[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 208 (Thursday, October 27, 2011)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 66660-66662]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-27765]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 25
[Docket No. FAA-2011-1172: Notice No. 25-11-17-SC]
Special Conditions: Gulfstream Aerospace LP (GALP) Model G280
Airplane, Operation Without Normal Electrical Power
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed special conditions.
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SUMMARY: This action proposes special conditions for the Gulfstream
Aerospace LP (GALP) Model G280 airplane. This airplane will have a
novel or unusual design feature associated with operation without
normal electrical power. The applicable airworthiness regulations do
not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design
feature. These proposed special conditions contain the additional
safety standards that the Administrator considers necessary to
establish a level of safety equivalent to that established by the
existing airworthiness standards.
DATES: We must receive your comments by November 16, 2011.
ADDRESSES: You must mail two copies of your comments to: Federal
Aviation Administration, Transport Airplane Directorate, Attn: Rules
Docket (ANM-113), Docket No. FAA-2011-1172, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW.,
Renton, Washington 98057-3356. You may deliver two copies to the
Transport Airplane Directorate at the above address. You must mark your
comments: Docket No. FAA-2011-1172. You can inspect comments in the
Rules Docket weekdays, except Federal holidays, between 7:30 a.m. and 4
p.m.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nazih Khaouly, Transport Airplane
Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service, 1601 Lind Avenue SW.,
Renton, Washington 98057-3356; telephone (425) 227-2432; facsimile
(425) 227-1149.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
We invite interested people to take part in this rulemaking by
sending written comments, data, or views. The most helpful comments
reference a specific portion of the special conditions, explain the
reason for any recommended change, and include supporting data. We ask
that you send us two copies of written comments.
We will file in the docket all comments we receive, as well as a
report summarizing each substantive public contact with FAA personnel
concerning these special conditions. You can inspect the docket before
and after the comment closing date. If you wish to review the docket in
person, go to the address in the ADDRESSES section of this preamble
between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal
holidays.
We will consider all comments we receive on or before the closing
date for comments. We will consider comments filed late if it is
possible to do so without incurring expense or delay. We
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may change these special conditions based on the comments we receive.
If you want us to acknowledge receipt of your comments on this
proposal, include with your comments a self-addressed, stamped postcard
on which you have written the docket number. We will stamp the date on
the postcard and mail it back to you.
Background
On March 30, 2006, GALP applied for a type certificate for their
new Model G280 airplane. The G280 will have a novel or unusual design
feature associated with operation without normal electrical power.
Type Certification Basis
Under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (14
CFR) 21.17, GALP must show that the Model G280 airplane meets the
applicable provisions of part 25 as amended by Amendments 25-1 through
25-117.
If the Administrator finds that the applicable airworthiness
regulations (i.e., 14 CFR part 25) do not contain adequate or
appropriate safety standards for the Model G280 airplane because of a
novel or unusual design feature, special conditions are prescribed
under the provisions of Sec. 21.16.
Special conditions are initially applicable to the model for which
they are issued. Should the type certificate for that model be amended
later to include any other model that incorporates the same novel or
unusual design feature, the special conditions would also apply to the
other model.
In addition to the applicable airworthiness regulations and special
conditions, the Model G280 airplane must comply with the fuel-vent and
exhaust-emission requirements of 14 CFR part 34 and the noise-
certification requirements of 14 CFR part 36; and the FAA must issue a
finding of regulatory adequacy under Sec. 611 of Public Law 92-574,
the ``Noise Control Act of 1972.''
The FAA issues special conditions, as defined in 14 CFR 11.19, in
accordance with Sec. 11.38, and they become part of the type-
certification basis under Sec. 21.17(a)(2).
Novel or Unusual Design Features
The Model G280 airplane will incorporate the following novel or
unusual design features:
The Model G280 airplane is equipped with electrical and electronic
systems that control critical functions and systems. Examples of these
include the electronic displays, rudder, brakes, spoilers, flaps, and
electronic engine controls. The G280 electrical power generation and
distribution architecture is equipped with an essential APU and not
equipped with a Ram Air Turbine (RAT) generator. The loss of all
electrical power to certain functions and systems impacts the airplane
ability to land safely. Therefore, these special conditions are issued
to retain the level of safety intended by the current Sec. 25.1351(d).
Discussion
The Model G280 airplane requires a continuous source of electrical
power for continued safe flight and landing. The current regulation in
Sec. 25.1351(d), ``Operation without normal electrical power,'' states
that the airplane must be operated safely in VFR conditions, for a
period of not less than five minutes, with the normal electrical power
(electrical power sources excluding the battery) inoperative. This rule
was structured around a traditional design utilizing mechanical
controls for flight systems while the crew took time to sort out the
electrical failure, start engine(s) if necessary, and re-establish some
of the electrical-power-generation capability.
To maintain the same level of safety associated with traditional
designs, the Model G280 airplane electrical-system design must not be
time-limited in its operation. It should be noted that service
experience has shown that the loss of all electrical power, which is
generated by the airplane's engine generators or auxiliary power unit
(APU) is not extremely improbable. Thus, it must be demonstrated that
the airplane can continue through safe flight and landing (including
steering and braking on ground for airplanes using steer/brake-by-wire)
with the use of its emergency electrical-power systems. These emergency
electrical-power systems must be able to power loads that are required
for continued safe flight and landing.
Applicability
As discussed above, these special conditions are applicable to the
GALP Model G280 airplane. Should GALP apply at a later date for a
change to the type certificate to include another model incorporating
the same novel or unusual design feature, the special conditions would
apply to that model as well.
Gulfstream Model G280 certification is currently scheduled for
December 2011. The substance of these special conditions has been
subject to the notice and public-comment procedure in several prior
instances. Therefore, because a delay would significantly affect the
applicant's certification of the airplane, we are shortening the
public-comment period to 20 days.
Conclusion
This action affects only certain novel or unusual design features
on the GALP Model G280 airplane. It is not a rule of general
applicability and it affects only the applicant who applied to the FAA
for approval of these features on the airplane.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 25
Aircraft, Aviation safety, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements.
The authority citation for these special conditions is as follows:
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701, 44702, 44704.
The Proposed Special Conditions
Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the
Administrator, the following proposed special conditions are issued as
part of the type-certification basis for GALP Model G280 airplanes. The
special conditions are issued in lieu of Sec. 25.1351(d) and are
required to ensure that the airplane has sufficient electrical power
for continued safe flight and landing.
1. The applicant must show by test or a combination of test and
analysis that the airplane is capable of continued safe flight and
landing with all normal electrical power sources inoperative, as
prescribed by paragraphs (1)(a) and (1)(b) below.
For purposes of this special condition, normal sources of
electrical-power generation do not include any alternate power sources
such as a battery, ram-air turbine (RAT), or independent power systems
such as the flight-control permanent-magnet generating system. In
showing capability for continued safe flight and landing, consideration
must be given to systems capability, effects on crew workload and
operating conditions, and the physiological needs of the flightcrew and
passengers for the longest diversion time for which approval is sought.
a. Common cause failures, cascading failures, and zonal physical
threats must be considered in showing compliance with this requirement.
b. The ability to restore operation of portions of the electrical-
power generation and distribution system may be considered if it can be
shown that unrecoverable loss of those portions of the system is
extremely improbable. An alternative source of electrical power must be
provided for the time required to restore the minimum electrical-power-
generation capability required for safe flight and landing.
Unrecoverable
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loss of all engines may be excluded when showing that unrecoverable
loss of critical portions of the electrical system is extremely
improbable. Unrecoverable loss of all engines is covered in 2, below,
and thus may be excluded when showing compliance with this requirement.
2. Regardless of any electrical-generation and distribution-system
recovery capability shown under paragraph 1, sufficient electrical-
system capability must be provided to:
a. Allow time to descend, with all engines inoperative, at the
speed that provides the best glide slope, from the maximum operating
altitude to the altitude at which the soonest possible engine restart
could be accomplished, and
b. Subsequently allow multiple start attempts of the engines and
APU. This capability must be provided in addition to the electrical
capability required by existing 14 CFR part 25 requirements related to
operation with all engines inoperative.
3. The airplane emergency electrical-power system must be designed
to supply:
a. Electrical power required for immediate safety, which must
continue to operate without the need for crew action following the loss
of the normal electrical power, for a duration sufficient to allow
reconfiguration to provide a non-time limited source of electrical
power.
b. Electrical power required for continued safe flight and landing
for the maximum diversion time.
4. If APU-generated electrical power is used in satisfying the
requirements of these special conditions, and if reaching a suitable
runway upon which to land is beyond the capacity of the battery
systems, then the APU must be able to be started under any foreseeable
flight condition prior to the depletion of the battery or the
restoration of normal electrical power, which ever occurs first. This
capability must be demonstrated by flight tests at the most critical
condition.
a. It must be shown that the APU will provide adequate electrical
power for continued safe flight and landing.
b. The AFM must incorporate non-normal procedures that will direct
the pilot to take appropriate actions to activate the APU after loss of
normal engine-driven generated electrical power.
As a part of showing compliance with these special conditions, the
tests by which loss of all normal electrical power is demonstrated must
also take into account the following:
1. The failure condition should be assumed to occur during night
instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), at the most critical phase
of the flight, relative to the worst possible electrical-power
distribution and equipment-loads-demand condition.
2. After the unrestorable loss of normal engine generator power,
the airplane-engine restart capability must be provided and operations
continued in IMC.
3. It should be demonstrated that the aircraft is capable of
continued safe flight and landing. The length of time must be computed
based on the maximum diversion-time capability for which the airplane
is being certified. Consideration for airspeed reductions resulting
from the associated failure or failures must be made.
4. The airplane must provide adequate indication of loss of normal
electrical power to direct the pilot to the non-normal procedures, and
the AFM must incorporate non-normal procedures that will direct the
pilot to take appropriate actions.
Issued in Renton, Washington, on October 14, 2011.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-27765 Filed 10-26-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P