[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 184 (Wednesday, September 23, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 57289-57291]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-24156]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 23
[Docket No. FAA-2015-3881; Special Conditions No. 23-267-SC]
Special Conditions: Cirrus Design Corporation, SF50; Full
Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) System
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Final special conditions; request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: These special conditions are issued for the Cirrus Design
Corporation SF50 airplane. This airplane will have a novel or unusual
design feature(s) associated with the use of an electronic engine
control system instead of a traditional mechanical control system. The
applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or
appropriate safety standards for this design feature. These 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: The effective date of these special conditions is September 23,
2015.
We must receive your comments by October 23, 2015.
ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by docket number FAA-2015-3881
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 of 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://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: Jeff Pretz, Federal Aviation
Administration, Small Airplane Directorate, ACE-111, 901 Locust, Room
301, Kansas City, MO 64106; telephone (816) 329-3239; facsimile (816)
329-4090.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA has determined, in accordance with 5
U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B) and 553(d)(3), that notice and opportunity for
prior public comment hereon are unnecessary because the substance of
these special conditions has been subject to the public comment process
in several prior instances with no substantive comments received. The
FAA therefore finds that good cause exists for making these special
conditions effective upon issuance.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Special condition number Company/airplane model
------------------------------------------------------------------------
23-237-SC Spectrum Aeronautical Model S-40.
23-246-SC Cirrus Design Corporation Model
SF50.
23-253-SC Diamond Aircraft Industries Model
DA-40NG.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 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 may change
these special conditions based on the comments we receive.
Background
On September 9, 2008, Cirrus Design Corporation applied for a type
certificate for their new Model SF50. On December 11, 2012, Cirrus
Design Corporation requested to revise the SF50 part 23 certification
basis to include amendment 23-62. The Cirrus Design Corporation SF50 is
a low-wing, seven-seat, single-engine turbofan-powered airplane. It
incorporates an Electronic Flight Information System (EFIS),
pressurized cabin, retractable gear, and a V-tail. The turbofan engine
is mounted on the upper fuselage/tail cone along the aircraft
centerline. It is constructed largely of carbon and fiberglass
composite materials. Like other Cirrus products, the SF50 includes an
airframe ballistic parachute system.
The model SF50 has a maximum operating altitude of 28,000 feet,
where it cruises at speeds up to 300 knots true airspeed. Its maximum
operating limit speed (VMO) will not exceed 0.62 Mach. The
maximum takeoff weight will be at or below 6,000 pounds with a range at
economy cruise of roughly 1,000 nautical miles. Cirrus intends for the
SF50 to be certified for single-pilot operations under 14 CFR parts 91
and 135 operating rules. The following operating conditions will be
included:
Day and Night VFR
IFR
Flight Into Known Icing
The Cirrus Design Corporation SF50 airplane is equipped with a
Williams International FJ33-5A turbofan engine, which uses an
Electronic Engine Control
[[Page 57290]]
System (EEC, also commonly referred to as a FADEC) instead of a
traditional mechanical control system. Even though the engine control
system will be certificated as part of the engine, the installation of
an engine with an electronic control system requires evaluation due to
critical environmental effects and possible effects on or by other
airplane systems. For example, indirect effects of lightning, radio
interference with other airplane electronic systems, shared engine and
airplane data and power sources.
The regulatory requirements in part 23 for evaluating the
installation of complex systems, including electronic systems and
critical environmental effects, are contained in Sec. Sec. 23.1306,
Electrical and electronic system lightning protection; 23.1308, High-
intensity Radiated Fields (HIRF) Protection; and 23.1309, Equipment,
systems, and installations. However, when Sec. 23.1309 was developed,
the use of electronic control systems for engines was not envisioned.
The integral nature of these systems makes it necessary to ensure the
airplane functions included in the EEC are properly evaluated and that
the installation does not degrade the EEC reliability, both of which
are approved under part 33. Sections 23.1306(a) and 23.1308(a) are
applied to the EEC to ensure it remains equivalent to a mechanical
system, which is not generally susceptible to the HIRF and lightning
environments.
