Document ID: FAA-2014-0239-0001
Agency: faa
Document Type: Rule
Title: Special Conditions: Dassault Aviation, Falcon 2000/2000EX Series Airplanes; Fire Containment Containers
Posted Date: 2014-06-06T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 109 (Friday, June 6, 2014)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 32633-32635]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-13239]

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  Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 109 / Friday, June 6, 2014 / Rules 
and Regulations  

[[Page 32633]]

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 25

[Docket No. FAA-2014-0239; Notice No. 25-545-SC]

Special Conditions: Dassault Aviation, Falcon 2000/2000EX Series 
Airplanes; Fire Containment Containers

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 
Falcon 2000/2000EX series airplanes. These airplanes will have a novel 
or unusual design feature associated with the installation of removable 
storage lockers (fire containment containers) to be installed in the 
forward servicing compartment, which is un-pressurized, and not 
accessible in flight. 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: The effective date of these special conditions is June 6, 2014. 
We must receive your comments by July 7, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by docket number FAA-2014-0239 
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: 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/ 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 the 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: Stephen Happenny, FAA, Propulsion and 
Mechanical Systems Branch, ANM-112, Transport Airplane Directorate, 
Aircraft Certification Service, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, 
Washington 98057-3356; telephone 425-227-2147; facsimile 425-227-1149.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA has determined that notice of, and 
opportunity for prior public comment on, these special conditions are 
impracticable because these procedures would significantly delay 
issuance of the design approval and thus delivery of the affected 
aircraft. 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 on or before the closing 
date for comments. We may change these special conditions based on the 
comments we receive.

Background

    On November 30, 2011, Dassault Aviation applied for a change to 
Type Certificate No. A50NM for the installation of removable storage 
lockers of two possible sizes (approximately 6.9 and 8.1 cubic feet in 
volume) in the forward servicing compartment (FSC) of the Falcon 2000/
2000EX series airplanes. The Falcon 2000/2000EX are business-class 
airplanes powered by two turbofan engines, designed for a maximum of 21 
occupants, with a maximum takeoff weight of 36,500 pounds for the 
Falcon 2000 and 42,800 pounds for the Falcon 2000EX.
    The FSC is an un-pressurized compartment that is not accessible in 
flight. It is accessible on the ground from a lockable external door 
located in the lower aft fuselage. The removable storage lockers (fire 
containment containers) that will be installed in the FSC will be used 
mainly for stowage of items to support airplane operations such as the 
tow bar, ladder, fly-away kit/Electronic Control Unit cover, tool box, 
and limited passenger items (i.e., golf clubs/golf bags, skis/ski 
bags). The existing regulations do not adequately address small, 
inaccessible cargo compartments of this type and function. These 
special conditions are necessary to ensure a level of safety equivalent 
to that provided by existing regulations.

Type Certification Basis

    Under the provisions of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 
CFR) 21.101, Dassault Aviation must show that the Falcon 2000/2000EX 
series airplanes, as changed, continue to meet the applicable 
provisions of the regulations incorporated by reference in Type 
Certificate No. A50NM 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 incorporated by 
reference in Type

[[Page 32634]]

Certification No. A50NM are as follows: 14 CFR part 25, as amended by 
Amendments 25-1 through 25-69 for the Falcon 2000 and 25-1 through 25-
98 for the Falcon 2000EX, and 14 CFR part 26, as amended by Amendments 
26-1 through 26-6. Dassault Aviation also elects to comply with 
Sec. Sec.  25.855, 25.857, and 25.601 through Amendment 25-123, 
effective December 10, 2007.
    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 Falcon 2000/2000EX series 
airplanes 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 or similar 
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, the special conditions would also 
apply to the other model.
    In addition to the applicable airworthiness regulations and special 
conditions, the Falcon 2000/2000EX 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.
    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 Features

    The Falcon 2000/2000EX series airplanes will incorporate the 
following novel or unusual design feature: Removable storage lockers 
(fire containment containers) installed in the forward servicing 
compartment (FSC). The FSC is un-pressurized and not accessible in 
flight; it is accessible on the ground from a lockable, external door 
located in the lower aft fuselage. The FSC area is designed to host 
several critical systems; therefore, considering past experience on 
cargo loading, appropriate design and procedures must be in place to 
ensure safe installation.

