[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 50 (Thursday, March 16, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 13961-13962]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-05200]
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Rules and Regulations
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains regulatory documents
having general applicability and legal effect, most of which are keyed
to and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations, which is published
under 50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.
The Code of Federal Regulations is sold by the Superintendent of Documents.
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 50 / Thursday, March 16, 2017 / Rules
and Regulations
[[Page 13961]]
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 25
[Docket No. FAA-2017-0135; Special Conditions No. 25-646-SC]
Special Conditions: Embraer S.A., Model ERJ 190-300 Series
Airplanes; Flight Envelope Protection: Pitch, Roll, and High-Speed
Limiting Functions
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 Embraer S.A. Model
ERJ 190-300 series airplanes. These airplanes 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 electronic flight control system
that contains fly-by-wire control laws, including flight envelope
protection functions that impose pitch-angle, bank-angle, and high-
speed limits during normal operation. 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 Embraer S.A. on March 16, 2017. We
must receive your comments by May 1, 2017.
ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by docket number FAA-2017-0135
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 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: Joe Jacobsen, FAA, Airplane and Flight
Crew Interface Branch, ANM-111, Transport Airplane Directorate,
Aircraft Certification Service, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton,
Washington 98057-3356; telephone 425-227-2011; facsimile 425-227-1149.
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 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 September 13, 2013, Embraer S.A. applied for an amendment to
Type Certificate (TC) No. A57NM to include the new Model ERJ 190-300
series airplanes. The ERJ 190-300 is a twin-engine, transport-category
airplane derivative of the ERJ 190-100 STD. The ERJ 190-300 series
airplane will have a maximum occupancy of 114 passengers and will
include a new wing design with a high aspect ratio and raked wingtip,
and a digital fly-by-wire electronic flight control system.
Type Certification Basis
Under the provisions of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14
CFR) 21.101, Embraer S.A. must show that the ERJ 190-300 meets the
applicable provisions of the regulations listed in Type Certificate No.
A57NM or the applicable regulations in effect on the date of
application for the change, except for earlier amendments as agreed
upon by the FAA. Embraer S.A. must show that the ERJ 190-300 meets the
applicable provisions of 14 CFR part 25, as amended by Amendments 25-1
through 25-137.
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 ERJ 190-300 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 novel or
unusual design features, or should any other
[[Page 13962]]
model already included on the same type certificate be modified to
incorporate the same novel or unusual design feature, these special
conditions would also apply to the other model under Sec. 21.101.
In addition to the applicable airworthiness regulations and special
conditions, the ERJ 190-300 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 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. 21.101.
Novel or Unusual Design Features
The ERJ 190-300 will incorporate the following novel or unusual
design feature: An electronic flight control system that contains fly-
by-wire control laws, including flight envelope protection functions
that impose pitch-angle, bank-angle, and high-speed limits during
normal operation.
Discussion
The Embraer S.A. ERJ 190-300 design has a full-digital flight
control system, referred to as fly-by-wire architecture. The fly-by-
wire architecture provides closed-loop flight control laws and multiple
protection functions.
The basic characteristics of pitch, bank, and high-speed limiting
functions are as follows:
1. Pitch Limiting Function:
While in normal mode, the ERJ 190-300 airplane presents positive
and negative pitch attitude soft limits. After surpassing the
established limits set at 30[deg] and -15[deg], the airplane presents a
natural tendency to return (positive stability) to within these limits
when pitch control is released.
2. Bank Limiting Function (Spiral Stability and Roll Limiting):
While in normal mode at speeds up to VMO/MMO
(maximum operating limit speed), the ERJ 190-300 airplane presents
neutral stability up to 33[deg] bank angle. Above 33[deg], positive
spiral stability is introduced; however, there is no bank angle hard
limit. When overspeed protection is engaged, positive spiral stability
is provided in the range of 33[deg] and a bank angle hard
limit (non-overridable) is set at that bank angle.
3. High-Speed Limiting Function (Overspeed Protection):
While in normal mode, the overspeed protection function prevents
pilots from exceeding the airplane maximum design speeds by providing
strong positive stability at and above VMO/MMO,
and limiting aircraft speed to VDF/MDF
(demonstrated flight diving speed).
The controllability and maneuverability requirements of 14 CFR
25.143 do not specifically relate to flight characteristics associated
with fixed attitude limits or a high-speed limiter that might preclude
or modify flying qualities assessment in the overspeed region.
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
ERJ 190-300 series airplanes. 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, 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 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
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 the Embraer S.A. Model ERJ 190-300
series airplanes.
Flight Envelope Protection: Pitch, Roll, and High-Speed Limiting
Functions
In addition to Sec. 25.143, the following requirements apply:
1. Pitch and Roll Limiting Functions.
a. The pitch limiting function must not impede normal maneuvering
for pitch angles up to the maximum required for normal maneuvering,
including a normal all-engines operating takeoff, plus a suitable
margin to allow for satisfactory speed control.
b. The pitch and roll limiting functions must not restrict or
prevent attaining pitch attitudes necessary for emergency maneuvering
or roll angles up to 66[deg] with flaps up or 60[deg] with flaps down.
Spiral stability, which is introduced above 33[deg] roll angle, must
not require excessive pilot strength to achieve these roll angles.
Other protections, which further limit the roll capability under
certain extreme angle of attack or attitude or high speed conditions,
are acceptable, as long as they allow at least 45[deg] of roll
capability.
c. A lower limit of roll is acceptable, beyond the overspeed
warning, if it is possible to recover the aircraft to the normal flight
envelope without undue difficulty or delay.
2. High-Speed Limiting Functions.
Operation of the high-speed limiter during all routine and descent
procedure flight must not impede normal attainment of speeds up to
overspeed warning.
Michael Kaszycki,
Assistant Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-05200 Filed 3-15-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P