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[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 208 (Thursday, October 27, 2011)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 66660-66662]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-27765]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 25

[Docket No. FAA-2011-1172: Notice No. 25-11-17-SC]

Special Conditions: Gulfstream Aerospace LP (GALP) Model G280 
Airplane, Operation Without Normal Electrical Power

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed special conditions.

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SUMMARY: This action proposes special conditions for the Gulfstream 
Aerospace LP (GALP) Model G280 airplane. This airplane will have a 
novel or unusual design feature associated with operation without 
normal electrical power. 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: We must receive your comments by November 16, 2011.

ADDRESSES: You must mail two copies of your comments to: Federal 
Aviation Administration, Transport Airplane Directorate, Attn: Rules 
Docket (ANM-113), Docket No. FAA-2011-1172, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., 
Renton, Washington 98057-3356. You may deliver two copies to the 
Transport Airplane Directorate at the above address. You must mark your 
comments: Docket No. FAA-2011-1172. You can inspect comments in the 
Rules Docket weekdays, except Federal holidays, between 7:30 a.m. and 4 
p.m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nazih Khaouly, Transport Airplane 
Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., 
Renton, Washington 98057-3356; telephone (425) 227-2432; 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 ask 
that you send us two copies of written comments.
    We will file in the docket all comments we receive, as well as a 
report summarizing each substantive public contact with FAA personnel 
concerning these special conditions. You can inspect the docket before 
and after the comment closing date. If you wish to review the docket in 
person, go to the address in the ADDRESSES section of this preamble 
between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays.
    We will consider all comments we receive on or before the closing 
date for comments. We will consider comments filed late if it is 
possible to do so without incurring expense or delay. We

[[Page 66661]]

may change these special conditions based on the comments we receive.
    If you want us to acknowledge receipt of your comments on this 
proposal, include with your comments a self-addressed, stamped postcard 
on which you have written the docket number. We will stamp the date on 
the postcard and mail it back to you.

Background

    On March 30, 2006, GALP applied for a type certificate for their 
new Model G280 airplane. The G280 will have a novel or unusual design 
feature associated with operation without normal electrical power.

Type Certification Basis

    Under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (14 
CFR) 21.17, GALP must show that the Model G280 airplane meets the 
applicable provisions of part 25 as amended by Amendments 25-1 through 
25-117.
    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 G280 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, the special conditions would also apply to the 
other model.
    In addition to the applicable airworthiness regulations and special 
conditions, the Model G280 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 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 Model G280 airplane will incorporate the following novel or 
unusual design features:
    The Model G280 airplane is equipped with electrical and electronic 
systems that control critical functions and systems. Examples of these 
include the electronic displays, rudder, brakes, spoilers, flaps, and 
electronic engine controls. The G280 electrical power generation and 
distribution architecture is equipped with an essential APU and not 
equipped with a Ram Air Turbine (RAT) generator. The loss of all 
electrical power to certain functions and systems impacts the airplane 
ability to land safely. Therefore, these special conditions are issued 
to retain the level of safety intended by the current Sec.  25.1351(d).

Discussion

    The Model G280 airplane requires a continuous source of electrical 
power for continued safe flight and landing. The current regulation in 
Sec.  25.1351(d), ``Operation without normal electrical power,'' states 
that the airplane must be operated safely in VFR conditions, for a 
period of not less than five minutes, with the normal electrical power 
(electrical power sources excluding the battery) inoperative. This rule 
was structured around a traditional design utilizing mechanical 
controls for flight systems while the crew took time to sort out the 
electrical failure, start engine(s) if necessary, and re-establish some 
of the electrical-power-generation capability.
    To maintain the same level of safety associated with traditional 
designs, the Model G280 airplane electrical-system design must not be 
time-limited in its operation. It should be noted that service 
experience has shown that the loss of all electrical power, which is 
generated by the airplane's engine generators or auxiliary power unit 
(APU) is not extremely improbable. Thus, it must be demonstrated that 
the airplane can continue through safe flight and landing (including 
steering and braking on ground for airplanes using steer/brake-by-wire) 
with the use of its emergency electrical-power systems. These emergency 
electrical-power systems must be able to power loads that are required 
for continued safe flight and landing.

Applicability

    As discussed above, these special conditions are applicable to the 
GALP Model G280 airplane. Should GALP 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.
    Gulfstream Model G280 certification is currently scheduled for 
December 2011. The substance of these special conditions has been 
subject to the notice and public-comment procedure in several prior 
instances. Therefore, because a delay would significantly affect the 
applicant's certification of the airplane, we are shortening the 
public-comment period to 20 days.