In some cases, the airplane, which the engine is being installed
in, will determine a higher classification than the engine controls are
certificated for, requiring the EEC systems be analyzed at a higher
classification. As of November 2005, EEC special conditions mandated
the Sec. 23.1309 classification for loss of EEC control as
catastrophic for any airplane. This is not to imply an engine failure
is classified as catastrophic, but that the EEC must provide an
equivalent reliability to mechanical engine controls. In addition,
Sec. Sec. 23.1141, Powerplant controls: General, paragraph (e) and
25.901, Powerplant--General--Installation, paragraph (b)(2), are
applied to provide the fault tolerant design requirements of turbine
engine mechanical controls to the EEC and ensure adequate inspection
and maintenance interval of the EEC.
Type Certification Basis
Under the provisions of 14 CFR 21.17, Cirrus Design Corporation
must show that the SF50 meets the applicable provisions of part 23, as
amended by amendments 23-1 through 23-62 thereto.
If the Administrator finds that the applicable airworthiness
regulations (i.e., 14 CFR part 23) do not contain adequate or
appropriate safety standards for the SF50 because of a novel or unusual
design feature, special conditions are prescribed under the provisions
of Sec. 21.16.
In addition to the applicable airworthiness regulations and special
conditions, the SF50 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 Sec. 11.19, under
Sec. 11.38 and they become part of the type certification basis under
Sec. 21.17(a)(2). 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.
Novel or Unusual Design Features
The SF50 will incorporate the following novel or unusual design
features:
Electronic engine control system
Discussion
As discussed in the summary section, the SF50 makes use of an
electronic engine control system instead of a traditional mechanical
control system, which is considered a novel design for this type of
airplane. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain
adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature.
Mandating a structured assessment to determine potential installation
issues mitigates the concerns that the addition of an electronic engine
control may produce failure conditions not previously considered.
Applicability
As discussed above, these special conditions are applicable to the
SF50. Should Cirrus Design Corporation 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 the model SF50 airplanes. It is not a rule of general applicability
and affects only the applicant who applied to the FAA for approval of
these features on the airplane.
The substance of these special conditions has previously been
subjected to the notice and comment period as identified above, and has
been derived without substantive change from those previously issued.
It is unlikely that prior public comment would result in a significant
change from the substance contained herein. Therefore, notice and
opportunity for prior public comment hereon are unnecessary and the FAA
finds good cause, in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B) and
553(d)(3), making these special conditions effective upon issuance. The
FAA is requesting comments to allow interested persons to submit views
that may not have been submitted in response to the prior opportunities
for comment described above.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 23
Aircraft, Aviation safety, Signs and symbols.
Citation
The authority citation for these special conditions is as follows:
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113 and 44701; 14 CFR 21.16 and
21.17; and 14 CFR 11.38 and 11.19.
The Special Conditions
Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the
Administrator, the following special conditions are issued as part of
the type certification basis for Cirrus Design Corporation SF50
airplane.
1. Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) System
a. For electronic engine control system installations, it must be
established that no single failure or malfunction or probable
combinations of failures of Electronic Engine Control System (EEC)
system components will have an effect on the system, as installed in
the airplane, that causes the LOTC probability of the system to exceed
those allowed in part 33 certification.
b. Electronic engine control system installations must be evaluated
for environmental and atmospheric conditions, including lightning. The
EEC system lightning and HIRF effects that could result in LOTC must be
evaluated in accordance with Sec. Sec. 23.1306(a) and 23.1308(a).
c. The components of the installation must be constructed,
arranged, and installed to ensure their continued safe
[[Page 57291]]
operation between normal inspections or overhauls.
d. Functions incorporated into any electronic engine control that
make it part of any equipment, systems, or installation whose functions
are beyond that of basic engine control, and which may also introduce
system failures and malfunctions, are not exempt from Sec. 23.1309 and
must be shown to meet part 23 levels of safety as derived from Sec.
23.1309. Part 33 certification data, if applicable, may be used to show
compliance with any part 23 requirements. If part 33 data is used to
substantiate compliance with part 23 requirements, then the applicant
must be able to provide this data for showing or compliance.
Issued in Kansas City, Missouri on September 14, 2015.
Mel Johnson,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-24156 Filed 9-22-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P