Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 5 / Wednesday, January 8, 2014 / Proposed Rules 1339 

characteristics for what are considered 

survivable crash conditions. The 

proposed special conditions are 

necessary to ensure a level of safety 

equivalent to that provided by 14 CFR 

part 25. 

Discussion 

Factors in crash survivability are 

retention of items of mass, maintenance 

of occupant emergency egress paths, 

maintenance of acceptable acceleration 

and loads experienced by the occupants, 

and maintenance of a survivable 

volume. To provide the same level of 

safety as exists with conventional 

airplane construction, Airbus should 

show that the Model A350–900 series 

airplanes have sufficient 

crashworthiness capabilities under 

foreseeable survivable impact events. To 

show this, Airbus should evaluate the 

impact response characteristics of the 

Model A350–900 series airplane to 

ensure that its crashworthiness 

characteristics are not significantly 

different from those of a similarly sized 

airplane built from traditionally used 

metallic materials. 

In their evaluation of the Model 

A350–900 series airplane response to an 

impact event, Airbus should 

demonstrate that the structural behavior 

is similar to that expected from a 

metallic airframe of similar size to the 

Model A350–900, or incorporate 

mitigating design features that provide a 

similar level of safety. 

Airbus should demonstrate either 

through analysis using validated 

analytical tools or by direct test 

evidence that the crash dynamics of the 

A350 fuselage structure provides a level 

of occupant protection consistent with 

previously certificated large transport 

category airplanes. 

Applicability 

As discussed above, these proposed 

special conditions apply to Airbus 

Model A350–900 series airplanes. 

Should Airbus apply later for a change 

to the type certificate to include another 

model incorporating the same novel or 

unusual design feature, the proposed 

special conditions would apply to that 

model as well. 

Conclusion 

This action affects only certain novel 

or unusual design features on the Airbus 

Model A350–900 series 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 Airbus 

Model A350–900 series airplanes. 

The Airbus Model A350–900 series 

airplanes must provide an equivalent 

level of occupant safety and 

survivability to that provided by 

previously certificated wide-body 

transports of similar size under 

foreseeable survivable impact events for 

the following four criteria. In order to 

demonstrate an equivalent level of 

occupant safety and survivability, the 

applicant must demonstrate that Model 

A350–900 series airplanes meet the 

following criteria for a range of airplane 

vertical descent velocities up to 30 ft/ 

sec. 

1. Retention of items of mass. The 

occupants, i.e., passengers, flight 

attendants, and flightcrew, must be 

protected during the impact event from 

release of seats, overhead bins, and 

other items of mass due to the impact 

loads and resultant structural 

deformation of the supporting airframe 

and floor structures. The applicant must 

show that loads due to the impact event 

and resultant structural deformation of 

the supporting airframe and floor 

structure at the interface of the airplane 

structure to seats, overhead bins, and 

other items of mass are comparable to 

those of previously certificated widebody transports of similar size for the 

range of descent velocities stated above. 

The attachments of these items need not 

be designed for static emergency 

landing loads in excess of those defined 

in § 25.561 if impact response 

characteristics of the Airbus Model 

A350–900 series airplanes yield load 

factors at the attach points that are 

comparable to those for a previously 

certificated wide-body transport 

category airplane. 

2. Maintenance of acceptable 

acceleration and loads experienced by 

the occupants. The applicant must show 

that the impact response characteristics 

of the Airbus Model A350–900 series 

airplane, specifically the vertical 

acceleration levels experienced at the 

seat/floor interface and loads 

experienced by the occupants during 

the impact events, are consistent with 

those found in § 25.562(b) or with levels 

expected for a previously certificated 

wide-body transport category airplane 

for the conditions stated above. 

3. Maintenance of a survivable 

volume. For the conditions stated above, 

the applicant must show that all areas 

of the airplane occupied for takeoff and 

landing provide a survivable volume 

comparable to that of previously 

certificated wide-body transports of 

similar size during and after the impact 

event. This means that structural 

deformation will not result in 

infringement of the occupants’ normal 

living space so that passenger 

survivability will not be significantly 

affected. 

4. Maintenance of occupant 

emergency egress paths. The evacuation 

of occupants must be comparable to that 

from a previously certificated widebody transport of similar size. To show 

this, the applicant must show that the 

suitability of the egress paths, as 

determined following the vertical 

impact events, is comparable to the 

suitability of the egress paths of a 

comparable, certificated wide-body 

transport, as determined following the 

same vertical impact events. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on October 

22, 2013. 

Stephen P. Boyd, 

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2014–00104 Filed 1–7–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 25 

[Docket No. FAA–2013–0911; Notice 

No. 25–13–22–SC] 

Special Conditions: Airbus, Model 

A350–900 Series Airplane; Lateral Trim 

Function Through Differential Flap 

Setting 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed special 

conditions. 

