RGL

The Regulatory & Guidance Library (RGL) is a set of searchable databases

that contain regulatory, guidance, and aviation product information. There 12. Parts Manufacturer Approval – Parts Manufacturer
are two ways to access RGL: through the Internet and through Lotus Notes Approval (PMA) is both a design approval and a
(internal FAA use only). production approval. It is issued for the production
of modification or replacement parts, which includes
materials, parts, processes, and appliances.
Procedures for evaluation, approval, and
maintenance of PMA are described in Order
8110.42.
13. Policy – A policy statement gives guidance or
acceptable practices on how to find compliance with
a specific CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) section
or paragraph. These documents are explanatory and
not mandated.
14. Special Conditions – A Special Condition is a new
airworthiness regulation applicable only to a specific
product. A Special Condition is issued when the
FAA finds that the existing regulations are not
adequate or appropriate to address a novel or
unusual design feature.
15. Supplemental Type Certificates – A supplemental
type certificate (STC) is a type certificate issued
when an applicant has received FAA approval to
1 3 5 7 9 13 11 14 16 modify an aircraft, engine, or propeller from its
2 4 6 8 10 12 15 17 original design. The supplemental type certificate,
which incorporates by reference the related type
certificate, approves not only the modification but
1. Advisory Circulars – Advisory Circulars (ACs) recommendations and revise the rule, put the rule into also how that modification affects the original design.
provide guidance such as methods, procedures, and effect as is, or withdraw the rule. After this process is
practices for complying with regulations and grant complete and the proposed Rulemaking documents 16. Technical Standard Orders and Index– Technical
requirements. ACs may also contain explanations of are approved, they become FAR Final Rules. Standard Orders (TSO) are minimum performance
regulations, other guidance material, best practices, standards issued by the Administrator for specified
7. FAR Final Rules – FAR Final Rules are amendments to materials, parts, processes, and appliances used on
or information useful to the aviation community.
Federal Aviation Regulations that have gone through civil aircraft. TSOs can be viewed by Current, Active
They do not create or change a regulatory
the rulemaking process, were finalized, and then were Historical, or Canceled. Current TSOs are the
requirement.
published in the Federal Register. approved FAA performance standard that the
2. Draft Advisory Circulars - Please go to web site applicant must use to receive a TSO authorization.
8. CARs/CAMs/Aero-Bulletins– Civil Air Regulations
http://www.faa.gov/aircraft/draft_docs Active Historical TSOs are for previously approved
(CAR) were part of the original certification basis for
3. Airworthiness Directives – Airworthiness Directives aircraft first certified in the 1940's, 1950's, and 1960's TSO authorizations. Canceled TSOs are for reference
(ADs) are issued to correct unsafe conditions in a by the Civil Aeronautics Administration. As such, the only.
product. A product is an aircraft, aircraft engine, CARs may still be needed as a reference for older TSO Index of Articles is a listing of authorized
propeller, or appliance. aircraft, or as a standard for minor changes to older manufacturers and articles produced by the TSO
aircraft designs. Holder under a TSO authorization or letter of TSO
4. AD NPRMs – A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (AD
NPRM) is normally reserved for controversial rules as Civil Aeronautics Manual (CAM) policies provide Design Approval. The listing can be viewed by either
a means of obtaining public comment early in the detailed technical information on acceptable methods the TSO Holder name or TSO number. These
rulemaking process. of complying with the regulations. Such policies are articles are eligible for use on the United States (US)
for the guidance of the public and not mandatory. Type Certificated Products. The TSO authorization
5. Federal Aviation Regulations – The Code of Federal or the letter of TSO Design Approval does not
Regulations (CFR) is a codification of general and Prior to the establishment of the Civil Air Regulations convey the installation approval.
permanent rules that pertain to agencies and (CAR) by the Civil Aeronautics Authority in 1938, the
departments of the Federal Government. aeronautical regulations used during 1926 until 1938 17. Type Certificate Data Sheets – A Type Certificate
were the Aeronautical Bulletins. (TC) is the design approval for a new (or new
The code is divided into 50 titles that represent broad model) aircraft, engine, or propeller. In general
areas subject to federal regulations. Each of the 50 9. Equivalent Levels of Safety – Equivalent levels of there will be a Type Certificate Data Sheet (TCDS)
titles is divided into chapters. Title 14, Chapter 1, safety (ELOS) findings are made when literal associated with each Type Certificate issued. The
contains rules pertaining to Federal Aviation compliance with a certification regulation cannot be Type Certificate Data Sheet records the basis of
Regulations (FAR). shown and compensating factors exist that can be certification, the design details, and general
shown to provide an equivalent level of safety. This information concerning the design.
Each chapter is further divided into subchapters. For database contains the FAA Memorandum of the
example, Title 14 Subchapter C, Aircraft, has 11 parts equivalent level of safety findings and may be viewed
in the subchapter. by make/model and date.
Parts contain regulations dealing with a particular 10. Exemptions – An Exemption is a petition to
subject, such as Part 25: Transport Category Airplanes. the FAA by an individual or entity asking for
Parts are further divided into subparts and sections. relief from the requirements of a regulation
Subparts make up a specific group within the part, in effect. The FAA's response to the petition
such as Subpart D in Part 25, which pertains to is documented in this database and is one of
Design and Construction. Sections are the individual the following: granted, partially granted or denied. Note: Some databases contain historical documents.
rules.
11. Orders/Notices – Orders are detailed A green check mark next to the document
6. FAR NPRMs – FAR Notices of Proposed Rulemaking permanent directives that offer guidance indicates that it is the most current document.
(NPRM) are proposals to amend Federal Aviation on a particular subject. Notices are
Regulations. The NPRMs can be reviewed and temporary directives that offer guidance
commented on by the public. Based on the on a particular subject.
comments it receives, the FAA may accept some
 RGL
Quick Business Guide to Using RGL
The following table is a quick reference guide to common business uses of RGL .

