UNITED STATES OF AMERICA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION RENTON, WASHINGTON 98057-3356

In the matter ofthe petition of Exemption No. 13504

Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation Regulatory DocketNo. FAA-2015-3595 for an exemption from§ 25.809(a) of Title 14, Code ofFederal Regulations

GRANT OF EXEMPTION By letter dated August 14,2015, Mr. Robert Glasscock, Director ofODA Programs, Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, PO Box 2206, Savannah, Georgia, 31402-2206, petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for an exemption from the requirements of§ 25.809(a) of Title 14, Code ofFederal Regulations (14 CFR). This exemption, ifgranted, would permitrelief from the requirement to provide a means ofviewing the likely areas ofevacuee ground contact priorto opening the door for the overwing emergency exits on Gulfstream GVII-G500 airplanes. The petitioner requests relieffrom the following regulation: Section 25.809(a), at Amendment 25-116,requires, in pertinentpart, that each emergency exit be provided with a means to permit viewing ofthe likely areas ofevacuee ground contactpriorto opening the exit. The petitioner supports its request with the following information: This section quotes the relevant information from the petitioner's request, with minor edits for clarity. The complete petition is available at the Department ofTransportation's Federal Docket Management System, on the Internet at http://regulations.gov, in DocketNo. FAA-2015-3595. Background Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation (Gulfstream) ofSavannah, Georgia, has submitted an application to the FAA's Atlanta Aircraft Certification Office for type certification ofa new, twin-engine, transport category aircraft to be known as the Gulfstream Model GVIIG500.Title 14 CFR 25.809(a), Amendment 25-116, states that each emergency exit, including each flightcrew emergency exit, must be a moveable door orhatch in the external walls of the fuselage, allowing an unobstructed opening to the outside. In addition, each emergency exit must have means to permitviewing ofthe conditions outside the exit when the exit is closed. The viewing means may be on or adjacent to the exit, provided no obstructions exist between the exit and the viewing means. Means must also be provided to permit viewing ofthe likely areas ofevacuee ground contact. The likely areas ofevacuee ground contact must be viewable during all lighting conditions with the landing gear extended as well as in all conditions oflanding gear collapse. The GVII-G500 emergency exit configuration consists ofthe Type I Main Entry Door, along with two pairs ofoverwing emergency exits which will be demonstrated to provide equivalent or better egress flow rate as a single Type III overwing exit. These overwing emergency exits are identical in size and shape to those certified on the GVI. The GVIIG500 will have a maximum seating capacity of 19 passengers and the overwing exits are centrally located in the passenger cabin. The exits house large oval windows which provide a full panoramic view ofthe wing surface as well as the ground areajustbeyond the point ofoccupant first contact. Partial reliefis being sought for the GVII-G500 and its derivatives, from the requirements of§ 25.809(a) for the overwing exits since this outside viewing means does notpermit viewing ofthe likely area ofthe evacuee ground contactprior to exit opening. Reliefis necessary since literal compliance with the rule would, at a minimum, require extensive design changes to the airplane (such as movement ofthe exits forward or complete redesign ofthe exit configuration) to provide the view ofthe exact ground location as currently prescribed. Furthermore, due to the height ofthe wing versus the height ofthe doors, a truly compliantconfiguration may ultimately not be physically obtainable. Supportive Information Notice ofProposed Rulemaking (Notice No. 96-9) was published in the FederalRegister on July 24, 1996 (61 FR 38552). The notice proposed to upgrade several cabin safety requirements including outside viewing means. The FAA's response to the commenters was that the impact of§ 25.809(a) went beyond what was envisioned in the rulemaking process for the overwing exits on some airplanes. The intent ofthe requirement was to enable a person to ascertain whether to open an exit, and whether it was safe to evacuate through the exit, based on the assessment ofthe outside conditions. To the extent that the means used for the determination ofthe former did not also allow an assessment ofthe ground, it was agreed that an additional viewing means mightbe necessary, and that the additional means might be somewhatremote from the exit. Therefore, the amendment was reworded to allow for dual purpose ofthe viewing means, and to distinguish the required locations ofthe two. The intent ofthe rule was that it was not necessary for a person to be able to view the ground-contactpoint while in position to open an overwing exit. The rule itselfrefers to the ground-contact view separately from the view ofconditions outside the exit, but the intent ofthe rule was 2not clearly expressed in the rule language. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) incorporated the improved language intheir certification specification (CS) at Amendment 25/12, dated July 13, 2012. CS 25.809(a)(3) states, "Fornon-over-wing passenger emergency exits, a means must also be providedto permit viewing ofthe likely areas ofevacuee ground contact whenthe exit is closed with the landing gears extended or in any condition ofcollapse. Furthermore, the likely areas ofevacuee ground contact must be viewable with the exit closed during all ambient lighting conditions when all landing gears are extended." Factors Supporting the Petition Based on the design and location ofthe elliptical windows, Gulfstream believes thatthe ability to perform a fully effective visual assessment ofoutside aircraft conditions and evacuation route with the overwing exits closed is provided. The arrangement ofthe large elliptical windows at the overwing exits provides a field ofview ofapproximately 140°. A view ofthe full surface ofthe wing as well as the ground area surrounding the wing, including areasjustfeet from the location oflikely occupant ground contact is provided. With this large panoramic view, an occupant can directly see the wing surface to ensure no hazards are present but will also be provided a view ofenough ofthe ground area to make a logical assessment as to the conditions at the point ofcontactpriorto opening the exit. Once the evacuee steps onto the surface ofthe wing, they will be then able to follow the appropriate escape route and view the ground where they would likely make contact to confirm no hazards exist. Evacuees will be capable ofviewing the escape route and ground during all lighting conditions. The exterior egress lighting is integral to the emergency lighting system. Effect ofthe Exemption on Safety Granting this exemption would not affect safety because: 1. The proposed configuration provides a level ofsafety consistent with the intent of the rule and provides an effective means to assess outside conditions priorto opening overwing exits. The GVII-0500 model aircraft design is consistentwith industrypresent state-of-the-art and designpractice. 2. The GVII-0500 and its derivatives will comply with anticipated future harmonized requirements as written in the EASA CRD to NPA 2010-11 and now incorporated in EASA CS 25.809(a) at Arndt. 12. Issue ofPublic Interest Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and services the world's most technologically advanced businessjet aircraft to an international market. Gulfstream's leadership position inthe global businessjetmarket is 3due to the efforts ofits nearly 10,000 employees in the manufacturingplants, completion centers, and service centers across North America. The corporation utilizes numerous products, such as avionics and environmental control systems, from scores ofsuppliers located throughout the United States. Gulfstream competes for newbusiness all overthe world

