[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 78 (Friday, April 22, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 23570-23572]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-09334]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 25
[Docket No. FAA-2015-7301; Special Conditions No. 25-614-SC]
Special Conditions: Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation Model GVII-
G500 Airplanes, Pilot Compartment View Requirements With an Enhanced
Flight Vision System
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Final special conditions; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: These special conditions are issued for the Gulfstream
Aerospace Corporation (Gulfstream) Model GVII-G500 airplane. This
airplane will have a novel or unusual design feature when compared to
the state of technology envisioned in the airworthiness standards for
transport category airplanes. This design feature is an enhanced flight
vision system (EFVS) that includes a head-up display (HUD) capable of
displaying forward-looking infrared (FLIR) imagery, intended to be used
for instrument approaches under provisions of Title 14, Code of Federal
Regulations (14 CFR) 91.175(l) and (m). 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: This action is effective on Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation on
April 22, 2016. We must receive your comments by June 6, 2016.
ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by docket number FAA-2015-7301
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.
[[Page 23571]]
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/ 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 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: Dale Dunford, FAA, Airplane and
Flightcrew Interface Branch, ANM-111, Transport Airplane Directorate,
Aircraft Certification Service, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton,
Washington 98057-3356; telephone 425-227-2239; facsimile 425-227-1320.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA has determined that notice of, and
opportunity for prior public comment on, these special conditions is
impracticable because these procedures would significantly delay
issuance of the design approval and thus delivery of the affected
airplane.
In addition, 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
publication in the Federal Register.
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 by the closing date for
comments. We may change these special conditions based on the comments
we receive.
Background
On March 29, 2012, Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation applied for a
type certificate for their new Model GVII-G500 series airplane. The
Model GVII-G500 series airplane will be a business jet capable of
accommodating up to 19 passengers. It will incorporate a low, swept-
wing design with winglets and a T-tail. The powerplant will consist of
two aft-fuselage-mounted Pratt & Whitney turbofan engines.
Type Certification Basis
Under the provisions of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14
CFR) 21.17, Gulfstream must show that the Model GVII-G500 series
airplane meets the applicable provisions of 14 CFR 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 Model GVII-G500 series 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 Model GVII-G500 series 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. 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 Gulfstream Model GVII-G500 airplane will incorporate the
following novel or unusual design feature:
An enhanced flight vision system (EFVS) that includes a head-up
display (HUD) capable of displaying forward-looking infrared (FLIR)
imagery, intended to be used for instrument approaches under provisions
of Sec. 91.175(l) and (m).
Discussion
The EFVS uses novel technology for which the FAA has no
certification criteria. Furthermore, 14 CFR 25.773, which was not
written in anticipation of such technology, does not permit visual
distortions and reflections that could interfere with the pilot's
compartment view. The video image potentially interferes with the
pilot's ability to see the natural scene in the center of their forward
field of view. Because Sec. 25.773 does not provide for alternatives
or considerations for such a novel system, it is necessary to establish
safety requirements that assure an equivalent level of safety and
effectiveness of the pilot compartment view as intended by this rule.
These special conditions for the EFVS are prescribed under the
provisions of Sec. 21.16. Other applications for certification of such
technology are anticipated in the near future, and magnify the need to
establish FAA safety standards that can be applied consistently for all
such approvals.
Unlike the pilot's natural forward vision, the EFVS image is
infrared-based, monochrome, 2-dimensional (i.e., providing no depth
perception), and of lower resolution. While the pilot may be readily
able to see around and through small individual stroke-written symbols
on the HUD, the pilot may not be able to see around or through the
image that fills the display without some interference of the outside
view. Nevertheless, the EFVS may be capable of meeting an equivalent
level of safety when considering the combined view of the image and the
outside scene, which is visible to the pilot through the image. It is
essential that the pilot be able to use this combination of image and
natural view of the outside scene as safely and effectively as the
pilot compartment view currently allows without the EFVS image.
These special conditions provide the unique pilot-compartment view
requirements for the EFVS installation.
Compliance with these special conditions is required for the EFVS
to be found acceptable, for the following intended functions, in
accordance with Sec. 91.175(l) and (m):
1. Presenting an image that would aid the pilot during a straight-
in instrument approach.
2. Enable the pilot to determine the ``enhanced flight
visibility,'' as required by Sec. 91.175(l)(2), for descent and
operation below MDA/DH.
3. Enable the pilot to use the EFVS imagery to detect and identify
the ``visual references for the intended runway,'' required by Sec.
91.175(l)(3), to continue the approach with vertical
[[Page 23572]]
guidance to 100 feet height above touchdown-zone elevation.