Discussion

    Sections 25.855 provides the design and test requirements for cargo 
compartments, and Sec.  25.857 describes cargo compartment 
classifications. The removable storage lockers to be installed in the 
Falcon 2000/2000EX do not meet any of the existing FAA cargo 
compartment classifications of cargo compartments and, therefore, would 
not meet all of the requirements of Sec. Sec.  25.855 and 25.857.
    The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) determined that the 
installation of removable storage lockers in the FSC, except the tow 
bar and the maintenance ladder stowage, is not compliant with their 
corresponding Joint Aviation Regulations (JAR) 25.855 and 25.857. 
EASA's position is that the proposed design and configuration 
corresponds most closely to, but does not fully meet, a Class F cargo 
compartment classification defined in their Certification 
Specifications (CS) 25.857(f) at Amendment 11 in the Fire Containment 
Container (FCC) option. Class F cargo compartments are further detailed 
in their Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) to CS 25.857(f). FAA is 
in the rulemaking process of incorporating similar regulations into 14 
CFR part 25, and we concur with EASA findings.
    EASA proposed special conditions for the approval of these 
installations. The FAA reviewed the proposed special conditions and 
determined that they are functionally equivalent to what we would have 
issued, and that they provide an acceptable level of safety as related 
to fire containment containers and the requirements of Sec. Sec.  
25.601, 25.855, and 25.857. The FAA finding was based in part on 
consideration that the proposed containers are not intended to be used 
for ``cargo for hire'' or carriage of oxygen or oxygen producing 
equipment; the container is not intended to be used for carriage of 
flammable fluids; and, the container is not intended to be used for 
carriage of more typical passenger/crew baggage, only for the carriage 
of passenger ski and golf equipment.

Applicability

    As discussed above, these special conditions are applicable to the 
Dassault Aviation Falcon 2000/2000EX series airplanes. Should Dassault 
Aviation apply at a later date for a change to the type certificate to 
include another model incorporating the same novel or unusual design 
feature, the special conditions would apply to that model as well.

Conclusion

    This action affects only certain novel or unusual design features 
on two model series of airplanes. It is not a rule of general 
applicability.
    Under standard practice, the effective date of final special 
conditions would be 30 days after the date of publication in the 
Federal Register; however, as the certification date for the Dassault 
Falcon 2000/2000EX series airplanes is imminent, the FAA finds that 
good cause exists to make these special conditions effective upon 
publication in the Federal Register.

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 type certification basis for the Dassault Aviation Falcon 2000/
2000EX series airplanes.

Fire Containment Containers

    1. In order to be acceptable, a container to be placed in the aft 
unpressurized compartment must comply with the following:
    a. The container must be constructed of materials compliant with 14 
CFR part 25, appendix F, part III and be sufficiently durable to 
withstand in-service conditions.
    b. It must be demonstrated by test that the container is capable of 
containing a wide range of internal fire threats, for any period of 
time, while ensuring that adjacent systems, structure, and occupied 
areas are protected from the effects of smoke, flames, extinguishing 
agent, heat, or any other adverse effect. It must also be demonstrated 
that damage to the airplane's systems or structure cannot be caused by 
the use of the container.
    c. The Operating Limitations section of the Airplane Flight Manual 
must contain a content limitation, approved by the FAA and justified on 
the base of operational need and demonstrated low-fire risk. The 
content limitation must:
     Require that any fire containment container be clearly 
identified with placards on the container and in the compartment 
hosting the container;
     Be reflected on any weight and balance or other document 
used to load the airplane; and
     Include easy-to-follow procedures for loading, 
installation, and de-installation of the container, e.g., airplane 
flight crew verification of content before every flight, installation/
de-installation only by qualified personnel, etc.

[[Page 32635]]

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on April 4, 2014.
Jeffrey E. Duven,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-13239 Filed 6-5-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P