59632 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 197 / Thursday, October 13, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 25 

[Docket No. NM332; Special Conditions No. 

25–303–SC] 

Special Conditions: Boeing Model 767–

200, –300, and –300F Series Airplanes; 

High-Intensity Radiated Fields (HIRF) 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final special conditions; request 

for comments. 

SUMMARY: These special conditions are 

issued for Boeing Model 767–200, –300, 

and –300F series airplanes modified by 

ABX Air, Inc. These modified airplanes 

will have a novel or unusual design 

feature when compared to the state of 

technology envisioned in the 

airworthiness standards for transport 

category airplanes. The modification 

incorporates the installation of an 

Innovative Solutions and Support Flat 

Panel Display System that performs 

critical functions. The applicable 

airworthiness regulations do not contain 

adequate or appropriate safety standards 

for the protection of these systems from 

the effects of high-intensity radiated 

fields (HIRF). 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: The effective date of these 

special conditions is October 4, 2005. 

Comments must be received on or 

before November 14, 2005. 

ADDRESSES: Comments on these special 

conditions may be mailed in duplicate 

to: Federal Aviation Administration, 

Transport Airplane Directorate, 

Attention: Rules Docket (ANM–113), 

Docket No. NM332, 1601 Lind Avenue, 

SW., Renton, Washington 98055–4056; 

or delivered in duplicate to the 

Transport Airplane Directorate at the 

above address. All comments must be 

marked: Docket No. NM332. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Greg 

Dunn, FAA, Airplane and Flight Crew 

Interface Branch, ANM–111, Transport 

Airplane Directorate, Aircraft 

Certification Service, 1601 Lind 

Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 

98055–4056; telephone (425) 227–2799; 

facsimile (425) 227–1320. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

The FAA has determined that notice 

and opportunity for prior public 

comment is impracticable because these 

procedures would significantly delay 

certification of the airplane and thus 

delivery of the affected aircraft. In 

addition, the substance of these special 

conditions has been subject to the 

public comment process in several prior 

instances with no substantive comments 

received. The FAA therefore finds that 

good cause exists for making these 

special conditions effective upon 

issuance; however, the FAA invites 

interested persons to participate in this 

rulemaking by submitting 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 ask that you send 

us two copies of written comments. 

We will file in the docket all 

comments we receive, as well as a 

report summarizing each substantive 

public contact with FAA personnel 

concerning these special conditions. 

The docket is available for public 

inspection before and after the comment 

closing date. If you wish to review the 

docket in person, go to the address in 

the ADDRESSES section of this preamble 

between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday 

through Friday, except Federal holidays. 

We will consider all comments we 

receive on or before the closing date for 

comments. We will consider comments 

filed late if it is possible to do so 

without incurring expense or delay. We 

may change these special conditions 

based on the comments we receive. 

If you want the FAA to acknowledge 

receipt of your comments on these 

special conditions, include with your 

comments a pre-addressed, stamped 

postcard on which the docket number 

appears. We will stamp the date on the 

postcard and mail it back to you. 

Background 

On April 22, 2005, ABX Air, Inc., 145 

Hunter Drive, Wilmington, OH 45177, 

applied for a supplemental type 

certificate (STC) to modify Boeing 

Model 767–200, –300 and –300F series 

airplanes. These models are currently 

approved under Type Certificate No. 

A1NM. The Boeing Model 767–200, 

–300 and –300F series airplanes are 

large transport category airplanes 

powered by either two Pratt & Whitney 

or two General Electric engines. The 

Boeing Model 767–200 and –300 series 

airplanes carry a maximum of 351 

passengers. The modification 

incorporates the installation of the 

Innovative Solutions and Support 

(IS&S) Flat Panel Display System 

(FPDS). The avionics/electronics and 

electrical systems installed in this 

airplane have the potential to be 

vulnerable to high-intensity radiated 

fields (HIRF) external to the airplane. 