Conclusion

    This action affects only certain novel or unusual design features 
on the GALP Model G280 airplane. It is not a rule of general 
applicability and it affects only the applicant who applied to the FAA 
for approval of these features on the airplane.

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, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the 
Administrator, the following proposed special conditions are issued as 
part of the type-certification basis for GALP Model G280 airplanes. The 
special conditions are issued in lieu of Sec.  25.1351(d) and are 
required to ensure that the airplane has sufficient electrical power 
for continued safe flight and landing.
    1. The applicant must show by test or a combination of test and 
analysis that the airplane is capable of continued safe flight and 
landing with all normal electrical power sources inoperative, as 
prescribed by paragraphs (1)(a) and (1)(b) below.
    For purposes of this special condition, normal sources of 
electrical-power generation do not include any alternate power sources 
such as a battery, ram-air turbine (RAT), or independent power systems 
such as the flight-control permanent-magnet generating system. In 
showing capability for continued safe flight and landing, consideration 
must be given to systems capability, effects on crew workload and 
operating conditions, and the physiological needs of the flightcrew and 
passengers for the longest diversion time for which approval is sought.
    a. Common cause failures, cascading failures, and zonal physical 
threats must be considered in showing compliance with this requirement.
    b. The ability to restore operation of portions of the electrical-
power generation and distribution system may be considered if it can be 
shown that unrecoverable loss of those portions of the system is 
extremely improbable. An alternative source of electrical power must be 
provided for the time required to restore the minimum electrical-power-
generation capability required for safe flight and landing. 
Unrecoverable

[[Page 66662]]

loss of all engines may be excluded when showing that unrecoverable 
loss of critical portions of the electrical system is extremely 
improbable. Unrecoverable loss of all engines is covered in 2, below, 
and thus may be excluded when showing compliance with this requirement.
    2. Regardless of any electrical-generation and distribution-system 
recovery capability shown under paragraph 1, sufficient electrical-
system capability must be provided to:
    a. Allow time to descend, with all engines inoperative, at the 
speed that provides the best glide slope, from the maximum operating 
altitude to the altitude at which the soonest possible engine restart 
could be accomplished, and
    b. Subsequently allow multiple start attempts of the engines and 
APU. This capability must be provided in addition to the electrical 
capability required by existing 14 CFR part 25 requirements related to 
operation with all engines inoperative.
    3. The airplane emergency electrical-power system must be designed 
to supply:
    a. Electrical power required for immediate safety, which must 
continue to operate without the need for crew action following the loss 
of the normal electrical power, for a duration sufficient to allow 
reconfiguration to provide a non-time limited source of electrical 
power.
    b. Electrical power required for continued safe flight and landing 
for the maximum diversion time.
    4. If APU-generated electrical power is used in satisfying the 
requirements of these special conditions, and if reaching a suitable 
runway upon which to land is beyond the capacity of the battery 
systems, then the APU must be able to be started under any foreseeable 
flight condition prior to the depletion of the battery or the 
restoration of normal electrical power, which ever occurs first. This 
capability must be demonstrated by flight tests at the most critical 
condition.
    a. It must be shown that the APU will provide adequate electrical 
power for continued safe flight and landing.
    b. The AFM must incorporate non-normal procedures that will direct 
the pilot to take appropriate actions to activate the APU after loss of 
normal engine-driven generated electrical power.
    As a part of showing compliance with these special conditions, the 
tests by which loss of all normal electrical power is demonstrated must 
also take into account the following:
    1. The failure condition should be assumed to occur during night 
instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), at the most critical phase 
of the flight, relative to the worst possible electrical-power 
distribution and equipment-loads-demand condition.
    2. After the unrestorable loss of normal engine generator power, 
the airplane-engine restart capability must be provided and operations 
continued in IMC.
    3. It should be demonstrated that the aircraft is capable of 
continued safe flight and landing. The length of time must be computed 
based on the maximum diversion-time capability for which the airplane 
is being certified. Consideration for airspeed reductions resulting 
from the associated failure or failures must be made.
    4. The airplane must provide adequate indication of loss of normal 
electrical power to direct the pilot to the non-normal procedures, and 
the AFM must incorporate non-normal procedures that will direct the 
pilot to take appropriate actions.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on October 14, 2011.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-27765 Filed 10-26-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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