Document ID: FAA-2021-0943-0001
Agency: faa
Document Type: Proposed Rule
Title: Special Conditions: Robinson Helicopter Company Model R66 Helicopter; Pressure Refueling Provisions
Posted Date: 2022-02-04T05:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 24 (Friday, February 4, 2022)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 6437-6439]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-02387]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 27

[Docket No. FAA-2021-0943; Special Conditions No. 27-21-01-SC]

Special Conditions: Robinson Helicopter Company Model R66 
Helicopter; Pressure Refueling Provisions

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed special conditions.

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SUMMARY: This action proposes special conditions for the Robinson 
Helicopter Company (RHC) Model R66 helicopter. This helicopter will 
have a novel or unusual design feature when compared to the state of 
technology envisioned in the airworthiness standards for normal 
category helicopters. This design feature is a pressure refueling 
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 comments on or before March 7, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by Docket No. FAA-2021-0943 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 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, except Federal holidays.
     Fax: Fax comments to Docket Operations at 202-493-2251.
    Privacy: Except for Confidential Business Information (CBI) as 
described in the following paragraph, and other information as 
described in title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) 11.35, the 
FAA will post all comments received without change to http://www.regulations.gov/, including any personal information you provide. 
The

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FAA will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact 
received about these special conditions.
    Confidential Business Information: CBI is commercial or financial 
information that is both customarily and actually treated as private by 
its owner. Under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), 
CBI is exempt from public disclosure. If your comments responsive to 
these special conditions contain commercial or financial information 
that is customarily treated as private, that you actually treat as 
private, and that is relevant or responsive to these special 
conditions, it is important that you clearly designate the submitted 
comments as CBI. Please mark each page of your submission containing 
CBI as ``PROPIN.'' The FAA will treat such marked submissions as 
confidential under the FOIA, and the indicated comments will not be 
placed in the public docket of these special conditions. Submissions 
containing CBI should be sent to Monica Abboud, Propulsion Section, 
AIR-794, Los Angeles ACO Branch, Aircraft Certification Service, 
Federal Aviation Administration, 3960 Paramount Boulevard, Lakewood, 
California 90712; telephone (562) 627-5223; email 
[email protected]. Comments the FAA receives, which are not 
specifically designated as CBI, will be placed in the public docket for 
these special conditions.
    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: Monica Abboud, Propulsion Section, 
AIR-794, Los Angeles ACO Branch, Aircraft Certification Service, 
Federal Aviation Administration, 3960 Paramount Boulevard, Lakewood, 
California 90712; telephone (562) 627-5223; email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    The FAA invites 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.
    The FAA will consider all comments received by the closing date for 
comments. The FAA may change these special conditions based on the 
comments received.

Background

    On July 15, 2021, RHC applied for a change to Type Certificate No. 
R00015LA for the Model R66 helicopter. This change incorporated a 
pressure fueling system in the Model R66 helicopter. The RHC Model R66 
helicopter, which is a derivative of the earlier models of the Model 
R66 helicopter currently approved under Type Certificate No. R00015LA, 
is a part 27 normal category helicopter. It is a single turbine engine 
helicopter with a four-passenger maximum passenger capacity and has a 
maximum gross weight, with no external load, of up to 2,700 pounds 
depending on the model configuration.

Type Certification Basis

    Under the provisions of 14 CFR 21.101, RHC must show that the Model 
R66 helicopter, as changed, continues to meet the applicable provisions 
of the regulations listed in Type Certificate No. R00015LA or the 
applicable regulations in effect on the date of application for the 
change, except for earlier amendments as agreed upon by the FAA.
    If the Administrator finds that the applicable airworthiness 
regulations (e.g., 14 CFR part 27) do not contain adequate or 
appropriate safety standards for the RHC Model R66 helicopter 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, or should any other model already included on 
the same type certificate be modified to incorporate 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 RHC Model R66 helicopter must comply with 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.  21.101.