Business Use Database View

I want to find an AC associated with a certain CAR, FAR, or SFAR Part. AC Current AC by CAR, FAR, and SFAR Part

I want to find a cancelled AC. AC AC History by Cancellation

I want to see the latest Emergency AD issued by the FAA. AD All new Emergency ADs

I have a current AD and I want to see the AD that it superseded or revised. AD AD History by Supersedes/Revises

How do I find an AD NPRM by the Docket Number? AD NPRM AD NPRM by Docket Number

How do I find a Draft AC that has been replaced by an AC? http://www.faa.gov/aircraft/draft_docs

How do I find all Draft AC’s issued by AIR? http://www.faa.gov/aircraft/draft_docs

How do I find a denied Exemption by the Exemption number? Exemptions Denial by Number

What does FAR Part ## look like today? FAR/SFAR Current FAR by FAR Part

I want to see the STC holder of an STC number. STC By STC Holder

What sections were changed by Amdt xx-xx? FAR/SFAR Historical FAR by Amendment Number

How to I find a preamble to a Final Rule? FAR/SFAR Go to the applicable section and scroll to the bottom of
the section--click on the linked documents
Where would I view the history of each section in the AIR issued parts? FAR/SFAR Historical FAR by Section or Historical FAR by FAR Part

How do I find the preamble to most Final Rules? FAR Final Rule Go to the applicable Final Rule and scroll to the bottom
of the document and click on the linked document
How do I find if the Final Rule has been issued in regard to a certain FAR NPRM? FAR NPRM Go to the applicable FAR NPRM and scroll to the bottom
of the document and click on the linked Final Rule.
How do I find the FAA Type Certificate Data Sheets? Make Model (TCDS) Current Models or Current Models by TC Holder

I have an order and want to find the order it canceled or revised. Orders/Notices Order History by Cancellation/Revision

How do I find a current FAA notice issued by AIR? Orders/Notices Current Notices by Notice Number

How can I find all of the proposed policies that have been replaced by a Final Policy? When a final Policy is issued by AIR, the proposed policy
is deleted.
What does FAR Part ## look like as of Amdt xx-xx? Reg Basis Created by Amendment

RGLon the Internet

Getting Help
Help is available online in the form of an easy-to-use
web-based training course. The course is organized
so that users can easily navigate to a particular topic
without having to complete the entire course or an
entire course lesson.

Accessing RGL on the Internet Searching for Documents To access the course, first select a database and then
select Help in the sidebar. From the Help links,
Though there is a Search link at the select Training.
To access RGL from the Internet, type this address
into your browser’s Address field: top of the RGL home page, it is for
the entire FAA site, not RGL. To Contact us about RGL at [email protected].
http://www.airweb.faa.gov/rgl
search RGL, access a database first,
To save as a Favorite, from the Menu Bar, select and then use the Search feature. Printing Documents & Lists
Favorites, then Add to Favorites.
To search for a document, first open the appropri- To print a document in a database, first open the
ate database. Type a key word in the Search field document. Then, from the menu bar, select File,
and select Go. Print.

To print a list of the documents that appear on the

screen without printing the sidebar, click the Print
View icon.

The recommended browsers are IE 5.0

or Netscape 4.7 (or higher), and the Select the Search Help link for The data will launch in a page without a sidebar.
recommended resolution is 800 x 600. tips on how to maximize your
searching skills. From the menu bar, select File, Print.
 Accessing RGL through Lotus Notes
RGL in Lotus NotesSearching for Documents
You can access all of the RGL databases through RGL offers three search methods: simple search, power search, and multi-database search.
Lotus Notes using the RGL Navigator database.
Simple Search
1. Check to see if you have already have the RGL
Navigator database bookmark in the bookmark Doing a simple search allows you to search for a key
bar in your Notes Mailbox. word in all documents that appear in a view.

1. Access the database that you need to search.

2. Select the Search view in the sidebar (this lists all
the documents in the database).
3. From the menu bar, select View, Search Bar. The Search Bar appears at the top of the database.

