[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 31 (Wednesday, February 17, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 7965-7967]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-03212]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 25

[Docket No. FAA-2014-1077; Special Conditions No. 25-609-SC]


Special Conditions: Dassault Aviation Model Falcon 5X Airplane, 
Design Roll Maneuver Condition

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

[[Page 7966]]


ACTION: Final special conditions; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: These special conditions are issued for the Dassault Aviation 
Model Falcon 5X airplane. This airplane will have novel or unusual 
design features when compared to the state of technology envisioned in 
the airworthiness standards for transport-category airplanes. This 
design feature is electronic flight controls that affect maneuvering. 
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: This action is effective on Dassault Aviation on February 17, 
2016. We must receive your comments by April 4, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by docket number FAA-2014-1077 
using any of the following methods:
    <bullet> Federal eRegulations Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/ and follow the online instructions for sending 
your comments electronically.
    <bullet> 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.
    <bullet> 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.
    <bullet> 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 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: Mark Freisthler, FAA, Airframe and 
Cabin Safety Branch, ANM-115, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft 
Certification Service, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 98057-
3356; telephone 425-227-1119; facsimile 425-227-1320.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA has determined that notice of, and 
opportunity for prior public comment on, these special conditions is 
impracticable because these procedures would significantly delay 
issuance of the design approval and thus delivery of the affected 
airplane.
    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 
publication in the Federal Register.

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

Background

    On July 1, 2012, Dassault Aviation applied for a type certificate 
for their new Model Falcon 5X airplane.
    The Model Falcon 5X airplane is a transport-category airplane to be 
operated in private/corporate transportation with a maximum of 19 
passengers. The airplane incorporates a low, swept-wing design with 
winglets; twin rear-fuselage-mounted engines; and the newest generation 
of Dassault Aviation's EASy flightdeck.
    The Model Falcon 5X will include electronic flight controls that 
affect maneuvering.

Type Certification Basis

    Under the provisions of 14 CFR 21.17, Dassault Aviation must show 
that the Model Falcon 5X airplane meets the applicable provisions of 
part 25, as amended by Amendments 25-1 through 25-136.
    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 Falcon 5X 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 novel or 
unusual design feature, these special conditions would also apply to 
the other model under Sec.  21.101.
    In addition to the applicable airworthiness regulations and special 
conditions, the Model Falcon 5X 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.
    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 Model Falcon 5X airplane will incorporate the following novel 
or unusual design feature:
    This airplane is equipped with an electronic flight-control system 
that provides control through pilot inputs to the flight computer, 
thereby affecting maneuverability of the airplane as compared to 
conventional control systems.

Discussion

    Current part 25 airworthiness regulations account for control laws 
for which aileron deflection is proportional to control-stick 
deflection. They do not address nonlinearities or other effects on 
aileron actuation that may be caused by electronic flight controls. 
Because this type of system may affect flight loads, and therefore the 
structural capability of the airplane, specific regulations are needed 
to address these effects.
    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.

Applicability

    As discussed above, these special conditions are applicable to the 
Model Falcon 5X airplane. Should Dassault Aviation apply at a later 
date for a

[[Page 7967]]

change to the type certificate to include another model incorporating 
the same novel or unusual design feature, these special conditions 
would apply to that model as well.

Conclusion

    This action affects only certain novel or unusual design features 
on one model of airplane. It is not a rule of general applicability.
    The substance of these special conditions has been subjected to the 
notice and comment period in several prior instances and has been 
derived without substantive change from those previously issued. It is 
unlikely that prior public comment would result in a significant change 
from the substance contained herein. Therefore, 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 publication in the Federal Register. 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.


0
The authority citation for these special conditions is as follows:

    Authority:  49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701, 44702, 44704.

The Special Conditions

0
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 Dassault Aviation Model Falcon 5X 
airplanes.
    In lieu of compliance to Sec.  25.349(a), the following conditions, 
speeds, and cockpit roll-control motions (except as the motions may be 
limited by pilot effort) must be considered in combination with an 
airplane load factor of zero, and of two-thirds of the positive 
maneuvering factor used in design. In determining the resulting 
control-surface deflections, the torsional flexibility of the wing must 
be considered in accordance with Sec.  25.301(b).
    1. Conditions corresponding to steady rolling velocities must be 
investigated. In addition, conditions corresponding to maximum angular 
acceleration must be investigated for airplanes with engines or other 
weight concentrations outboard of the fuselage. For the angular 
acceleration conditions, zero rolling velocity may be assumed in the 
absence of a rational time-history investigation of the maneuver.
    2. At V<INF>A</INF>, sudden movement of the cockpit roll control up 
to the limit is assumed. The position of the cockpit roll control must 
be maintained until a steady roll rate is achieved, and then must be 
returned suddenly to the neutral position.
    3. At V<INF>C</INF>, the cockpit roll control must be moved 
suddenly and maintained so as to achieve a roll rate not less than that 
obtained in special condition 2, above.
    4. At V<INF>D</INF>, the cockpit roll control must be moved 
suddenly and maintained so as to achieve a roll rate not less than one-
third of that obtained in special condition 2, above.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on February 4, 2016.
Michael Kaszycki,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-03212 Filed 2-16-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P