. Granting this exemption would benefit the public as a whole, because it: 1. Minimizes significant cost impacts and avoids investingtime and efforts to develop a design that would meet some aspects ofthe presentregulation which will be changed in the future

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. Allows the Gulfstream GVII-G500 model designs to meetEASA and FAA anticipated future harmonized regulation preventing competitive disadvantage due to additional design/manufacturing complexity and increased weight. 

### Operation Outside theUnited States The EASA certification standard 25.809(a) is not currently harmonized with 14 CFR 25.809(a). Regardless ofEASA requirements, per 14 CFR 11.81(h), Gulfstream requests consideration be given to extending this exemption for operation outside ofthe United States. Gulfstream aircraft are routinely registered and operated outside ofthe United States and projections are the same for the Model GVII-G500. Granting this extension of privileges will allow for operations based within foreign countries having bilateral agreements with the United States accepting FAA 14 CFRpart 25 as their airworthiness standards for transport category aircraft

. Gulfstream believes that limiting this exemption to use within the US wouldput unfair restrictions onthe marketability ofthis aircraft. 

### FederalRegisterpublication The FAA has determined that good cause exists for waiving the requirement for Federal Register publication for public commentbecause the request is identical in all material respects to previously granted exemptions; the exemption, ifgranted, would not set a precedent; and any delay in acting on this petition would be detrimental to Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation. 

