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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

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Rules and Regulations Federal Register

60027 

Vol. 80, No. 192 

Monday, October 5, 2015 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR part 25 

[Docket No. FAA–2015–1496; Special 

Conditions No. 25–601–SC] 

Special Conditions: Gulfstream Model 

GVII–G500 Airplanes, Side-Stick 

Controllers; Controllability and 

Maneuverability 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final special conditions. 

SUMMARY: These special conditions are 

issued for the 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 sidestick controllers, instead of 

conventional-control wheel-and-column 

design, for pitch and roll control. 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: Effective November 4, 2015. 

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) 227–1320. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

On March 29, 2012, Gulfstream 

Aerospace Corporation applied for a 

type certificate for their new Model 

GVII–G500 airplane. The Model GVII– 

G500 will be a large-cabin business jet 

with seating for 19 passengers. It will 

incorporate a low, swept-wing design 

with winglets and a T-tail. The 

powerplant will consist of two aftfuselage-mounted Pratt & Whitney 

turbofan engines. The flight-control 

system is a three-axis, fly-by-wire (FBW) 

system incorporating active control/

coupled side sticks. 

The Model GVII–G500 will have a 

wingspan of approximately 87 ft. and a 

length of just over 91 ft. Maximum 

takeoff weight will be approximately 

76,850 lbs and maximum takeoff thrust 

will be approximately 15,135 lbs. 

Maximum range will be approximately 

5,000 nm and maximum operating 

altitude will be 51,000 ft. 

The Model GVII–G500 airplane will 

incorporate a FBW flight-control system, 

through side-stick controllers, for pitch 

and roll control. Regulatory 

requirements, such as the pilot-control 

forces prescribed in the referenced 

regulations, are not applicable for the 

side-stick controller design. In addition, 

pilot-control authority may be uncertain 

because the side-stick controllers are not 

mechanically interconnected to flight 

controls as are conventional wheel-andcolumn controls. 

Type Certification Basis 

Under Title 14, Code of Federal 

Regulations (14 CFR) 21.17, Gulfstream 

must show that the Model GVII–G500 

airplane meets the applicable provisions 

of 14 CFR part 25, effective February 1, 

1965, including Amendments 25–1 

through 25–137; 14 CFR part 34, as 

amended by Amendments 34–1 through 

the most current amendment at time of 

design approval; and 14 CFR part 36, 

Amendment 36–29. 

In addition, the certification basis 

includes other regulations, special 

conditions, and exemptions that are not 

relevant to these special conditions. 

Type Certificate no. TC–01–2010–0024 

will be updated to include a complete 

description of the certification basis for 

this airplane model. 

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 Gulfstream Model GVII–G500 

airplane because of a novel or unusual 

design feature, special conditions are 

prescribed under § 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 § 21.101. 

In addition to the applicable 

airworthiness regulations and special 

conditions, Gulfstream Model GVII– 

G500 airplanes 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, under § 11.38, 

and they become part of the type 

certification basis under § 21.17(a)(2). 

Novel or Unusual Design Features 

Gulfstream Model GVII–G500 

airplanes will incorporate the following 

novel or unusual design feature: 

Side-stick controllers incorporating 

fly-by-wire technology for pitch and roll 

control, in place of conventional wheeland-column controls. 

Discussion 

These special conditions for the 

Gulfstream Model GVII–G500 airplane 

address the unique features of the sidestick controllers. The Model GVII–G500 

airplane will incorporate side-stick 

controllers controlling a FBW flightcontrol system. The FBW control laws 

are designed to provide conventional 

flying qualities such as positive static 

longitudinal and lateral stability as 

prescribed in part 25, subpart B. 

However, the pilot-control forces 

prescribed in the referenced regulations 

are not applicable for the side-stick 

controller design. 

Because current FAA regulations do 

not specifically address the use of sidestick controllers for pitch and roll 

control, the unique features of the side 

stick therefore must be demonstrated, 

through flight and simulator tests, to 

have suitable handling and control 

characteristics when considering the 

following: 

• The handling-qualities tasks and 

requirements of the Gulfstream Model 

GVII–G500 Special Conditions and 

other 14 CFR part 25 requirements for 

stability, control, and maneuverability, 

including the effects of turbulence. 

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60028 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 192 / Monday, October 5, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 

• General ergonomics: Armrest 

comfort and support, local freedom of 

movement, displacement-angle 

suitability, and axis harmony. 