Novel or Unusual Design Feature

    The RHC Model R66 helicopter will incorporate the following novel 
or unusual design feature:
    A pressure refueling system, which will allow for optional pressure 
fueling.

Discussion

    RHC proposes to modify the Model R66 helicopter by incorporating a 
pressure refueling system that would allow for optional pressure 
fueling from a fueling port on the right side of the fuselage and the 
existing gravity system via the fuel filler cap on top of the main fuel 
tank. This modification would provide faster, easier, and safer 
refueling when the engines are running and rotors turning compared to 
the existing fueling system located on the top of the main fuel tank. 
The pressure refueling system cannot be used for defueling and would 
include a crash-resistant fuel hose that runs from the fueling port on 
the right side to an inlet at the top of the fuel tank on the left side 
of the helicopter.
    Part 27 does not contain requirements for pressure refueling for 
normal category helicopters. However, 14 CFR 29.979, amendment 29-12, 
effective February 1, 1977, provides these requirements for transport 
category helicopters. Accordingly, these proposed special conditions 
are based on Sec.  29.979 to provide requirements for the inclusion of 
the optional pressure refueling system on the Model R66 helicopters. 14 
CFR 29.979 includes standards for pressure refueling and fueling 
provisions below fuel level on transport category rotorcraft.
    This regulation is intended to prevent hazards to ground crew, 
flight crew, and occupants by reducing the probability of exposure to 
hazardous quantities of fuel due to spillage and ensuring the pressure 
refueling/defueling system is designed to prevent overfilling the fuel 
tank and to withstand an ultimate load overpressure event without 
failure.
    Section 29.979(a) requires each fueling connection below the fuel 
level in each tank have a means to prevent the escape of hazardous 
quantities of fuel from that tank in case of malfunction of the fuel 
entry valve.
    Section 29.979(b) requires systems intended for pressure refueling 
have a means in addition to the normal means for limiting the tank 
content to prevent damage to the tank in case of failure of the normal 
means.
    Section 29.979(c) requires the rotorcraft pressure fueling system 
(not fuel tanks and fuel tank vents) to withstand an ultimate load that 
is 2.0 times the load arising from the maximum pressure, including 
surge,

[[Page 6439]]

that is likely to occur during fueling. The maximum surge pressure must 
be established with any combination of tank valves being either 
intentionally or inadvertently closed.
    Section 29.979(d) requires the rotorcraft defueling system (not 
including fuel tanks and fuel tank vents) to withstand an ultimate load 
that is 2.0 times the load arising from the maximum permissible 
defueling pressure (positive or negative) at the rotorcraft fueling 
connection. The design proposed by RHC does not include defueling 
capability.
    The 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.

Applicability

    These special conditions are applicable to the RHC Model R66 
helicopter. Should RHC apply at a later date for a 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 a certain novel or unusual design feature 
on one model of helicopter. It is not a rule of general applicability.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 27

    Aircraft, Aviation safety, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements.

Authority Citation

    The authority citation for these special conditions is as follows:

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

The Proposed Special Conditions

    Accordingly, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposes the 
following special conditions as part of the type certification basis 
for Robinson Helicopter Company Model R66 helicopters.
    The pressure refueling system must be designed and installed as 
follows:
    (a) Each fueling connection below the fuel level in each tank must 
have the means to prevent the escape of hazardous quantities of fuel 
from that tank in case of malfunction of the fuel entry valve.
    (b) For systems intended for pressure refueling, a means in 
addition to the normal means for limiting the tank content must be 
installed to prevent damage to the fuel tank in case of failure of the 
normal means.
    (c) The rotorcraft pressure fueling system (not fuel tanks and fuel 
tank vents) must withstand an ultimate load that is 2.0 times the load 
arising from maximum pressure, including a surge, that is likely to 
occur during fueling. The maximum surge pressure must be established 
with any combination of tank valves being either intentionally or 
inadvertently closed.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on February 1, 2022.
Patrick R. Mullen,
Manager, Technical Innovation Policy Branch, Policy and Innovation 
Division, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-02387 Filed 2-3-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P