### The FAA's Analysis The FAA has reviewed the information provided by Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation and has concluded that granting this exemption is in the public interest for the reasons stated by the applicant and the reasons discussed below. The FAA has determined thatthere is no adverse impact on safety ifan occupant cannot simultaneously see conditions immediately outside the overwing emergency exit door and the ground-contactpoint. As stated by the petitioner, the impact ofthe regulation, as codified, went beyond what was envisioned in the rulemaking process for the overwing exits on some airplanes

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4On many overwing exits, the location where the evacuee makes first contact onthe ground is a considerable distance from the point from which they exitthe passenger cabin. The distance the evacuee moves either forward or aft on the wing upper surface, and then down to the ground eitherby escape slide, orbyjumpingoffofthe wing, or sliding down the leading or trailing edge ofthe wing, makes it impossible to see the ground contactpoint from inside the airplane because ofthe distance or the wing itselfblocking the view. Some commenters to the Notice ofProposed Rulemaking (NoticeNo. 96-9) made this point, and the FAA response was: With respect to the potential for the exitto be somewhatremote from the point where the evacuees would contactthe ground, the FAA agrees that this may be the case. The intent ofthe requirement is to enable a personto ascertain whether to open an exit, and whether it is safe to evacuate through the exit, based on an assessment ofthe outside conditions. To the extent that the means used for determination ofthe former does not also allow an assessment ofthe ground, the FAA agrees that an additional viewing means may be necessary, and that the additional means may be somewhat remote from the exit. We have therefore reworded the amendment to allow for the dual purpose ofthe viewing means, and to distinguish the required locations ofthe two. Our intent in this rule was that it is not necessary for a person to be able to view the ground contactpoint while in position to open an overwing exit. The rule itselfrefers to the groundcontact view separately from the view ofconditions outside the exit, butthe intent ofthe rule was not clearly expressed in the rule language. The FAA worked with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to improve the rule language based on our experience applying this rule. EASA incorporated the improved language in their Certification Specifications (CS) at amendment 25/12, dated July 13, 2012. CS 25.809(a)(3) states: For non-over-wing passenger emergency exits, a means must also be provided to permit viewing ofthe likely areas ofevacuee ground contact when the exit is closed with the landing gears extended or in any condition ofcollapse. Furthermore, the likely areas of evacuee ground contact must be viewable with the exit closed during all ambient lighting conditions when all landing gears are extended. The FAA is considering rulemaking to harmonize this requirement with EASA. The proposed configurationprovides a level ofsafety consistent with the intent ofthe rule

. The petition proposes that the large elliptical window allows for outside viewing to assess the outside conditions priorto opening the exit. The evacuee can then open the exit and step out onto the wing and move along the wing to assess the conditions where they would make first contactto the ground. Atthat point, ifthe conditions were not acceptable, evacuees would search for another location from which to exit offofthe wing. To enforce literal compliance that is more stringent than our original intent for the rule would result in an unnecessary burden on the petitioner.



### 5The FAA's decision In consideration ofthe foregoing, I find that a grant ofexemption is in the public interest. Therefore,pursuantto the authority contained in 49 U

.S.C. 40113 and 44701 delegated to me by the Administrator, I grant Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation an exemption from 14 CFR 25.809(a) at Amendment 25-116. The exemption is granted to the extent necessary to allow Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation to partially comply with the outside-viewing requirements for the overwing emergency exits on Model GVII-G500 airplanes

. Specifically, the exemptionprovides relieffrom the requirement that overwing exits permit viewing ofthe likely areas ofevacuee ground contact whenthe exits are closed. This exemption allows viewing the first point ofcontact with the ground after the overwing exithas been opened and the evacuee is on the upper surface ofthe wing on Gulfstream Model GVII-0500 airplanes. Gulfstream must demonstrate compliance with all otherrequirements of§ 25

.809(a) at Amendment 25-116 for this airplane.

Issued in Renton, Washington, on 

### NOV 052015

Dionne Palermo Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate Aircraft Certification Service

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