49936 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 159 / Tuesday, August 18, 2015 / Proposed Rules 

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 Proposed Special Conditions 

The current airworthiness regulations 

pertaining to pilot strength and 

controllability for conventional-control 

column-and-wheel designs do not 

adequately address the side-stick 

controllers proposed for the Gulfstream 

Model GVII–G500 airplane. 

Accordingly, the FAA proposes the 

following special conditions as part of 

the type certification basis for 

Gulfstream GVII–G500 airplanes, 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, on August 

5, 2015. 

Michael Kaszycki, 

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2015–20298 Filed 8–17–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 25 

[Docket No. FAA–2015–1482; Notice No. 25– 

15–08–SC] 

Special Conditions: Gulfstream Model 

GVII–G500 Airplanes, Automatic Speed 

Protection for Design Dive Speed 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed special 

conditions. 

SUMMARY: This action proposes special 

conditions for the Gulfstream Model 

GVII–G500 airplanes. These airplanes 

will have a novel or unusual design 

feature 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 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 October 2, 2015. 

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified 

by docket number FAA–2015–1482 

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: 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: 

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 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. Avionics will 

include four primary display units and 

multiple touchscreen controllers. The 

flight-control system is a three-axis, flyby-wire system incorporating active 

control/coupled side sticks. 

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 


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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 159 / Tuesday, August 18, 2015 / Proposed Rules 49937 

approximately 5,000 nautical miles, and 

maximum operating altitude will be 

51,000 feet. 

Type Certification Basis 

Under the provisions ofTitle 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 proposed 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 

§ 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 GVII–G500 airplane will 

incorporate the following novel or 

unusual design features: 

Gulfstream proposes to reduce the 

margin between VC/MC and VD/MD, 

required by 14 CFR 25.335(b), based on 

the incorporation of a high-speed 

protection system in the airplane’s 

flight-control laws. The high-speed 

protection system limits nose-down 

pilot authority at speeds above VC/MC, 

and prevents the airplane from 

performing the maneuver required 

under § 25.335(b)(1). 

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. 

Discussion 

Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations 

(14 CFR) 25.335(b)(1) is an analytical 

envelope condition which was 

originally adopted in Part 4b of the Civil 

Air Regulations to provide an acceptable 

speed margin between design cruise 

speed and design dive speed. Flutter 

clearance design speeds and airframe 

design loads are impacted by the design 

dive speed. While the initial condition 

for the upset specified in the rule is 1g 

level flight, protection is afforded for 

other inadvertent overspeed conditions 

as well. Section 25.335(b)(1) is intended 

as a conservative enveloping condition 

for potential overspeed conditions, 

including non-symmetric ones. To 

establish that potential overspeed 

conditions are enveloped, Gulfstream 

must demonstrate that any reduced 

speed margin based on the high-speed 

protection system in the Model GVII– 

G500 airplane will not be exceeded in 

inadvertent or gust-induced upsets 

resulting in initiation of the dive from 

non-symmetric attitudes; or that the 

airplane is protected by the flightcontrol laws from getting into nonsymmetric upset conditions. Gulfstream 

must conduct a demonstration that 

includes a comprehensive set of 

conditions as described below. 

These special conditions are proposed 

in lieu of § 25.335(b)(1). Section 

25.335(b)(2), which also addresses the 

design dive speed, is applied separately 

(Advisory Circular (AC) 25.335–1A 

provides an acceptable means of 

compliance to § 25.335(b)(2)). 

Special conditions are necessary to 

address the Model GVII–G500 airplane 

high-speed protection system.These 

proposed special conditions identify 

various symmetric and non-symmetric 

maneuvers that will ensure that an 

appropriate design dive speed, VD/MD, 

is established. 

