PURPOSE AND SCOPE

The purpose of this document is to define the specification and parameters for Thermal Camera Systems which could be used on-board commercial aircraft to sense and / or monitor the temperature of passengers to a sufficiently high degree of accuracy, to help recovery of the airline industry in the post-Covid-19 world. The systems defined would highlight to the cabin crew when a passenger presents with an elevated temperature which might indicate a fever, ideally at the aircraft door, so that, depending on operational procedures, they may be isolated and potentially refused permission to board.

This MOPS is aimed at ensuring any equipment that is compliant with it will be able to attain the necessary regulatory approval; approval is generally facilitated by the recognition of such standard by the relevant authorities as being an Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) with the applicable regulations.

The document is structured as follows:

• CHAPTER 1 (this chapter) provides general information required to understand the need for the equipment characteristics and tests defined in the remaining chapters. It describes typical equipment applications and operational objectives and is the basis for the performance criteria stated in later chapters. Definitions essential to the proper understanding of this document are also provided.

• CHAPTER 2 contains the General Design Requirements.

• CHAPTER 3 contains the Design Specifications for the Thermal Camera and associated parts.

• CHAPTER 4 prescribes the Requirements for Supplier Acceptance Testing, detailing minimum performance specifications under standard operating conditions.

• CHAPTER 5 defines the environmental test conditions which provide a laboratory means of determining the overall performance characteristics of the equipment under conditions representative of those which may be encountered in actual operations.

• CHAPTER 6 specifies the performance required of the installed equipment. Ground and flight tests for the installed equipment are included when performance cannot be adequately determined through testing under standard test conditions.

The word “equipment” as used in this document includes all components necessary for the system to properly perform its intended function(s). For example, the “equipment” may be comprised of a set of separate components and/or units that are integrated in such a way as to make up a complete system. In this case, all of the foregoing components and units constitute the “equipment.” It should not be inferred from this example that the equipment design will necessarily include multiple separate components and/or units. This will depend on the specific design solution chosen by the manufacturer.

This MOPS applies to a specific defined function. The equipment may have additional features related to that function for which there are no specified minimum performance requirements. For example, many Very High Frequency (VHF) radios have an activestandby frequency “flip-flop” feature for which there are no specified requirements or tests. Equipment may also have additional functions for which other MOPS or European Technical Standards Orders (ETSOs) may be applicable or, it may contain additional functions not defined by any MOPS or ETSO and so separate guidance may therefore be applicable.

It is important to note that the tests contained in this MOPS are intended to verify compliance with its defined specifications only – ensuring the safety of any installation or use of Thermal Camera Systems on-board any aircraft is outside its scope. Approval for installation and use shall remain the responsibility of the relevant aircraft design organisation and/or regulatory body.