[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 218 (Tuesday, November 12, 2013)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 67321-67323]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-26936]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 25
[Docket No.FAA-2013-0942; Notice No. 25-13-30-SC]
Special Conditions: Bombardier Aerospace Inc., Models BD-500-1A10
and BD-500-1A11 Series Airplanes; Autobraking System Loads
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed special conditions.
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SUMMARY: This action proposes special conditions for the Bombardier
Aerospace Inc. Models BD-500-1A10 and BD-500-1A11 series airplanes.
These airplanes will have novel or unusual design features associated
with the autobraking system for use during landing. 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 December 27, 2013.
ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by docket number FAA-2013-0942
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 9 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 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: Mark Freisthler, FAA, Airframe and
Cabin Safety Branch, ANM-115 Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft
[[Page 67322]]
Certification Service, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington, 98057-
3356; telephone 425-227-1119; 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 December 10, 2009, Bombardier Inc. applied for a type
certificate for their new Models BD-500-1A10 and BD-500-1A11 series
airplanes (hereafter collectively referred to as ``C-series''). The C-
series airplanes are swept-wing monoplanes with a pressurized cabin.
They share an identical supplier base and significant common design
elements. The fuselage is an aluminum alloy material, blended double-
bubble design, sized for nominal 5-abreast seating. Each airplane's
powerplant consists of two under wing Pratt and Whitney PW1524G ultra-
high bypass, geared turbofan engines. Flight controls are fly-by-wire
systems with two passive/uncoupled side sticks. Avionics include five
landscape primary cockpit displays. The dimensions of the airplanes
encompass a wingspan of 115 feet; a height of 37.75 feet; and a length
of 114.75 feet for the Model BD-500-1A10 and 127 feet for the Model BD-
500-1A11. Passenger capacity is designated as 110 for the Model BD-500-
1A10 and 125 for the Model BD-500-1A11. Maximum takeoff weight is
131,000 pounds for the Model BD-500-1A10 and 144,000 pounds for the
Model BD-500-1A11. Maximum takeoff thrust is 21,000 pounds for the
Model BD-500-1A10 and 23,300 pounds for the Model BD-500-1A11. Range is
3,394 miles (5,463 kilometres) for both models of airplanes. Maximum
operating altitude is 41,000 feet for both models of airplanes.
Type Certification Basis
Under the provisions of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14
CFR) 21.17, Bombardier Inc. must show that the C-series airplanes meet
the applicable provisions of part 25 as amended by Amendments 25-1
through 25-129.
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 C-series airplanes 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 C-series airplanes 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 C-series airplanes will incorporate the following novel or
unusual design features: The C-series airplanes possess an autobrake
system. This 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. Normal procedures remain unchanged and call for
manual braking after nose wheel touchdown.
Discussion
Section 25.493 addresses braked roll loads but does not contain a
specific ``pitchover'' requirement addressing the loading on the nose
gear, the nose gear surrounding structure, and the forward fuselage.
Moreover, Sec. 25.493 specifies airplane attitudes in accordance with
figure 6 of appendix A to part 25, which are level landing attitudes.
For airplanes with traditional braking systems, the current ground load
requirements are considered adequate for the design of the nose gear
and airframe structure. However, the C-Series airplane autobrake
system, which could apply maximum braking at the main wheels with the
airplane in a tail-down attitude well before the nose touches down,
will cause a high nose gear sink rate and potentially higher gear and
airframe loads.
Part 25 does not contain adequate requirements to address the
potentially higher structural loads that could result from this type of
braking system. In addition, the effects on fatigue covered by Sec.
25.571 also need to be considered. Therefore, FAA has determined that
additional airworthiness standards are needed for the certification of
this unusual design feature. These special conditions propose
airworthiness standards for the certification of the C-series airplanes
with an autobrake system.
Applicability
As discussed above, these special conditions are applicable to the
Models BD-500-1A10 and BD-500-1A11 series airplanes. Should Bombardier
Inc. 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 series 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.
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 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposes the
following special conditions as part of the type certification basis
for Bombardier Inc. Models BD-500-1A10 and BD-500-1A11 series
airplanes.
Autobraking System Loads
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 at the speeds defined by Sec. 25.481.
Following main gear contact, the airplane is assumed to rotate about
the main gear wheels at the highest pitch rate generated by the
autobrake system. This is considered a limit load condition from which
ultimate loads must also be determined. Loads must be determined for a
critical fuel and payload distribution and centers of
[[Page 67323]]
gravity. Nose gear loads, as well as airframe loads, must be
determined. The airplane must support these loads as described in Sec.
25.305.
In addition to the above airworthiness standards, fatigue loads
must also be determined and applied in accordance to Sec. 25.571.
Issued in Renton, Washington, on November 1, 2013.
Jeffrey E. Duven,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-26936 Filed 11-8-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P