Document ID: FAA-2021-0631-0001
Agency: faa
Document Type: Rule
Title: Special Condition: Dassault Aviation Model Falcon 6X Airplane; Flight Envelope Protection: Normal Load-Factor (g) Limiting
Posted Date: 2022-08-08T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 151 (Monday, August 8, 2022)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 48084-48086]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-16904]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 25

[Docket No. FAA-2021-0631; Special Conditions No. 25-813-SC]

Special Conditions: Dassault Aviation Model Falcon 6X Airplane; 
Flight Envelope Protection: Normal Load-Factor (g) Limiting

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final special conditions; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: These special conditions are issued for the Dassault Aviation 
(Dassault) Model Falcon 6X airplane. This airplane will have a novel or 
unusual design feature when compared to the state of technology 
envisioned in the airworthiness standards for transport category 
airplanes. This design feature is an electronic flight-control system 
(EFCS) that incorporates full-time, normal load-factor limiting, 
designed to prevent the pilot from inadvertently or intentionally 
exceeding the positive or negative airplane limit load factor. 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 on August 8, 2022. Send 
comments on or before September 22, 2022.

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by Docket No. FAA-2021-0631 using 
any of the following methods:
     Federal eRegulations Portal: Go to https://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 https://www.regulations.gov/, including any personal information you provide. 
The FAA will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal 
contact received about these special conditions.
    Confidential Business Information: 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. Send submissions containing CBI to 
Troy Brown, Performance and Environment Section,

[[Page 48085]]

AIR-625, Technical Innovation Policy Branch, Policy and Innovation 
Division, Aircraft Certification Service, Federal Aviation 
Administration, 1801 S Airport Rd., Wichita, KS 67209-2190; telephone 
and fax 405-666-1050; 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 
https://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: Troy Brown, Performance and 
Environment Section, AIR-625, Technical Innovation Policy Branch, 
Policy and Innovation Division, Aircraft Certification Service, Federal 
Aviation Administration, 1801 S Airport Rd., Wichita, KS 67209-2190; 
telephone and fax 405-666-1050; email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    The substance of these special conditions has been published in the 
Federal Register for public comment in several prior instances with no 
substantive comments received. Therefore, the FAA finds that, pursuant 
to Sec.  11.38(b), new comments are unlikely, and notice and comment 
prior to this publication are unnecessary.

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 1, 2012, Dassault Aviation applied for a type certificate 
for its new Model Falcon 5X airplane. However, Dassault has decided not 
to release an airplane under the model designation Falcon 5X, instead 
choosing to change that model designation to Falcon 6X.
    In February of 2018, due to engine supplier issues, Dassault 
extended the type certificate application date for its Model Falcon 5X 
airplane under new Model Falcon 6X. This airplane is a twin-engine 
business jet with seating for 19 passengers, and has a maximum takeoff 
weight of 77,460 pounds.

Type Certification Basis

    Under the provisions of 14 CFR 21.17, Dassault must show that the 
Model Falcon 6X airplane meets the applicable provisions of 14 CFR part 
25, as amended by amendments 25-1 through 25-146.
    If the Administrator finds that the applicable airworthiness 
regulations (e.g., 14 CFR part 25) do not contain adequate or 
appropriate safety standards for the Dassault Model Falcon 6X 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 Dassault Model Falcon 6X 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 Dassault Aviation Model Falcon 6X airplane will incorporate the 
following novel or unusual design feature:
    An EFCS that incorporates full-time, normal load-factor limiting, 
designed to prevent the pilot from inadvertently or intentionally 
exceeding the positive or negative airplane limit load factor.

Discussion

    The normal load-factor limit on the Model Falcon 6X is unique in 
that traditional airplanes with conventional, mechanical-linkage 
flight-control systems are limited, in the pitch axis, only by the 
elevator surface area and deflection limit. The elevator control power 
is normally derived for adequate controllability and maneuverability at 
the most critical longitudinal pitching moment. The result is that for 
conventional, mechanical-linkage airplanes, a significant portion of 
the flight envelope maneuverability, in excess of limit structural 
design values, is possible. With the normal load-factor limit engaged, 
the Dassault Model Falcon 6X airplane will not exhibit this excess 
maneuverability.
    Part 25 does not specify requirements nor does any FAA policy 
require the applicant to demonstrate maneuver control that impose any 
handling qualities requirements beyond the design limit structural 
loads. Nevertheless, some pilots are accustomed to the availability of 
this excess maneuver capacity in case of extreme emergencies, such as 
upset recoveries or collision avoidance.
    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 
Dassault Model Falcon 6X airplane. Should Dassault 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 airplane. It is not a rule of general applicability.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 25

    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 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 Model Falcon 6X airplanes.
    In addition to the requirements of Sec.  25.143(a), and in the 
absence of other limiting factors, the following apply:
    (a) The positive limiting load factor must not be less than:
    (1) 2.5g for the electronic flight-control system (EFCS) normal 
state with the high-lift devices retracted up to VMO/
MMO. The positive limiting load factor may be gradually 
reduced down to 2.25g above VMO/MMO.

[[Page 48086]]

    (2) 2.0g for the EFCS normal state with the high-lift devices 
extended.
    (b) The negative limiting load factor must be equal to or more 
negative than:
    (1) Minus 1.0g for the EFCS normal state with the high-lift devices 
retracted.
    (2) 0.0g for the EFCS normal state with high-lift devices extended.
    (c) Maximum, reachable, positive load-factor wings level may be 
limited by flight-control system characteristics or flight envelope 
protections (other than load-factor protection) provided that:
    (1) The required values are readily achievable in turns, and
    (2) Wings level pitch-up responsiveness is satisfactory.
    (d) Maximum achievable negative load factor may be limited by 
flight-control system characteristics or flight envelope protections 
(other than load-factor protection) provided that:
    (1) Pitch-down responsiveness is satisfactory
    (2) From level flight, 0g is readily achievable or, alternatively, 
a satisfactory* trajectory change is readily achievable at operational 
speeds.
    * For the FAA to consider a trajectory change as satisfactory, the 
applicant should propose and justify a pitch rate that provides 
sufficient maneuvering capability in the most critical scenarios.
    (e) Compliance demonstration with the above requirements may be 
performed without ice accretion on the airframe.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on August 2, 2022.
Patrick R. Mullen,
Manager, Technical Innovation Policy Branch, Policy and Innovation 
Division, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-16904 Filed 8-5-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P