AOPA says the FAA is about to approve more liberalization of aircraft certification by relaxing some requirements for GA aircraft. In a story on its website, AOPA says the agency is ready to adopt less stringent standards for software, electromagnetic protection and lightning strike survival for equipment in light aircraft. Current standards apply to all aircraft uniformly, whether they're Boeing 777s or Cessna 172s. Building and demonstrating gear to that level of compliance isn't feasible for many companies focused on supplying the light end of the market and seriously drives up the costs for those that do. AOPA said the change is "nothing short of monumental" and "a banner moment that we've been advocating for years."
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.avweb.com/ownership/faa-to-offer-more-breaks-on-certification