SUMMARY: This action proposes special 

conditions for the Airbus Model A350– 

900 series airplanes. These airplanes 

will have a novel or unusual design 

feature associated with a lateral trim 

function that deploys flaps 

asymmetrically for airplane lateral trim 

control. This function replaces the 

traditional method of providing airplane 

lateral trim over a small range through 

flap and aileron mechanical rigging. 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 

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1340 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 5 / Wednesday, January 8, 2014 / Proposed Rules 

equivalent to that established by the 

existing airworthiness standards. 

DATES: Send your comments on or 

before February 24, 2014. 

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified 

by docket number FAA–2013–0911 

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 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. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Robert C. Jones, FAA, Propulsion/ 

Mechanical Systems, ANM–112, 

Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft 

Certification Service, 1601 Lind Avenue 

SW., Renton, Washington 98057–3356; 

telephone (425) 227–1234; facsimile 

(425) 227–1320. 

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 

proposed special conditions based on 

the comments we receive. 

Background 

On August 25, 2008, Airbus applied 

for a type certificate for their new Model 

A350–900 series airplane. Later, Airbus 

requested and the FAA approved an 

extension to the application for FAA 

type certification to June 28, 2009. The 

Model A350–900 series has a 

conventional layout with twin wingmounted Rolls-Royce Trent XWB 

engines. It features a twin aisle 9-abreast 

economy class layout, and 

accommodates side-by-side placement 

of LD–3 containers in the cargo 

compartment. The basic Model A350– 

900 series configuration will 

accommodate 315 passengers in a 

standard two-class arrangement. The 

design cruise speed is Mach 0.85 with 

a Maximum Take-Off Weight of 602,000 

lbs. Airbus proposes the Model A350– 

900 series to be certified for extended 

operations (ETOPS) beyond 180 minutes 

at entry into service for up to a 420- 

minute maximum diversion time. 

On conventional airplanes, small 

lateral airplane asymmetries have 

typically been addressed through flap 

and aileron rigging (e.g., using shims). 

On Model A350–900 series airplanes, an 

order for asymmetric flap deployment 

will be computed by the primary flight 

control system as a function of the 

aileron position. The current 

airworthiness standards do not contain 

adequate safety standards for 

asymmetric use of the flaps as proposed 

for Airbus Model A350–900 series 

airplanes. Special conditions are needed 

to account for the aspects of a function 

used to command an intended flap 

asymmetry. The lateral trim function is 

intended to be performed once during 

climb and once during cruise to 

compensate for small airplane lateral 

asymmetries. 

The lateral trim function is not a trim 

control system in the conventional 

sense as it has no pilot interface and is 

not governed by § 25.677. In fact some 

fly-by-wire airplanes have no pilot 

operated lateral trim at all. The lateral 

trim function is simply an additional 

fly-by-wire flight control function that 

nulls small roll asymmetries in certain 

flight phases with small asymmetric flap 

deployments. Although the function 

operates under normal conditions 

within the small range of the traditional 

rigging, there may be failure cases 

leading to a significant out of range 

asymmetric flap condition. An 

asymmetry threshold will protect the 

system against excessive flap 

asymmetry. 

Type Certification Basis 

Under Title 14, Code of Federal 

Regulations (14 CFR) 21.17, Airbus must 

show that the Model A350–900 series 

meets the applicable provisions of 14 

CFR part 25, as amended by 

Amendments 25–1 through 25–129. 

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 A350–900 series 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 novel or unusual 

design feature, the proposed special 

conditions would also apply to the other 

model under § 21.101. 

In addition to the applicable 

airworthiness regulations and proposed 

special conditions, the Model A350–900 

series 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, under § 11.38, 

and they become part of the typecertification basis under § 21.17(a)(2). 

Novel or Unusual Design Features 

The Airbus Model A350–900 series 

will incorporate the following novel or 

unusual design features: the asymmetric 

use of flaps to address lateral trim 

which is not adequately addressed by 

§ 25.701. 

Discussion 

Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations 

(14 CFR) part 25 § 25.701(a) requires 

that unless the airplane has safe flight 

characteristics with the flaps or slats 

retracted on one side and extended on 

the other, flap and slat surfaces must be 

synchronized by either a mechanical 

interconnection or any equivalent 

means that has the same integrity. 

Synchronization is interpreted to mean 

that flap movement is symmetrical 

throughout the full range of flap motion. 

Because the lateral trim function 

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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 5 / Wednesday, January 8, 2014 / Proposed Rules 1341 

intentionally creates asymmetric flap 

motions, the flap system installation of 

the Model A350–900 series does not 

meet the requirement of § 25.701(a) and 

(d). 

Applicability 

As discussed above, these proposed 

special conditions apply to Airbus 

Model A350–900 series airplanes. 

Should Airbus apply later for a change 

to the type certificate to include another 

model incorporating the same novel or 

unusual design feature, the proposed 

special conditions would apply to that 

model as well. 

