[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 77 (Monday, April 22, 2019)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 16601-16602]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-07996]
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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. 84, No. 77 / Monday, April 22, 2019 / Rules
and Regulations
[[Page 16601]]
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 25
[Docket No. FAA-2019-0294; Special Conditions No. 25-743-SC]
Special Conditions: Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation Model MRJ-200
Airplane; Control Surface Position Awareness
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 Mitsubishi
Aircraft Corporation (Mitsubishi) Model MRJ-200 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 a fly-by-wire electronic
flight control system and no direct coupling from cockpit controller to
control surface. 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 Mitsubishi on April 22, 2019. Send
comments on or before June 6, 2019.
ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by Docket No. FAA-2019-0294 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 website, 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).
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, Airplane & Flight Crew
Interface Section, AIR-671, Transport Standards Branch, Policy and
Innovation Division, Aircraft Certification Service, Federal Aviation
Administration, 2200 South 216th Street, Des Moines, Washington 98198;
telephone and fax 206-231-3158; email [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The substance of these special conditions
has been published in the Federal Register for public comment in
several prior instances with no substantive comments received.
Therefore, the FAA has determined that prior public notice and comment
are unnecessary, and finds that, for the same reason, good cause exists
for adopting these special conditions 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 August 19, 2009, Mitsubishi applied for a type certificate for
their new Model MRJ-200 airplane. The Model MRJ-200 airplane is a low-
wing, conventional-tail design with two wing-mounted turbofan engines.
The airplane is equipped with an electronic flight-control system, has
seating for 92 passengers and a maximum takeoff weight of 98,767 lbs.
Type Certification Basis
Under the provisions of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14
CFR) 21.17, Mitsubishi must show that the Model MRJ-200 airplane meets
the applicable provisions of part 25, as amended by Amendments 25-1
through 25-141; part 36, as amended by Amendments 36-1 through 36-30;
and part 34, as amended by Amendments 34-1 through the amendment
effective at the time of design approval.
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 Mitsubishi Model MRJ-200 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 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 Mitsubishi Model MRJ-200 airplane must comply with the
vent and exhaust emission requirements of 14 CFR part 34 and the noise
certification requirements of 14 CFR part 36.
[[Page 16602]]
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 Mitsubishi Model MRJ-200 airplane will incorporate the
following novel or unusual design features:
This design feature is a fly-by-wire electronic flight control
system and no direct coupling from cockpit controller to control
surface. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain
adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature.
Discussion
As a result of the electronic flight control system and lack of
direct coupling from the cockpit controller to the control surface, the
pilot is not aware of the actual control surface position. Some unusual
flight conditions, arising from atmospheric conditions and/or airplane
or engine failures, may result in full or nearly full surface
deflection. Unless the flightcrew is made aware of excessive deflection
or impending control surface limiting, piloted or auto-flight system
control of the airplane might be inadvertently continued in such a
manner to cause loss of control or other unsafe stability or
performance characteristics.
These special conditions for control surface awareness require
suitable flight control position annunciation to be provided to the
flightcrew when a flight condition exists in which nearly full surface
authority (not crew-commanded) is being utilized. Suitability of such a
display must take into account that some pilot-demanded maneuvers
(e.g., rapid roll) are necessarily associated with intended full
performance, which may saturate the surface. Therefore, simple alerting
systems, which would function in both intended and unexpected control-
limiting situations, must be properly balanced between needed crew
awareness and potential nuisance to the flightcrew. A monitoring system
that compares airplane motion and surface deflection, and pilot side
stick controller (SSC) demand could help reduce nuisance alerting.
These special conditions also address flight control system mode
annunciation. Suitable mode annunciation must be provided to the
flightcrew for events that significantly change the operating mode of
the system but do not merit the classic ``failure warning.''
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
Mitsubishi Model MRJ-200 airplane. Should Mitsubishi 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 certain novel or unusual design features
on one model 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.
Authority Citation
The authority citation for these special conditions is as follows:
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 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 Mitsubishi Model MRJ-200 airplanes.
Control Surface Position Awareness
1. In addition to the requirements of Title 14 Code of Federal
Regulations (14 CFR) 25.143, 25.671, and 25.672, the following
requirements apply:
a. The system design must ensure that the flightcrew is made
suitably aware whenever the primary control means nears the limit of
control authority.
Note: The term ``suitably aware'' indicates annunciations provided
to the flightcrew are appropriately balanced between nuisance and that
necessary for crew awareness.
b. If the design of the flight control system has multiple modes of
operation, a means must be provided to indicate to the crew any mode
that significantly changes or degrades the normal handling or
operational characteristics of the airplane.
Issued in Des Moines, Washington, on April 16, 2019.
Mary A. Schooley,
Acting Manager, Transport Standards Branch, Policy and Innovation
Division, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-07996 Filed 4-19-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P