Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 33 / Tuesday, February 19, 2013 / Rules and Regulations 11553 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 25 

[Docket No. FAA–2012–0978; Special 

Conditions No. 25–478–SC] 

Special Conditions: Embraer S.A., 

Model EMB–550 Airplane; Electronic 

Flight Control System: Control Surface 

Awareness and Mode Annunciation 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final special conditions. 

SUMMARY: These special conditions are 

issued for the Embraer S.A. Model 

EMB–550 airplane. This airplane will 

have a novel or unusual design 

feature(s) associated with the control 

surface awareness and mode 

annunciation of the electronic flight 

control system. The applicable 

airworthiness regulations do not contain 

adequate or appropriate safety standards 

for this design feature. These 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: Effective Date: March 21, 2013. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joe 

Jacobsen, FAA, Airplane and Flight 

Crew Interface Branch, ANM–111, 

Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft 

Certification Service, 1601 Lind Avenue 

SW., Renton, Washington 98057–3356; 

telephone 425–227–2011; facsimile 

425–227–1149. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

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. 

Type Certification Basis 

Under the provisions of Title 14, Code 

of Federal Regulations (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. 

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 

§ 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 § 21.101. 

In addition to the applicable 

airworthiness regulations and special 

conditions, the 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 

§ 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 EMB–550 airplane will 

incorporate the following novel or 

unusual design features: The Embraer 

S.A. Model EMB–550 airplane will have 

a fly-by-wire electronic flight control 

system and no direct coupling from the 

flightdeck controller to the control 

surface. As a result, the pilot is not 

aware of the actual control surface 

position as envisioned when part 25 

was written. 

Discussion 

These special conditions propose that 

the flightcrew receive a suitable flight 

control position annunciation when a 

flight condition exists in which nearly 

full surface authority (not crewcommanded) is being used. Suitability 

of such a display must take into account 

that some pilot-demanded maneuvers 

(e.g., rapid roll) are necessarily 

associated with intended full 

performance, which may saturate the 

surface. Therefore, simple alerting 

systems function in both intended and 

unexpected control-limiting situations. 

As a result, they must be properly 

balanced between providing necessary 

crew awareness and being a potential 

nuisance to the flightcrew. A monitoring 

system that compares airplane motion 

and surface deflection with the demand 

of the pilot sidestick controller could 

help reduce nuisance alerting. 

These special conditions also address 

flight control system mode 

annunciation. It proposes suitable mode 

annunciation be provided to the 

flightcrew for events that significantly 

change the operating mode of the 

system but do not merit the classic 

‘‘failure warning.’’ 

These special conditions establish a 

level of safety equivalent to that 

provided by a conventional flight 

control system and that contemplated in 

existing regulations. 

Discussion of Comments 

Notice of proposed special conditions 

No. SC–12–25 for the Embraer S.A. 

EMB–550 airplanes was published in 

the Federal Register on September 27, 

2012 (77 FR 57039). No comments were 

received, and the special conditions are 

adopted as proposed. 

Applicability 

As discussed above, these special 

conditions are applicable to the 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. 

■ The authority citation for these 

special conditions is as follows: 

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701, 

44702, 44704. 

The Special Conditions 

Accordingly, pursuant to the 

authority delegated to me by the 

Administrator, the following special 

conditions are issued as part of the type 

certification basis for Model EMB–550 

airplanes. 

1. Electronic Flight Control System: 

Control Surface Awareness and Mode 

Annunciation. In addition to the 

requirements of §§ 25.143, 25.671, and 


sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with RULES
11554 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 33 / Tuesday, February 19, 2013 / Rules and Regulations 

25.672, the following requirements 

apply: 

a. The system design must ensure that 

the flightcrew is made suitably aware 

whenever the primary control means 

nears the limit of control authority. 

Note: The term ‘‘suitably aware’’ indicates 

annunciations provided to the flightcrew are 

appropriately balanced between nuisance 

and that necessary for crew awareness. 

b. If the design of the flight control 

system has multiple modes of operation, 

a means must be provided to indicate to 

the flightcrew any mode that 

significantly changes or degrades the 

normal handling or operational 

characteristics of the airplane. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on February 

12, 2013. 

Ali Bahrami, 

Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2013–03656 Filed 2–15–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 25 

[Docket No. FAA–2012–1216; Special 

Conditions No. 25–479–SC] 

Special Conditions: Embraer S.A., 

Model EMB–550 Airplane, Limit Pilot 

Forces for Sidestick Control 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final special conditions. 

SUMMARY: These special conditions for 

the Embraer S.A. Model EMB–550 

airplane. This airplane will have a novel 

or unusual design feature, specifically 

sidestick controllers designed to be 

operated with only one hand. The 

applicable airworthiness regulations do 

not contain adequate or appropriate 

safety standards for this design feature. 

These 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: Effective Date: March 21, 2013. 

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 

425–227–1149. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

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, ailerons, 

and rudder, controlled by the pilot or 

copilot sidestick. 

Current regulations reference pilot 

effort loads for the cockpit pitch and roll 

controls that are based on a two-handed 

effort. The cockpit roll and pitch 

controls for the Model EMB–550 

airplane are designed for one-handed 

operation. 

Type Certification Basis 

Under the provisions of Title 14, Code 

of Federal Regulations (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 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 § 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 § 21.101. 

In addition to the applicable 

airworthiness regulations and special 

conditions, the 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 § 11.38, and they become part of 

the type-certification basis under 

§ 21.17(a)(2). 

Novel or Unusual Design Features 

The Embraer S.A. Model EMB–550 

airplane will incorporate the following 

novel or unusual design features: The 

Model EMB–550 airplane is equipped 

with a sidestick controller instead of a 

conventional wheel or control stick. 

This kind of controller is designed to be 

operated using only one hand. The 

requirement of 14 CFR 25.397(c), which 

defines limit pilot forces and torques for 

conventional wheel or stick controls, is 

not appropriate for a sidestick 

controller. Therefore, a special 

condition is necessary to specify the 

appropriate loading conditions for this 

kind of controller. 

Discussion 

The Embraer S.A. Model EMB–550 

airplane is equipped with a sidestick 

controller instead of a conventional 

wheel or control stick. This kind of 

controller is designed to be operated 

using only one hand. The requirement 

of 14 CFR 25.397(c), which defines limit 

pilot forces and torques for conventional 

wheel or stick controls, is not 

appropriate for a sidestick controller, 

because pilot forces are applied to 

sidestick controllers with only the wrist, 

not arms. These 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 of Comments 

Notice of proposed special conditions 

No. 25–12–13–SC for the Embraer S.A. 

Model EMB–550 airplanes was 

published in the Federal Register on 

November 20, 2012, (77 FR 69571). No 

comments were received, and the 

special conditions are adopted as 

proposed. 

Applicability 

As discussed above, these special 

conditions are applicable to the 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 


sroberts on DSK5SPTVN1PROD with RULES