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[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 242 (Tuesday, December 17, 2013)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 76248-76249]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-29939]

========================================================================
Proposed Rules
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.

========================================================================


Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 242 / Tuesday, December 17, 2013 / 
Proposed Rules

[[Page 76248]]

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 25

[Docket No. FAA-2013-0896; Notice No. 25-13-27-SC]

Special Conditions: Airbus, Model A350-900 Series Airplane; Side 
Stick Controller

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 side stick controllers which require 
limited pilot force because they are operated by only one hand. 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 31, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by docket number FAA-2013-0896 
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: Todd Martin, FAA, Airframe and Cabin 
Safety Branch, ANM-115, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft 
Certification Service, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 98057-
3356; telephone (425) 227-1178; 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 proposed 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 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 airplane has a conventional 
layout with twin wing-mounted 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.
    The Airbus Model A350-900 series airplane is equipped with two side 
stick controllers instead of the conventional control columns and 
wheels. This kind of controller is designed for only one-hand 
operation. The requirement of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 
CFR) 25.397(c), which defines limit pilot forces and torques for 
conventional wheel or stick controls, is not adequate for a side stick 
controller. Special conditions are necessary to specify the appropriate 
loading conditions for this kind of controller.

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 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 or similar 
novel or unusual design feature, the special conditions would also 
apply to the other model under Sec.  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

[[Page 76249]]

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, 
under Sec.  11.38, and they become part of the type-certification basis 
under Sec.  21.17(a)(2).

Novel or Unusual Design Features

    The Airbus Model A350-900 series airplane will incorporate the 
following novel or unusual design feature: a side stick controller for 
only one-hand operation by wrist and not by arms.

Discussion

    Special conditions for Airbus side stick controllers have been 
developed and applied during previous Airbus certification programs. 
These proposed special conditions are also appropriate for the Model 
A350-900 series side stick controller.

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 proposed 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 in lieu of Sec.  25.397(c), which are 
identical to A320, A340, and A380 special conditions on the same 
subject:
    For the Airbus Model A350-900 series airplane equipped with stick 
controls designed for forces to be applied by one wrist and not arms, 
the limit pilot forces are as follows:
    (1) For all components between and including the handle and its 
control stops.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                   Pitch                                Roll
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nose up 200 lbf...........................  Nose left 100 lbf.
Nose down 200 lbf.........................  Nose right 100 lbf.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (2) For all other components of the side stick control assembly, 
but 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 October 22, 2013.
Stephen P. Boyd,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-29939 Filed 12-16-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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