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[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 33 (Tuesday, February 19, 2013)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 11609-11611]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-03679]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 25

[Docket No. FAA-2013-0148; Notice No. 25-13-01-SC]

Special Conditions: Embraer S.A., Model EMB-550 Airplane; Landing 
Pitchover Condition

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed special conditions.

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SUMMARY: This action proposes special conditions for the Embraer S.A. 
Model EMB-550 airplane. This airplane will have a novel or unusual 
design feature(s) associated with landing loads due to the automatic 
braking system. 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 April 5, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by docket number FAA-2013-0148 
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 8 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

[[Page 11610]]

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 425-227-1232.

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 on or before the closing 
date for comments. We may change these special conditions based on the 
comments we receive.

Background

    On May 14, 2009, Embraer S.A. applied for a type certificate for 
their new Model EMB-550 airplane. The Model EMB-550 airplane is the 
first of a new family of jet airplanes designed for corporate flight, 
fractional, charter, and private owner operations. The aircraft has a 
conventional configuration with low wing and T-tail empennage. The 
primary structure is metal with composite empennage and control 
surfaces. The Model EMB-550 airplane is designed for 8 passengers, with 
a maximum of 12 passengers. It is equipped with two Honeywell HTF7500-E 
medium bypass ratio turbofan engines mounted on aft fuselage pylons. 
Each engine produces approximately 6,540 pounds of thrust for normal 
takeoff. The primary flight controls consist of hydraulically powered 
fly-by-wire elevators, aileron and rudder, controlled by the pilot or 
copilot sidestick.
    The Model EMB-550 airplane is equipped with an automatic braking 
system. This feature is a pilot-selectable function that allows earlier 
braking at landing without pilot pedal input. When the autobrake system 
is armed before landing, it automatically commands a pre-defined 
braking action after the main wheels touch down. This might cause a 
high nose gear sink rate, and potentially higher gear and airframe 
loads than would occur with a traditional braking system. Therefore, 
the FAA has determined special conditions are necessary.

Type Certification Basis

    Under the provisions of 14 CFR 21.17, Embraer S.A. must show that 
the Model EMB-550 airplane meets the applicable provisions of part 25, 
as amended by Amendments 25-1 through 25-127 thereto.
    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 EMB-550 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 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 special 
conditions, the Embraer S.A. Model EMB-550 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 section 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 Embraer S.A. Model EMB-550 airplane is equipped with an 
automatic braking system, which is a pilot-selectable function that 
allows earlier maximum braking at landing without pilot pedal input. 
When the autobrake system is armed before landing, it automatically 
commands maximum braking at main wheels touchdown. This will cause a 
high nose gear sink rate, and potentially higher gear and airframe 
loads than would occur with a traditional braking system.

Discussion

    These special conditions define a landing pitchover condition that 
accounts for the effects of the automatic braking system. The special 
conditions define the airplane configuration, speeds, and other 
parameters necessary to develop airframe and nose gear loads for this 
condition. The special conditions require that the airplane be designed 
to support the resulting limit and ultimate loads as defined in Sec.  
25.305.

Applicability

    As discussed above, these special conditions are applicable to the 
Embraer S.A. Model EMB-550 airplane. Should Embraer S.A. 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 airplanes. It is not a rule of general applicability.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 25

    Aircraft, Aviation safety, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements.

0
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 FAA proposes the following special conditions as 
part of the type certification basis for Embraer S.A. Model EMB-550 
airplanes.

Landing Pitchover Condition

    A landing pitchover condition must be addressed that takes into 
account the effect of the autobrake system. The airplane is assumed to 
be at the design maximum landing weight, or at the maximum weight 
allowed with the autobrake system on. The airplane is assumed to land 
in a tail-down attitude and at the speeds defined in Sec.  25.481. 
Following main gear contact, the airplane is assumed to rotate about 
the main gear wheels at the highest pitch rate allowed by the autobrake 
system. This is considered a limit load condition from which ultimate 
loads

[[Page 11611]]

must also be determined. Loads must be determined for critical fuel and 
payload distributions and centers of gravity. Nose gear loads, as well 
as airframe loads, must be determined. The airplane must support these 
loads as described in Sec.  25.305.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on February 12, 2013.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-03679 Filed 2-15-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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