Special Condition 2 of these proposed 

special conditions references AC 25–7C, 

section 8, paragraph 32, ‘‘Gust Upset,’’ 

included here for reference: 

In the following three upset tests, the 

values of displacement should be 

appropriate to the airplane type and 

should depend upon airplane stability 

and inertia characteristics. The lower 

and upper limits should be used for 

airplanes with low and high 

maneuverability, respectively. 

(i) With the airplane trimmed in 

wings-level flight, simulate a transient 

gust by rapidly rolling to the maximum 

bank angle appropriate for the airplane, 

but not less than 45 degrees nor more 

than 60 degrees. The rudder and 

longitudinal control should be held 

fixed during the time that the required 

bank is being attained. The rolling 

velocity should be arrested at this bank 

angle. Following this, the controls 

should be abandoned for a minimum of 

3 seconds after VMO/MMO, or after 10 

seconds, whichever occurs first. 

(ii) Perform a longitudinal upset from 

normal cruise. Airplane trim is 

determined at VMO/MMO using power 

and thrust required for level flight, but 

with not more than maximum 

continuous power and thrust. This is 

followed by a decrease in speed, after 

which an attitude of 6 to l2 degrees nose 

down, as appropriate for the airplane 

type, is attained with the power, thrust, 

and trim initially required for VMO/MMO

in level flight. The airplane is permitted 

to accelerate until 3 seconds after VMO/ 

MMO. The force limits of § 25.143(d) for 

short term application apply. 

(iii) Perform a two-axis upset, 

consisting of combined longitudinal and 

lateral upsets. Perform the longitudinal 

upset, as in paragraph (ii) above, and 

when the pitch attitude is set, but before 

reaching VMO/MMO, roll the airplane to 

between 15 and 25 degrees. The 

established attitude should be 

maintained until 3 seconds after VMO/

MMO. 

Special Conditions 3 and 4 of these 

proposed special conditions indicate 

that failures of the high-speed 

protection system must be improbable 

and must be annunciated to the pilots. 

If these two criteria are not met, then the 

probability that the established dive 

speed will be exceeded, and the 

resulting risk to the airplane, are too 

great. On the other hand, if the highspeed protection system is known to be 

inoperative, then dispatch of the 

airplane may be acceptable as allowed 

by proposed Special Condition 5. 

Dispatch would only be acceptable if 

appropriate reduced operating speeds, 

VMO/MMO, as well as the overspeed 

warning for exceeding those speeds, are 

provided in both the airplane flight 

manual and on the flightdeck display, 

and are equivalent to that of the normal 

airplane with the high-speed protection 

system operative. 

We do not believe that application of 

the ‘‘Interaction of Systems and 

Structures’’ Special Conditions 

(reference GVI Issue Paper A–2), or 

EASA Certification Specification 

25.302, are appropriate in this case, 

because design dive speed is, in and of 

itself, part of the design criteria. 

Stability and control, flight loads, and 

flutter evaluations all depend on the 

design dive speed. Therefore, a single 

design dive speed should be established 


asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
49938 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 159 / Tuesday, August 18, 2015 / Proposed Rules 

that will not be exceeded, taking into 

account the performance of the highspeed protection system as well as its 

failure modes, failure indications, and 

accompanying flight-manual 

instructions. 

Applicability 

As discussed above, these special 

conditions are applicable to the Model 

GVII–G500 airplane. Should Gulfstream 

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 airplane. 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 

Gulfstream Model GVII–G500 airplanes. 

1. In lieu of compliance with 

§ 25.335(b)(1), if the flight-control 

system includes functions that act 

automatically to initiate recovery before 

the end of the 20-second period 

specified in § 25.335(b)(1), VD/MD must 

be determined from the greater of the 

speeds resulting from conditions (a) and 

(b) of these special cConditions. The 

speed increase occurring in these 

maneuvers may be calculated if reliable 

or conservative aerodynamic data are 

used. 

(a) From an initial condition of 

stabilized flight at VC/MC, the airplane 

is upset so as to take up a new flight 

path 7.5 degrees below the initial path. 

