[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 33 (Tuesday, February 19, 2013)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 11609-11611]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-03679]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 25
[Docket No. FAA-2013-0148; Notice No. 25-13-01-SC]
Special Conditions: Embraer S.A., Model EMB-550 Airplane; Landing
Pitchover Condition
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed special conditions.
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SUMMARY: This action proposes special conditions for the Embraer S.A.
Model EMB-550 airplane. This airplane will have a novel or unusual
design feature(s) associated with landing loads due to the automatic
braking system. 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: Send your comments on or before April 5, 2013.
ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by docket number FAA-2013-0148
using any of the following methods:
Federal eRegulations Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/ and follow the online instructions for sending
your comments electronically.
Mail: Send comments to Docket Operations, M-30, U.S.
Department of Transportation (DOT), 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Room
W12-140, West Building Ground Floor, Washington, DC, 20590-0001.
Hand Delivery or Courier: Take comments to Docket
Operations in Room W12-140 of the West Building Ground Floor at 1200
New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, except federal holidays.
Fax: Fax comments to Docket Operations at 202-493-2251.
Privacy: The FAA will post all comments it receives, without
change, to http://www.regulations.gov/, including any personal
information the commenter provides. Using the search
[[Page 11610]]
function of the docket Web site, anyone can find and read the
electronic form of all comments received into any FAA docket, including
the name of the individual sending the comment (or signing the comment
for an association, business, labor union, etc.). DOT's complete
Privacy Act Statement can be found in the Federal Register published on
April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477- 19478), as well as at http://DocketsInfo.dot.gov/.
Docket: Background documents or comments received may be read at
http://www.regulations.gov/ at any time. Follow the online instructions
for accessing the docket or go to the Docket Operations in Room W12-140
of the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE.,
Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday,
except federal holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Todd Martin, FAA, Airframe and Cabin
Safety Branch, ANM-115, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft
Certification Service, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington, 98057-
3356; telephone 425-227-1178; facsimile 425-227-1232.
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 will consider all comments we receive on or before the closing
date for comments. We may change these special conditions based on the
comments we receive.
Background
On May 14, 2009, Embraer S.A. applied for a type certificate for
their new Model EMB-550 airplane. The Model EMB-550 airplane is the
first of a new family of jet airplanes designed for corporate flight,
fractional, charter, and private owner operations. The aircraft has a
conventional configuration with low wing and T-tail empennage. The
primary structure is metal with composite empennage and control
surfaces. The Model EMB-550 airplane is designed for 8 passengers, with
a maximum of 12 passengers. It is equipped with two Honeywell HTF7500-E
medium bypass ratio turbofan engines mounted on aft fuselage pylons.
Each engine produces approximately 6,540 pounds of thrust for normal
takeoff. The primary flight controls consist of hydraulically powered
fly-by-wire elevators, aileron and rudder, controlled by the pilot or
copilot sidestick.
The Model EMB-550 airplane is equipped with an automatic braking
system. This feature is a pilot-selectable function that allows earlier
braking at landing without pilot pedal input. When the autobrake system
is armed before landing, it automatically commands a pre-defined
braking action after the main wheels touch down. This might cause a
high nose gear sink rate, and potentially higher gear and airframe
loads than would occur with a traditional braking system. Therefore,
the FAA has determined special conditions are necessary.
Type Certification Basis
Under the provisions of 14 CFR 21.17, Embraer S.A. must show that
the Model EMB-550 airplane meets the applicable provisions of part 25,
as amended by Amendments 25-1 through 25-127 thereto.
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 EMB-550 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 or similar
novel or unusual design feature, the special conditions would also
apply to the other model under Sec. 21.101.
In addition to the applicable airworthiness regulations and special
conditions, the Embraer S.A. Model EMB-550 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 section 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 Embraer S.A. Model EMB-550 airplane is equipped with an
automatic braking system, which is a pilot-selectable function that
allows earlier maximum braking at landing without pilot pedal input.
When the autobrake system is armed before landing, it automatically
commands maximum braking at main wheels touchdown. This will cause a
high nose gear sink rate, and potentially higher gear and airframe
loads than would occur with a traditional braking system.
Discussion
These special conditions define a landing pitchover condition that
accounts for the effects of the automatic braking system. The special
conditions define the airplane configuration, speeds, and other
parameters necessary to develop airframe and nose gear loads for this
condition. The special conditions require that the airplane be designed
to support the resulting limit and ultimate loads as defined in Sec.
25.305.
Applicability
As discussed above, these special conditions are applicable to the
Embraer S.A. Model EMB-550 airplane. Should Embraer S.A. 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.
Conclusion
This action affects only certain novel or unusual design features
on one model of airplanes. It is not a rule of general applicability.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 25
Aircraft, Aviation safety, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements.
0
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, the FAA proposes the following special conditions as
part of the type certification basis for Embraer S.A. Model EMB-550
airplanes.
Landing Pitchover Condition
A landing pitchover condition must be addressed that takes into
account the effect of the autobrake system. The airplane is assumed to
be at the design maximum landing weight, or at the maximum weight
allowed with the autobrake system on. The airplane is assumed to land
in a tail-down attitude and at the speeds defined in Sec. 25.481.
Following main gear contact, the airplane is assumed to rotate about
the main gear wheels at the highest pitch rate allowed by the autobrake
system. This is considered a limit load condition from which ultimate
loads
[[Page 11611]]
must also be determined. Loads must be determined for critical fuel and
payload distributions and centers of gravity. Nose gear loads, as well
as airframe loads, must be determined. The airplane must support these
loads as described in Sec. 25.305.
Issued in Renton, Washington, on February 12, 2013.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-03679 Filed 2-15-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P