Type Certification Basis 

Under the provisions of 14 CFR 

21.101, ABX Air, Inc. must show that 

the Boeing Model 767–200, –300 and 

–300F series airplanes, as changed, 

continue to meet the applicable 

provisions of the regulations 

incorporated by reference in Type 

Certificate No. A1NM, or the applicable 

regulations in effect on the date of 

application for the change. The 

regulations incorporated by reference in 

the type certificate are commonly 

referred to as the ‘‘original type 

certification basis.’’ The certification 

basis for Boeing Model 767–200, –300, 

and –300F series airplanes includes 

applicable sections of 14 CFR part 25, 

effective July 30, 1982, as amended by 

Amendments 25–1 through 25–45, 

except for portions of Amendment 

25.38. In addition, the certification basis 

includes certain special conditions, 

exemptions, equivalent levels of safety, 

or later amended sections of the 

applicable part 25 that are not relevant 

to these special conditions. 

If the Administrator finds that the 

applicable airworthiness regulations 

(i.e., part 25, as amended) do not 

contain adequate or appropriate safety 

standards for Boeing Model 767–200, 

–300 and –300F series airplanes because 

of a novel or unusual design feature, 

special conditions are prescribed under 

the provisions of § 21.16. 

In addition to the applicable 

airworthiness regulations and special 

conditions, the Boeing Model 767–200, 

–300 and –300F series airplanes 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. 

Special conditions, as defined in 14 

CFR 11.19, are issued in accordance 

with § 11.38 and become part of the type 

certification basis in accordance with 

§ 21.101. 

Special conditions are initially 

applicable to the model for which they 

are issued. Should ABX Air, Inc. apply 

at a later date for a STC to modify any 

other model included on Type 

Certificate No. A1NM to incorporate the 

same or similar novel or unusual design 

feature, these special conditions would 

also apply to the other model under the 

provisions of § 21.101. 

Novel or Unusual Design Features 

As noted earlier, the Boeing Model 

767–200, –300 and –300F series 

airplanes modified by ABX Air, Inc. will 

incorporate a FPDS manufactured by 

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 197 / Thursday, October 13, 2005 / Rules and Regulations 59633 

IS&S that will perform critical 

functions. This system may be 

vulnerable to high-intensity radiated 

fields (HIRF) external to the airplane. 

The current airworthiness standards of 

part 25 do not contain adequate or 

appropriate safety standards for the 

protection of this equipment from the 

adverse effects of HIRF. Accordingly, 

this system is considered to be a novel 

or unusual design feature. 

Discussion 

There is no specific regulation that 

addresses protection requirements for 

electrical and electronic systems from 

HIRF. Increased power levels from 

ground-based radio transmitters and the 

growing use of sensitive avionics/ 

electronics and electrical systems to 

command and control airplanes have 

made it necessary to provide adequate 

protection. 

To ensure that a level of safety is 

achieved equivalent to that intended by 

the regulations incorporated by 

reference, special conditions are needed 

for the Boeing Model 767–200, –300 and 

–300F series airplanes modified by ABX 

Air, Inc. These special conditions 

require that new avionics/electronics 

and electrical systems that perform 

critical functions be designed and 

installed to preclude component 

damage and interruption of function 

due to both the direct and indirect 

effects of HIRF. 

High-Intensity Radiated Fields (HIRF) 

With the trend toward increased 

power levels from ground-based 

transmitters, and the advent of space 

and satellite communications coupled 

with electronic command and control of 

the airplane, the immunity of critical 

avionics/electronics and electrical 

systems to HIRF must be established. 

It is not possible to precisely define 

the HIRF to which the airplane will be 

exposed in service. There is also 

uncertainty concerning the effectiveness 

of airframe shielding for HIRF. 