Control application, up to full authority, 

is made to try to maintain this new 

flight path. Twenty seconds after 

initiating the upset, manual recovery is 

made at a load factor of 1.5g (0.5 

acceleration increment), or such greater 

load factor that is automatically applied 

by the system with the pilot’s pitch 

control neutral. Power, as specified in 

§ 25.175(b)(1)(iv), is assumed until 

recovery is initiated, at which time 

power reduction, and the use of pilotcontrolled drag devices, may be used. 

(b) From a speed below VC/MC, with 

power to maintain stabilized level flight 

at this speed, the airplane is upset so as 

to accelerate through VC/MC at a flight 

path 15 degrees below the initial path 

(or at the steepest nose-down attitude 

that the system will permit with full 

control authority if less than 15 

degrees). The pilot’s controls may be in 

the neutral position after reaching VC/

MC and before recovery is initiated. 

Recovery may be initiated 3 seconds 

after operation of the high-speed 

warning system by application of a load 

of 1.5g (0.5 acceleration increment), or 

such greater load factor that is 

automatically applied by the system 

with the pilot’s pitch control neutral. 

Power may be reduced simultaneously. 

All other means of decelerating the 

airplane, the use of which is authorized 

up to the highest speed reached in the 

maneuver, may be used. The interval 

between successive pilot actions must 

not be less than 1 second. 

2. The applicant must also 

demonstrate that the speed margin, 

established as above, will not be 

exceeded in inadvertent or gust-induced 

upsets resulting in initiation of the dive 

from non-symmetric attitudes, unless 

the airplane is protected by the flightcontrol laws from getting into nonsymmetric upset conditions. The upset 

maneuvers described in Advisory 

Circular 25–7C, ‘‘Flight Test Guide for 

Certification of Transport Category 

Airplanes,’’ section 8, paragraph 32, 

sub-paragraphs c(3)(a), (b), and (c), may 

be used to comply with this 

requirement. 

3. The probability of any failure of the 

high-speed protection system, which 

would result in an airspeed exceeding 

those determined by Special Conditions 

1 and 2, must be less than 10¥5 per 

flight hour. 

4. Failures of the system must be 

annunciated to the pilots. Flight manual 

instructions must be provided that 

reduce the maximum operating speeds, 

VMO/MMO. With the system failed, the 

operating speed must be reduced to a 

value that maintains a speed margin 

between VMO/MMO and VD/MD, and that 

is consistent with showing compliance 

with § 25.335(b) without the benefit of 

the high-speed protection system. 

5. The applicant may request that the 

Master Minimum Equipment List relief 

for the high-speed protection system be 

considered by the FAA Flight 

Operations Evaluation Board, provided 

that the flight manual instructions 

indicate reduced maximum operating 

speeds as described in Special 

Condition 4. In addition, the flightdeck 

display of the reduced operating speeds, 

as well as the overspeed warning for 

exceeding those speeds, must be 

equivalent to that of the normal airplane 

with the high-speed protection system 

operative. Also, the applicant must 

show that no additional hazards are 

introduced with the high-speed 

protection system inoperative. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on August 

5, 2015. 

Michael Kaszycki, 

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane 

Directorate Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2015–20297 Filed 8–17–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 25 

[Docket No. FAA–2015–2271; Notice No. 25– 

15–06–SC] 

Special Conditions: Cessna Airplane 

Company Model 680A Airplane, SideFacing Seats Equipped With Airbag 

Systems 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed special 

conditions. 

SUMMARY: This action proposes special 

conditions for the Cessna Model 680A 

airplane. This airplane will have novel 

or unusual design features when 

compared to the state of technology 

envisioned in the airworthiness 

standards for transport-category 

airplanes. This design features sidefacing seats equipped with airbag 

systems. 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 October 2, 2015. 

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified 

by docket number FAA–2015–2271 

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 


asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS