Definition
ASW-110 is a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) office designation referring to the Rotorcraft Standards Branch within the Aircraft Certification Service. It is the FAA office responsible for issuing approvals, exemptions, and policy guidance related to rotorcraft (helicopter) airworthiness standards.
Plain English
ASW-110 is the name of the specific FAA office that handles helicopter certification rules. When a helicopter manual or limitation refers to ASW-110, it means that office is the source or approving authority for that particular guidance.
Context Anchor
Seen in helicopter flight manual limitations and required-equipment lists, especially when checking whether the helicopter is approved for a particular instrument operation.
Derivation
The code follows the FAA's internal office numbering system. 'ASW' identifies the Southwest Region's Aircraft Certification offices (where rotorcraft certification was historically based, in Fort Worth, Texas), and '110' is the specific branch number for the Rotorcraft Standards Branch.
Why Pilots Care
Pilots must observe every listed limitation to keep the helicopter within certified safe operating limits.
Intuition Check
Do not read ASW-110 as a flight procedure, chart code, or airspeed limit. In this context, it is an equipment item listed in the helicopter’s limitations.
Example Sentence 1
The flight manual supplement noted that the operating limitation had been approved by ASW-110.
Example Sentence 2
During preflight, the crew reviewed ASW-110 to verify the maximum allowable rotor RPM under the current conditions.