Note: The term ``Enhanced Vision System,'' or EVS, commonly refers
to a system comprising a HUD, imaging sensor(s), and avionics
interface(s) that displays the sensor imagery on the HUD and overlays
it with alpha-numeric and symbolic flight information. However, the
term has also been used to refer to systems that display the sensor
imagery, with or without other flight information, on a head-down
display. Therefore, to avoid confusion, the FAA has defined the term
``Enhanced Flight Vision System'' (EFVS) to refer to certain EVS that
meet the requirements of Sec. 91.175(m), in particular the requirement
for a HUD and specified flight information, and the ability to
determine ``enhanced flight visibility.'' Accordingly, an EFVS can be
considered a subset of systems otherwise labeled EVS.
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.
Applicability
As discussed above, these special conditions are applicable to the
Gulfstream Model GVII-G500 airplane. Should Gulfstream apply at a later
date for a change to the type certificate to include another model
incorporating the same novel or unusual design feature, these special
conditions would apply to that model as well.
Conclusion
This action affects only a certain novel or unusual design feature
on one model series of airplane. It is not a rule of general
applicability.
The substance of these special conditions has been subjected to the
notice and comment period in several prior instances 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, because a delay would
significantly affect the certification of the airplane, the FAA has
determined that prior public notice and comment are unnecessary and
impracticable, and good cause exists for adopting these special
conditions upon publication in the Federal Register.
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 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 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 Gulfstream Model GVII-G500 airplanes.
1. Enhanced flight vision system (EFVS) imagery on the head-up
display (HUD) must not degrade the safety of flight or interfere with
the effective use of outside visual references for required pilot tasks
during any phase of flight in which it is to be used.
2. To avoid unacceptable interference with the safe and effective
use of the pilot-compartment view, the EFVS device must meet the
following requirements:
a. EFVS design must minimize unacceptable display characteristics
or artifacts (e.g. noise, ``burlap'' overlay, running water droplets)
that obscure the desired image of the scene, impair the pilot's ability
to detect and identify visual references, mask flight hazards, distract
the pilot, or otherwise degrade task performance or safety.
b. Control of EFVS display brightness must be sufficiently
effective, in dynamically changing background (ambient) lighting
conditions, to prevent full or partial blooming of the display that
would distract the pilot, impair the pilot's ability to detect and
identify visual references, mask flight hazards, or otherwise degrade
task performance or safety. If automatic control for image brightness
is not provided, it must be shown that a single manual setting is
satisfactory for the range of lighting conditions encountered during a
time-critical, high-workload phase of flight (e.g., low-visibility
instrument approach).
c. A readily accessible control must be provided that permits the
pilot to immediately deactivate and reactivate display of the EFVS
image on demand, without removing the pilot's hands from the primary
flight controls (yoke or equivalent) or thrust control.
d. The EFVS image on the HUD must not impair the pilot's use of
guidance information, or degrade the presentation and pilot awareness
of essential flight information displayed on the HUD, such as alerts,
airspeed, attitude, altitude and direction, approach guidance, wind-
shear guidance, traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS) resolution
advisories, and unusual-attitude recovery cues.
e. The EFVS image and the HUD symbols, which are spatially
referenced to the pitch scale, outside view, and image, must be scaled
and aligned (i.e., conformal) to the external scene and, when
considered singly or in combination, must not be misleading, cause
pilot confusion, or increase workload. There may be airplane attitudes
or cross-wind conditions which cause certain symbols, such as the zero-
pitch line or flight-path vector, to reach field-of-view limits such
that they cannot be positioned conformably with the image and external
scene. In such cases, these symbols may be displayed, but with an
altered appearance which makes the pilot aware that they are no longer
displayed conformably (for example, ``ghosting'').
f. A HUD system used to display EFVS images must, if previously
certified, continue to meet all of the requirements of the original
approval.
3. The safety and performance of the pilot tasks associated with
the use of the pilot-compartment view must be not be degraded by the
display of the EFVS image. Pilot tasks which must not be degraded by
the EFVS image include:
a. Detection, accurate identification, and maneuvering, as
necessary, to avoid traffic, terrain, obstacles, and other hazards of
flight.
b. Accurate identification and utilization of visual references
required for every task relevant to the phase of flight.
4. Appropriate limitations must be stated in the Operating
Limitations section of the Airplane Flight Manual to prohibit the use
of the EFVS for functions that have not been found to be acceptable.
Issued in Renton, Washington, on April 5, 2016.
Michael Kaszycki,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-09334 Filed 4-21-16; 8:45 am]
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