Advisory circular


Advisory circular refers to a type of publication offered by the Federal Aviation Administration to provide guidance for compliance with airworthiness regulations, pilot certification, operational standards, training standards, and any other rules within the 14 CFR Aeronautics and Space Title. They define acceptable means, but not the only means, of accomplishing or showing compliance with airworthiness regulations. Generally informative in nature, Advisory Circulars are neither binding nor regulatory; yet some have the effect of de facto standards or regulations.
Advisory circulars typically refer to industry standards from SAE and RTCA. With harmonization of technical content and guidance between EASA and the FAA, later advisory circulars also identify corresponding EUROCAE publications.
Some advisory circulars are only a few pages long and do little more than reference a recommended standard; for example, AC 20-152 referencing DO-254. Others, like AC 20-115C/D, are considerably longer; in this case including guidance on how to transition from DO-178 revision B to C.
Advisory CircularTitleReferenced Standards
AC 00-69Best Practices for Airborne Software Development Assurance Using EUROCAE ED-12 and RTCA DO-178
AC 20-115Airborne Software Development Assurance Using EUROCAE ED-12 and RTCA DO-178ED-12C/DO-178C
ED-215/DO-330
ED-218/DO-331
ED-217/DO-332
ED-216/DO-333
AC 20-136Aircraft Electrical and Electronic System Lightning ProtectionRTCA DO-160 §22
AC 20-152Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic HardwareRTCA DO-254
AC 20-170Integrated Modular Avionics Development. Verification, Integration and ApprovalRTCA DO-297
AC 20-1317The Certification of Aircraft Electrical and Electronic Systems for Operation in the High Radiated Fields Environment
AC 25.1309-1System Design and AnalysisARP4754, ARP4761
AC 43.13-1BAcceptable Methods, Techniques, and Practices - Aircraft Inspection and Repair
AC 70-1Outdoor Laser Operations
AC 91-57Model Aircraft Operating Standards