[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 41 (Thursday, March 1, 2001)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 12843-12845]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-4675]



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Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 41 / Thursday, March 1, 2001 / Rules 
and Regulations

[[Page 12843]]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 25

[Docket No. NM183; Special Conditions No. 25-173-SC]


Special Conditions: Gulfstream G-1159; High-Intensity Radiated 
Fields (HIRF)

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION:  Final special conditions; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: These special conditions are issued for Gulfstream Aerospace 
Corporation G-1159 airplanes modified by DaimlerChrysler Aviation, 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 dual Electronic Primary 
Flight Display systems that perform 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 February 16, 
2001. Comments must be received on or before April 2, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Comments on these special conditions may be mailed in 
duplicate to: Federal Aviation Administration, Transport Airplane 
Directorate, Attention: Rules Docket (ANM-114), Docket No. NM183, 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. NM183. Comments may be 
inspected in the Rules Docket weekdays, except Federal holidays, 
between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Meghan Gordon, FAA, Standardization 
Branch, ANM-113, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 98055-4056; telephone 
(425) 227-2138; facsimile (425) 227-1149.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    The FAA has determined that good cause exists for making these 
special conditions effective upon issuance; however, interested persons 
are invited to submit such written data, views, or arguments, as they 
may desire. Communications should identify the regulatory docket number 
and be submitted in duplicate to the address specified above. All 
communications received on or before the closing date for comments will 
be considered by the Administrator. These special conditions may be 
changed in light of the comments received. All comments received will 
be available in the Rules Docket for examination by interested persons, 
both before and after the closing date for comments. A report 
summarizing each substantive public contact with FAA personnel 
concerning this rulemaking will be filed in the docket. Commenters 
wishing the FAA to acknowledge receipt of their comments submitted in 
response to these special conditions must include a self-addressed, 
stamped postcard on which the following statement is made: ``Comments 
to Docket No. NM183.'' The postcard will be date stamped and returned 
to the commenter.

Background

    On April 3, 2000, DaimlerChrysler Aviation, Inc., 7002 Highland 
Rd., Waterford, MI, applied for a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) 
to modify Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation G-1159 airplanes. The G-1159 
is a small transport category airplane. The G-1159 airplanes are 
powered by two Rolls Royce Spey RB (163) 511-8 turbofans with a maximum 
takeoff weight of 57,500 pounds. This aircraft operates with a 2-pilot 
crew and can hold up to 19 passengers. The modification incorporates 
the installation of a Honeywell Primus Epic Control Display System for 
Retrofit applications (CDS-R). The CDS-R is a replacement for the 
existing Analog Flight Instrumentation, while also providing additional 
functional capability and redundancy in the system. 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, DaimlerChrysler Aviation 
Inc. must show that the Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation G-1159 
airplanes, as changed, continue to meet the applicable provisions of 
the regulations incorporated by reference Type Certificate No. A12EA, 
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 regulations included in the certification 
basis for the Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation G-1159 airplanes include 
CAR 4b dated December 31, 1953, including Amendments 4b-1 thru 4b-14, 
Special Regulations SR422B and SR450A, and Special Conditions in 
Attachment A of FAA letter to Grumman dated September 27, 1965, plus 14 
CFR 25.1325 (effective February 1, 1965); 25.175 (effective March 1, 
1965) in lieu of 4b.155(b), plus additional requirements listed in the 
type certificate data sheet that are not relevant to these special 
conditions.
    If the Administrator finds that the applicable airworthiness 
regulations (i.e., CAR 4b and part 25, as amended) do not contain 
adequate or appropriate safety standards for the Gulfstream Aerospace 
Corporation G-1159 airplanes modified by DaimlerChrysler Aviation Inc. 
because of a novel or unusual design feature, special conditions are 
prescribed under the provisions of Sec. 21.16.
    In addition to the applicable airworthiness regulations and special 
conditions, these Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation G-1159 airplanes 
must comply with the fuel vent and exhaust

[[Page 12844]]

emission requirements of part 34 and the noise certification 
requirements of part 36.
    Special conditions, as defined in Sec. 11.19, are issued in 
accordance with Sec. 11.38 and become part of the type certification 
basis in accordance with Sec. 21.101(b)(2).
    Special conditions are initially applicable to the model for which 
they are issued. Should DaimlerChrysler Aviation Inc. apply at a later 
date for a supplemental type certificate to modify any other model 
included on the same type certificate to incorporate the same novel or 
unusual design feature, these special conditions would also apply to 
the other model under the provisions of Sec. 21.101(a)(1).

Novel or Unusual Design Features

    As noted earlier, the Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation G-1159 
airplanes modified by DaimlerChrysler Aviation Inc. will incorporate 
dual Electronic Primary Flight Display systems that will perform 
critical functions. This system may be vulnerable to high-intensity 
radiated fields 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 that is equivalent to 
that intended by the regulations incorporated by reference, special 
conditions are needed for the Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation G-1159 
airplanes modified by DaimlerChrysler Aviation 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, plus 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 cockpit-installed 
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 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 following field 
strengths for the frequency ranges indicated. Both peak and average 
field strength components from the Table are to be demonstrated.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  Field strength  (volts
                                                        per meter)
                    Frequency                    -----------------------
                                                     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
4GHz-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 
Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation G-1159 airplanes modified by 
DaimlerChrysler Aviation Inc. Should DaimlerChrysler Aviation Inc. 
apply at a later date for a supplemental type certificate to modify any 
other model included on the same type certificate to incorporate the 
same novel or unusual design feature, these special conditions would 
apply to that model as well under the provisions of Sec. 21.101(a)(1).

Conclusion

    This action affects only certain novel or unusual design features 
on the Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation G-1159 airplanes modified by

[[Page 12845]]

DaimlerChrysler Aviation 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 period in several prior instances and has been 
derived without substantive change from those previously issued. It is 
unlikely that prior public comments would result in a significant 
change from the substance contained herein. For this reason, and 
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 Gulfstream Aerospace 
Corporation G-1159 airplanes modified by DaimlerChrysler Aviation Inc.
    1. Protection from Unwanted Effects of High-Intensity Radiated 
Fields (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 applied: 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 February 16, 2001.
Donald L. Riggin,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 01-4675 Filed 2-28-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M