Straight Talk About RVSM

RVSM Table of Contents

Editor's Notes

The growing demand for air travel has nearly saturated the world’s airways, but years of careful scrutiny have resulted in the selection of RVSM to relieve the crowded skies. The success of the initial RVSM regions paved the way for RVSM expansion into regions governed by Eurocontrol, Nav Canada, the FAA and other national regulatory agencies. RVSM will continue to affect the operations of every jet and many turboprops for years to come.

RVSM facilitates more on-time departures and arrivals, enhancing the value of airline and business aircraft travel. The airlines have been avid RVSM supporters since its inception because preferred routing, fuel savings and fewer delays will yield greater profits. In fact, the FAA estimates the increased access to fuel-efficient altitudes created with U.S. Domestic RVSM (DRVSM) will deliver approximately $500 million in fuel savings each year.

The relatively small number of dissimilar airframes has made RVSM certification a manageable task for the airlines. Conversely, the wide array of airframes comprising the business aircraft community has complicated certification. Though nearly every general aviation aircraft has received RVSM certification, maintaining that certification has become a cloudy process for operators. In addition, new Height Monitoring Requirements are now a reality and RVSM flights in Europe have meant a lot of education for everyone.

We invite you to call today for advice—without cost or obligation. We understand the RVSM initial certification and continued compliance needs for your situation.