69572 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 224 / Tuesday, November 20, 2012 / Proposed Rules 

In addition to the applicable 

airworthiness regulations and special 

conditions, the Model EMB–550 

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 and the FAA must issue a 

finding of regulatory adequacy under 

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 § 11.38, and they become part of 

the type-certification basis under 

§ 21.17(a)(2). 

Novel or Unusual Design Features 

The Model EMB–550 airplane will 

incorporate the following novel or 

unusual design features: The Embraer 

S.A. Model EMB–550 airplane is 

equipped with a sidestick controller 

instead of a conventional wheel or 

control stick. This kind of controller is 

designed to be operated using only one 

hand. The requirement of 14 CFR 

25.397(c), which defines limit pilot 

forces and torques for conventional 

wheel or stick controls, is not 

appropriate for a sidestick controller. 

Therefore, a special condition is 

necessary to specify the appropriate 

loading conditions for this kind of 

controller. 

Discussion 

The Embraer S.A. Model EMB–550 

airplane is equipped with a sidestick 

controller instead of a conventional 

wheel or control stick. This kind of 

controller is designed to be operated 

using only one hand. The requirement 

of 14 CFR 25.397(c), which defines limit 

pilot forces and torques for conventional 

wheel or stick controls, is not 

appropriate for a sidestick controller, 

because pilot forces are applied to 

sidestick controllers with only the wrist, 

not arms. 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. 

Applicability 

As discussed above, these special 

conditions are applicable to the Model 

EMB–550 airplane. 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, the 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. 

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 FAA proposes the 

following special conditions as part of 

the type certification basis for Embraer 

S.A. Model EMB–550 airplanes. 

1. Limit Pilot Forces for Sidestick 

Control. 

In lieu of the pilot forces specified in 

§ 25.397(c): 

(a) The limit pilot forces are: 

Pitch Roll 

Nose up 200 pounds 

force (lbf).

Nose left 100 lbf. 

Nose down 200 lbf .... Nose right 100 lbf. 

(b) For all other components of the 

sidestick control assembly, excluding 

the internal components of the electrical 

sensor assemblies, to avoid damage as a 

result of an in-flight jam. 

Pitch Roll 

Nose up 125 lbf ........ Nose left 50 lbf. 

Nose down 125 lbf .... Nose right 50 lbf. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on 

November 14, 2012. 

Ali Bahrami, 

Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–28113 Filed 11–19–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 25 

[Docket No. FAA–2012–1215; Notice No. 25– 

12–12–SC] 

Special Conditions: Embraer S.A., 

Model EMB–550 Airplanes; Flight 

Envelope Protection: High Speed 

Limiting 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed special 

conditions. 

SUMMARY: This action proposes special 

conditions for the Embraer S.A. Model 

EMB–550 airplane. This airplane will 

have a novel or unusual design feature, 

specifically an electronic flight control 

system which contains fly-by-wire 

control laws, including envelope 

protections, for the overspeed protection 

and roll limiting function. 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 January 4, 2013. 

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified 

by docket number FAA–2012–1215 

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 8 

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 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. 


wreier-aviles on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with 
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 224 / Tuesday, November 20, 2012 / Proposed Rules 69573 

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: 

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 on or before the closing date for 

comments. We may change these special 

conditions based on the comments we 

receive. 

Background 

On May 14, 2009, Embraer S.A. 

applied for a type certificate for their 

new Model EMB–550 airplane. The 

Model EMB–550 airplane is the first of 

a new family of jet airplanes designed 

for corporate flight, fractional, charter, 

and private owner operations. The 

aircraft has a conventional configuration 

with a low wing and T-tail empennage. 

The primary structure is metal with 

composite empennage and control 

surfaces. The Model EMB–550 airplane 

is designed for 8 passengers, with a 

maximum of 12 passengers. It is 

equipped with two Honeywell 

HTF7500–E medium bypass ratio 

turbofan engines mounted on aft 

fuselage pylons. Each engine produces 

approximately 6,540 pounds of thrust 

for normal takeoff. The primary flight 

controls consist of hydraulically 

powered fly-by-wire elevators, aileron 

and rudder, controlled by the pilot or 

copilot sidestick. 

The longitudinal control law design of 

the Embraer S.A. Model EMB–550 

airplane incorporates an overspeed 

protection system in the normal mode. 

This mode prevents the pilot from 

inadvertently or intentionally exceeding 

a speed approximately equivalent to VFC

or attaining VDF. Current Title 14 Code 

of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 25 

do not relate to a high speed limiter that 

might preclude or modify flying 

qualities assessments in the overspeed 

region. 

Type Certification Basis 

Under the provisions of 14 CFR 21.17, 

Embraer S.A. must show that the Model 

EMB–550 airplane meets the applicable 

provisions of part 25, as amended by 

Amendments 25–1 through 25–127 

thereto. 

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 EMB–550 airplane 

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 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, the Model EMB–550 

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 and the FAA must issue a 

finding of regulatory adequacy under 

§ 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 § 11.38, and they become part of 

the type-certification basis under 

§ 21.17(a)(2). 

Novel or Unusual Design Features 

The Model EMB–550 airplane will 

incorporate the following novel or 

unusual design feature: An electronic 

flight control system which contains flyby-wire control laws, including 

envelope protections, for the overspeed 

protection and roll limiting function. 

Current part 25 requirements do not 

contain appropriate standards for high 

speed protection systems. 

Discussion 

As further discussed previously, a 

special condition is necessary in 

addition to the requirements of § 25.143 

for the operation of the high speed 

protection. The general intent is that the 

overspeed protection does not impede 

normal maneuvering and speed control 

and that the overspeed protection does 

not restrict or prevent emergency 

maneuvering. Therefore, 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. 

Applicability 

As discussed above, these special 

conditions are applicable to the Model 

EMB–550 airplane. 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, the 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. 

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 Embraer 

S.A. Model EMB–550 airplanes. 

1. In addition to § 25.143, the 

following requirement applies: 

Operation of the high speed limiter 

during all routine and descent 

procedure flight must not impede 

normal attainment of speeds up to 

overspeed warning. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on 

November 14, 2012. 

Ali Bahrami, 

Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–28132 Filed 11–19–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 25 

[Docket No. FAA–2012–1218; Notice No. 25– 

12–11–SC] 

Special Conditions: Embraer S.A., 

Model EMB–550 Airplane; Electronic 

Flight Control System: LateralDirectional and Longitudinal Stability 

and Low Energy Awareness 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed special 

conditions. 

SUMMARY: This action proposes special 

conditions for the Embraer S.A. Model 


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