Conclusion 

This action affects only certain novel 

or unusual design features on the Airbus 

Model A350–900 series 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 Airbus 

Model A350–900 series airplanes. 

1. Lateral Trim Function through 

Differential Flap Setting. 

Current airworthiness standards, 

specifically § 25.701, do not contain 

adequate safety standards for the 

proposed design. In lieu of the 

requirements of § 25.701(a) and (d) for 

the lateral trim function, the following 

special condition is proposed: 

a. Airbus must demonstrate that an 

unsafe condition is not created by using 

the flaps asymmetrically, 

b. The degree of acceptable 

asymmetry must be defined and 

justified for all flight phases with 

respect to: 

• § 25.701(b) and (c), with the worst 

case asymmetric flap configurations, 

and 

• providing equivalent protection 

against excess asymmetry in the same 

manner as § 25.701 provides to systems 

that are synchronized or use another 

equivalent means to prevent asymmetry. 

c. This lateral trim function is a flight 

control system and therefore must show 

compliance to both general system 

requirements as well as general flight 

control requirements. Therefore, the 

function must be demonstrated not to 

embody, where practicable, significant 

latent failures. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on October 

22, 2013. 

Stephen P. Boyd, 

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2014–00105 Filed 1–7–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 71 

[Docket No. FAA–2013–0175; Airspace 

Docket No. 13–AGL–12] 

Proposed Amendment of Class D and 

Class E Airspace; Traverse City, MI 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: This action proposes to 

amend Class D and Class E airspace at 

Traverse City, MI. Additional controlled 

airspace is necessary to accommodate 

new Standard Instrument Approach 

Procedures (SIAP) at Cherry Capital 

Airport. Geographic coordinates of the 

airport also would be adjusted. The 

FAA is taking this action to enhance the 

safety and management of Instrument 

Flight Rules (IFR) operations for SIAPs 

at the airport. 

DATES: Comments must be received on 

or before February 24, 2014. 

ADDRESSES: Send comments on this 

proposal to the U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building 

Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 

Washington, DC 20590–0001. You must 

identify the docket number FAA–2013– 

0175/Airspace Docket No. 13–AGL–12, 

at the beginning of your comments. You 

may also submit comments through the 

Internet at http://www.regulations.gov. 

You may review the public docket 

containing the proposal, any comments 

received, and any final disposition in 

person in the Dockets Office between 9 

a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through 

Friday, except Federal holidays. The 

Docket Office (telephone 1–800–647– 

5527), is on the ground floor of the 

building at the above address. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Scott Enander, Central Service Center, 

Operations Support Group, Federal 

Aviation Administration, Southwest 

Region, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort 

Worth, TX 76137; telephone: (817) 321– 

7716. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

Interested parties are invited to 

participate in this proposed rulemaking 

by submitting such written data, views, 

or arguments, as they may desire. 

Comments that provide the factual basis 

supporting the views and suggestions 

presented are particularly helpful in 

developing reasoned regulatory 

decisions on the proposal. Comments 

are specifically invited on the overall 

regulatory, aeronautical, economic, 

environmental, and energy-related 

aspects of the proposal. 

Communications should identify both 

docket numbers and be submitted in 

triplicate to the address listed above. 

Commenters wishing the FAA to 

acknowledge receipt of their comments 

on this notice must submit with those 

comments a self-addressed, stamped 

postcard on which the following 

statement is made: ‘‘Comments to 

Docket No. FAA–2013–0175/Airspace 

Docket No. 13–AGL–12.’’ The postcard 

will be date/time stamped and returned 

to the commenter. 

Availability of NPRMs 

An electronic copy of this document 

may be downloaded through the 

Internet at http://www.regulations.gov. 

Recently published rulemaking 

documents can also be accessed through 

the FAA’s Web page at http:// 

www.faa.gov/airports_airtraffic/ 

air_traffic/publications/ 

airspace_amendments/. 

You may review the public docket 

containing the proposal, any comments 

received and any final disposition in 

person in the Dockets Office (see 

ADDRESSES section for address and 

phone number) between 9 a.m. and 5 

p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

Federal holidays. An informal docket 

may also be examined during normal 

business hours at the office of the 

Central Service Center, 2601 Meacham 

Blvd., Fort Worth, TX 76137. 

Persons interested in being placed on 

a mailing list for future NPRMs should 

contact the FAA’s Office of Rulemaking 

(202) 267–9677, to request a copy of 

Advisory Circular No. 11–2A, Notice of 

Proposed Rulemaking Distribution 

System, which describes the application 

procedure. 

The Proposal 

This action proposes to amend Title 

14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 

CFR), part 71 by amending Class D 

airspace, Class E airspace designated as 

a surface area, and Class E airspace 

extending upward from 700 feet above 

the surface to accommodate new 

standard instrument approach 

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