• Inadvertent pilot input in 

turbulence. 

• Inadvertent pitch and roll crosstalk 

from pilot inputs on the side-stick 

controller. 

Discussion of Comments 

Notice of proposed special conditions 

no. 25–15–07–SC for the Gulfstream 

Model GVII–G500 airplane was 

published in the Federal Register on 

August 18, 2015 [80 FR 49934]. No 

comments were received, and the 

special conditions are adopted as 

proposed. 

Applicability 

As discussed above, these special 

conditions apply to Gulfstream Model 

GVII–G500 airplanes. Should 

Gulfstream apply later for a change to 

the type certificate to include another 

model incorporating the same or similar 

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 

Gulfstream Model GVII–G500 airplanes. 

It is not a rule of general applicability. 

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 Gulfstream Model GVII– 

G500 airplane, in lieu of §§ 25.143(d), 

25.143(i)(2), 25.145(b), 25.173(c), 

25.175(b), and 25.175(d): 

Pilot strength: In lieu of the controlforce limits shown in § 25.143(d) for 

pitch and roll, and in lieu of specific 

pitch-force requirements of 

§§ 25.143(i)(2), 25.145(b), 25.173(c), 

25.175(b), and 25.175(d), Gulfstream 

must show that the temporary and 

maximum prolonged-force levels for the 

side-stick controllers are suitable for all 

expected operating conditions and 

configurations, whether normal or nonnormal. 

Pilot-control authority: The electronic 

side-stick-controller coupling design 

must provide for corrective and 

overriding control inputs by either pilot 

with no unsafe characteristics. 

Annunciation of the controller status 

must be provided, and must not be 

confusing to the flightcrew. 

Pilot control: Gulfstream must show 

by flight tests that the use of side-stick 

controllers does not produce unsuitable 

pilot-in-the-loop control characteristics 

when considering precision path control 

and tasks, and turbulence. In addition, 

pitch and roll control force and 

displacement sensitivity must be 

compatible, so that normal pilot inputs 

on one control axis will not cause 

significant unintentional inputs 

(crossover) on the other. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, September 

25, 2015. 

Michael Kaszycki, 

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2015–25276 Filed 10–2–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 25 

[Docket No. FAA–2015–1482; Special 

Conditions No. 25–600–SC] 

Special Conditions: Gulfstream Model 

GVII–G500 Airplanes, Automatic Speed 

Protection for Design Dive Speed 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final special conditions. 

SUMMARY: These special conditions are 

issued for the 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 associated with 

a reduced margin between design 

cruising speed, VC/MC, and design 

diving speed, VD/MD, based on the 

incorporation of a high-speed protection 

system that limits nose-down pilot 

authority at speeds above VC/MC. 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: Effective November 4, 2015. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Walt 

Sippel, FAA, Airframe and Cabin Safety 

Branch, ANM–115, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification 

Service, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., 

Renton, Washington 98057–3356; 

telephone 425–227–2774; facsimile 

425–227–1232. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

On March 29, 2012, Gulfstream 

Aerospace Corporation applied for a 

type certificate for their new Model 

GVII–G500 airplane. The Model GVII– 

G500 airplane will be a large-cabin 

business jet with seating for 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. 

The Model GVII–G500 will have a 

wingspan of approximately 87 feet and 

a length of just over 91 feet. Maximum 

takeoff weight will be approximately 

76,850 pounds and maximum takeoff 

thrust will be approximately 15,135 

pounds. Maximum range will be 

approximately 5,000 nautical miles, and 

maximum operating altitude will be 

51,000 feet. 

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 airplane meets the 

applicable provisions of part 25 as 

amended by Amendments 25–1 through 

25–137. 

In addition, the certification basis 

includes other regulations, special 

conditions, and exemptions that are not 

relevant to these special conditions. 

If the Administrator finds that the 

applicable airworthiness regulations 

(i.e., 14 CFR part 25) do not contain 

adequate or appropriate safety standards 

for Model GVII–G500 airplanes because 

of a novel or unusual design feature, 

special conditions are prescribed under 

the provisions of § 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, the special conditions 

would also apply to the other model 

under § 21.101. 

In addition to the applicable 

airworthiness regulations and special 

conditions, the Model GVII–G500 

airplane must comply with the fuel-vent 

and exhaust-emission requirements of 

14 CFR part 34, and the noisecertification requirements of 14 CFR 

part 36; and the FAA must issue a 

finding of regulatory adequacy under 

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