[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 184 (Wednesday, September 23, 2015)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 57312-57314]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-24161]
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Proposed Rules
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 184 / Wednesday, September 23, 2015 /
Proposed Rules
[[Page 57312]]
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 23
[Docket No.FAA-2015-3880; Notice No. 23-15-05-SC]
Special Conditions: Honda Aircraft Company (Honda) Model HA-420,
HondaJet; Cruise Speed Control System
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed special conditions.
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SUMMARY: This action proposes special conditions for the Honda Aircraft
Company HA-420 airplane. This airplane will have a novel or unusual
design feature(s) associated with the use of a cruise speed control
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 October 23, 2015.
ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by docket number FAA-2015-3880
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, Aircraft Certification
Service, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, MO 64106; telephone (816)
329-3239; facsimile (816) 329-4090.
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 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 October 11, 2006, Honda Aircraft Company applied for a type
certificate for their new Model HA-420. On October 10, 2013, Honda
Aircraft Company requested an extension with an effective application
date of October 1, 2013. This extension changed the type certification
basis to amendment 23-62.
The HA-420 is a four to five passenger (depending on
configuration), two crew, lightweight business jet with a 43,000-foot
service ceiling and a maximum takeoff weight of 9963 pounds. The
airplane is powered by two GE-Honda Aero Engines (GHAE) HF-120 turbofan
engines.
The HA-420 airplane will use a cruise speed control system (CSC),
which is part of the automatic flight control system (AFCS), to reduce
pilot workload during cruise flight only. The intended function is
automatic airplane speed control during altitude hold AFCS mode by
adjustment of the engine thrust within a narrow authority band
utilizing the existing engine synchronization control. The CSC system
does not back drive the throttles. The command authority is limited to
values used for engine synchronization and can only be engaged when the
throttle is positioned in a pre-determined range typically used for
cruise power. This significantly reduces the CSC authority such that
failure modes of the system should be minor. The proposed CSC system
functions in a manner similar to an auto-throttle system, but has
significantly less authority when compared to a traditional auto-
throttle system.
Type Certification Basis
Under the provisions of 14 CFR 21.17, Honda Aircraft Company must
show that the HA-420 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 HA-420 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
[[Page 57313]]
conditions, the HA-420 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. In addition, the FAA must issue a
finding of regulatory adequacy pursuant to 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 HA-420 will incorporate the following novel or unusual design
features: Cruise Speed Control system.
Discussion
As defined in the summary section, this airplane makes use of a CSC
system, which is 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
additional requirements, developed in part by adapting relevant
portions of 14 CFR 25.1329, Automatic pilot systems, applicable to
auto-throttle systems along with FAA experience with similar autothrust
systems, mitigates the concerns associated with installation of the
proposed CSC system.
Applicability
As discussed above, these special conditions are applicable to the
HA-420. Should Honda Aircraft Company 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 HA-420 airplane. 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.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 23
Aircraft, Aviation safety, Signs and symbols.
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 Honda Aircraft Company HA-420 airplanes.
1. Cruise Speed Control
In addition to the requirements of Sec. Sec. 23.143,
Controllability and Maneuverability--General; 23.1309, Equipment,
systems, and installations; and 23.1329, Automatic pilot system; auto
throttle systems of limited authority that do not back drive the
throttles and for which all failure modes are shown to be no greater
than minor, the following requirements apply:
(a) Quick disengagement controls for the autothrust functions must
be provided for each pilot. Quick disengagement controls must be
readily accessible to each pilot while operating the thrust control
levers.
(b) The effects of a failure of the system to disengage the
autothrust functions when manually commanded by the pilot must be
assessed in accordance with the requirements of Sec. 23.1309.
(c) Engagement or switching of the flight guidance system, a mode,
or a sensor may not cause the autothrust system to effect a transient
response that alters the airplane's flight path any greater than a
minor transient, as defined in paragraph (l)(1) of this section.
(d) Under normal conditions, the disengagement of any automatic
control function of a flight guidance system may not cause a transient
response of the airplane's flight path any greater than a minor
transient.
(e) Under rare normal and non-normal conditions, disengagement of
any automatic control function of a flight guidance system may not
result in a transient any greater than a significant transient, as
defined in paragraph (l)(2) of this section.
(f) The function and direction of motion of each command reference
control (such as CSC) must be plainly indicated on, or adjacent to,
each control, if necessary to prevent inappropriate use or confusion.
(g) Under any condition of flight appropriate to its use, the
flight guidance system may not produce hazardous loads on the airplane,
nor create hazardous deviations in the flight path. This applies to
both fault-free operation and in the event of a malfunction, and
assumes that the pilot begins corrective action within a reasonable
period of time.
(h) When the flight guidance system is in use, a means must be
provided to avoid excursions beyond an acceptable margin from the speed
range of the normal flight envelope. If the airplane experiences an
excursion outside this range, a means must be provided to prevent the
flight guidance system from providing guidance or control to an unsafe
speed.
(i) The flight guidance system functions, controls, indications,
and alerts must be designed to minimize flightcrew errors and confusion
concerning the behavior and operation of the flight guidance system.
Means must be provided to indicate the current mode of operation,
including any armed modes, transitions, and reversions. Selector switch
position is not an acceptable means of indication. The controls and
indications must be grouped and presented in a logical and consistent
manner. The indications must be visible to each pilot under all
expected lighting conditions.
(j) Following disengagement of the autothrust function, a caution
(visual and, unless there are no misleading or hazardous consequences
associated with its absence, auditory) must be provided to each pilot.
(k) During autothrust operation, it must be possible for the
flightcrew to move the thrust levers without requiring excessive force.
The autothrust may not create a potential hazard when the flightcrew
applies an override force to the thrust levers.
(l) For purposes of this section, a transient is a disturbance in
the control or flight path of the airplane that is not consistent with
response to flightcrew inputs or environmental conditions.
(1) A minor transient would not significantly reduce safety margins
and would involve flightcrew actions that are well within their
capabilities. A minor transient may involve a slight increase in
flightcrew workload or some physical discomfort to passengers or cabin
crew.
(2) A significant transient may lead to a significant reduction in
safety margins, an increase in flightcrew workload, discomfort to the
flightcrew, or physical distress to the passengers or cabin crew,
possibly including non-fatal injuries. Significant transients do not
require, in order to remain within or recover to the normal flight
envelope, any of the following:
(i) Exceptional piloting skill, alertness, or strength.
(ii) Forces applied by the pilot which are greater than those
specified in Sec. 23.143(c).
(iii) Accelerations or attitudes in the airplane that might result
in further hazard to secured or non-secured occupants.
[[Page 57314]]
Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on September 14, 2015.
Mel Johnson,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-24161 Filed 9-22-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P