulent, nongust conditions; or
(ii) Within a tolerance band of Section130 feet
under nonturbulent, nongust conditions for
aircraft for which application for type certification occurred on or before April 9, 1997
that are equipped with an automatic altitude
control system with flight management/performance system inputs.
(3) The aircraft must be equipped with an
altitude alert system that signals an alert

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