Revised Advisory Circular, Authorizations Increase International Operators’ Burden

July 3, 2025

The FAA recently advised Part 91(K), 121, 125 and 135 operators of changes to foreign instrument procedures authorizations. The agency will no longer review foreign instrument procedures; instead, the responsibility to assess foreign instrument procedures is transferring from the FAA to the operator.

Notice 8900.740 Removal of All Foreign Procedures and Foreign Airports from OpSpec/MSpec/LOA C059, C060, and C384, and Decommissioning of OpSpec/MSpec/LOA C058, C358, and H107 describes the mandatory revision or decommission of related OpSpecs/MSpecs/LOAs.

Advisory Circular 120-105B Foreign Terminal Instrument Procedures Acceptance/Review provides guidelines for operators to use when reviewing foreign terminal instrument procedures.

“Operators should expect a call from their inspectors to reissue relevant OpSpecs, MSpecs or LOAs,” said Rich Boll, chair of NBAA’s Airspace and Flight Technologies Subcommittee. “Operators should also understand the revised authorizations put responsibility for assessing foreign instrument procedures on the operator, so operators and pilots will need to become familiar with performance standards used to assess these procedures.”

Boll explained most foreign instrument procedures adhere to standard criteria, whether ICAO Procedures for Air Navigation Services Aircraft Operators (PANS-OPS) or FAA Terminal Instrument Procedures (TERPS). However, some countries adhere to a standard criterion but also utilize exceptions. Mexico, for example, generally follows PANS-OPS but has taken an exception to PANS-OPS regarding circling standards and uses TERPS circling standards. Operators can find this information in the country’s Aeronautical Information Publication, but those documents can be difficult to find, especially in English.

Jeppesen and other aeronautical information providers typically indicate which performance standards are used for a particular instrument procedure but might not provide detailed information regarding exceptions.

“Operators and pilots will need to understand how to assess foreign instrument procedures; failure to assess these procedures can result in noncompliance with your OpSpec, MSpec or LOA language,” said Boll.

Principal inspectors should contact operators by Sept. 3.