Furthermore, coupling of 

electromagnetic energy to cockpitinstalled equipment through the cockpit 

window apertures is undefined. Based 

on surveys and analysis of existing HIRF 

emitters, an adequate level of protection 

exists when compliance with the HIRF 

protection special condition is shown 

with either paragraph 1 OR 2 below: 

1. A minimum threat of 100 volts rms 

(root-mean-square) per meter electric 

field strength from 10 KHz to 18 GHz. 

a. The threat must be applied to the 

system elements and their associated 

wiring harnesses without the benefit of 

airframe shielding. 

b. Demonstration of this level of 

protection is established through system 

tests and analysis. 

2. A threat external to the airframe of 

the field strengths identified in the table 

below for the frequency ranges 

indicated. Both peak and average field 

strength components from the table are 

to be demonstrated. 

Frequency 

Field strength 

(volts per meter) 

Peak Average 

10 kHz–100 kHz ....... 50 50 

100 kHz–500 kHz ..... 50 50 

500 kHz–2 MHz ........ 50 50 

2 MHz–30 MHz ......... 100 100 

30 MHz–70 MHz ....... 50 50 

70 MHz–100 MHz ..... 50 50 

100 MHz–200 MHz ... 100 100 

200 MHz–400 MHz ... 100 100 

400 MHz–700 MHz ... 700 50 

700 MHz–1 GHz ....... 700 100 

1 GHz–2 GHz ........... 2000 200 

2 GHz–4 GHz ........... 3000 200 

4 GHz–6 GHz ........... 3000 200 

6 GHz–8 GHz ........... 1000 200 

8 GHz–12 GHz ......... 3000 300 

12 GHz–18 GHz ....... 2000 200 

18 GHz–40 GHz ....... 600 200 

The field strengths are expressed in terms 

of peak of the root-mean-square (rms) over 

the complete modulation period. 

The threat levels identified above are 

the result of an FAA review of existing 

studies on the subject of HIRF, in light 

of the ongoing work of the 

Electromagnetic Effects Harmonization 

Working Group of the Aviation 

Rulemaking Advisory Committee. 

Applicability 

As discussed above, these special 

conditions are applicable to Boeing 

Model 767–200, –300 and –300F series 

airplanes modified by ABX Air, Inc. 

Should ABX Air, Inc. apply at a later 

date for a STC to modify any other 

model included on Type Certificate No. 

A1NM to incorporate the same or 

similar novel or unusual design feature, 

these special conditions would apply to 

that model as well under the provisions 

of § 21.101. 

Conclusion 

This action affects only certain novel 

or unusual design features on Boeing 

Model 767–200, –300 and –300F series 

airplanes modified by ABX Air, Inc. It 

is not a rule of general applicability and 

affects only the applicant who applied 

to the FAA for approval of these features 

on the airplane. 

The substance of these special 

conditions has been subjected to the 

notice and comment procedure in 

several prior instances and has been 

derived without substantive change 

from those previously issued. Because a 

delay would significantly affect the 

certification of the airplane, which is 

imminent, the FAA has determined that 

prior public notice and comment are 

unnecessary and impracticable, and 

good cause exists for adopting these 

special conditions upon issuance. The 

FAA is requesting comments to allow 

interested persons to submit views that 

may not have been submitted in 

response to the prior opportunities for 

comment described above. 

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 supplemental type 

certification basis for the Boeing Model 

767–200, –300 and –300F series 

airplanes modified by ABX Air, Inc. 

1. Protection from Unwanted Effects 

of HIRF. Each electrical and electronic 

system that performs critical functions 

must be designed and installed to 

ensure that the operation and 

operational capability of these systems 

to perform critical functions are not 

adversely affected when the airplane is 

exposed to high-intensity radiated 

fields. 

2. For the purpose of these special 

conditions, the following definition 

applies: 

Critical Functions: Functions whose 

failure would contribute to or cause a 

failure condition that would prevent the 

continued safe flight and landing of the 

airplane. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on October 

4, 2005. 

Ali Bahrami, 

Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 05–20458 Filed 10–12–05; 8:45 am] 

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