4. In the Search for field, type the key word. Select Search. Documents that match the search criteria
are displayed in order of relevance.
2. If you have the RGL Navigator bookmark, select
the bookmark to launch the database.

3. If you don’t have the bookmark, contact your

local Software Mentor for instructions on how to
add it to your bookmark bar.

When opening a database for the first

time, the About This Database page
opens. This page contains detailed
information about the database and is
worth reviewing. Press Esc to close the
“About” page.
Power Search
Do you know what a view is?
A view is a listing of documents in a Power searching allows you to search for a document using multiple words and different types of queries.
database. Databases can have more than
one view. The main view usually lists all 1. Access the database that you need to search
of the documents in the database. and follow Simple Search steps 2 and 3. The
Subsequent views group the documents in Search Bar appears at the top of the database.
the database according to specific criteria. 2. Select the More tab in the lower right corner
of the Search Bar.

The Search Bar expands to include more search

Printing Documents & Views criteria options.
To print a document in a database, first access the
database and open the document. Then, from the
menu bar, select File, Print.

To print a list of the documents that appear in a

view, from the menu bar, select File, Print.

The Print window appears.

3. Select the Multiple words button from the

Conditions menu. The Add Condition window
appears.

4. Type each key word in a separate field. Indicate

the type of search query to use by selecting the
appropriate Search for toggle: Any or All. See
below for direction on which to choose.

Any: Find topics containing one or more of your

words. This broadens your search. For example, if
you would like to find all documents containing
either of the words Takeoff or Power, type Takeoff
and Power and select Any.
All: Find topics containing all of your words, in any order. This narrows your search. For example, if you
would like to find all documents containing both of the words Takeoff and Power, type Takeoff and Power
and select All.

5. Select OK. This returns you to the expanded Search bar. The search condition and the key words appear
in the Search field.
In the Content section, select Print view. Click OK. 6. Select Search. Documents that match the search criteria are displayed in order of relevance.
 Multi-Database Search
RGL in Lotus Notes Multi-Database Advanced Search
The Multi-Database Search database allows users to search multiple databases at one 1. Access the RGL Navigator home page and follow Multi-database Simple
time using the same search criteria. A user can enter the word or phrase to be searched Search steps 2 and 3.
and select the databases. The search results document displays the locations where a
match was found. The user has the choice to save the query document (with the 2. Select Advanced Search.
databases selected) and/or to save the search results document.
The form expands to include advanced search conditions.
The Multi-Database Search database allows users to perform simple and advanced
(power) searches. A simple search is used to search across databases for a word or
phrase. An advanced search is used to search across databases using multiple words
and advanced query conditions.

Multi-Database Simple Search

1. Access the RGL Navigator home page. Select the Search link at the top of the page.
3. Type each key search word in a separate field. Indicate the type of search
The Multi-Database Search databases opens.
query to use by selecting the appropriate Search for toggle: Any or All. See
below for direction on which to choose.
Queries and results that have been saved by users are listed in the main
view and are grouped by the name of the person who ran the search. Any: Find topics containing one or more of your words. This broadens your
search. For example, if you would like to find all documents containing either
of the words Takeoff or Power, type Takeoff and Power and select Any.
2. From the action bar, select New Search Query.
All: Find topics containing all of your words, in any order. This narrows your
The New Search Query form opens.
search. For example, if you would like to find all documents containing both
of the words Takeoff and Power, type Takeoff and Power and select All.

4. Select Start Search.

5. Follow Multi-database Simple

Search steps 6 through 9.

Getting Help

The RGL Help database provides information about RGL specifically,

but also gives help on other related topics.
To access Help on the RGL Navigator home
page, select the Help link at the top of the page.

To access Help from inside a database, select the

RGL Help button at the top of the page.
3. Select the databases to search.
The Help database opens.
4. In the Search for field, enter the key word or phrase.
Help Views
5. Select Start Search.
Help documents are
The Save Search Results window appears. categorized in the
following views.
6. To save your search results, select Yes. You will be prompted to name your results.
Otherwise, select No. Frequently Asked Questions – This view lists questions that have been
identified as common problems by users.
When the search is finished, the Search Results document appears.
How do I...? – Gives instructions on performing various tasks.
7. To launch and view a document,
select the icon to the left of the Help by Subject – This view lists various subjects in alphabetical order. It
document description. separates documents into categories of similar subject matter.

Search Tips – The Search Tips view provides helpful hints and tips to assist
users in conducting the most efficient and complete search possible.

Training Manual – An on-line version of the RGL training manual. It may

8. To close the Search results be used for self-paced training on RGL or simply for reference purposes.
document, select Close. To
close the New Search Query Acronyms – The Acronyms view lists over 400 acronyms and their
form, select Close. A window descriptions used by the FAA.
appears asking if you want to
save the search query. What's New? – This view provides a bulletin-board type setting that allows
new RGL information and RGL release notes to be viewed by all RGL users.
9. To save your search results,
select Yes. You will be Search – The Search view lists all documents in the Help database
prompted to name your query. alphabetically, allowing the user to perform a search of all Help material.
Otherwise, select No.