Document ID: FAA-2013-0601-0001
Agency: faa
Document Type: Proposed Rule
Title: Special Conditions: Learjet Inc. Model LJ-200-1A10; Airplane Fuselage Post-Crash Fire Survivability
Posted Date: 2013-11-05T05:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 214 (Tuesday, November 5, 2013)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 66317-66318]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-26406]

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 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
 the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
 notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
 the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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  Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 214 / Tuesday, November 5, 2013 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 66317]]

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 25

[Docket No. FAA-2013-0601; Notice No. 25-13-13-SC]

Special Conditions: Learjet Inc. Model LJ-200-1A10; Airplane 
Fuselage Post-Crash Fire Survivability

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed special conditions.

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SUMMARY: This action proposes special conditions for the Learjet Inc. 
Model LJ-200-1A10 airplane. This airplane will have a novel or unusual 
design feature associated with advanced composite materials in the 
construction of its fuselage and wings. 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 your comments on or before December 20, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by docket number FAA-2013-0601 
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 8 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/.
    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: Alan Sinclair, Airframe/Cabin Safety 
Branch, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service, 
1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington, 98057-3356; telephone 425-
227-2195; facsimile 425-227-1320; email alan.sinclair@faa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

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 February 9, 2009, Learjet Inc. applied for a type certificate 
for their new Model LJ-200-1A10.
    The Model LJ-200-1A10 is a business-class airplane with two high-
bypass turbine engines and interior seating configuration for up to 10 
passengers.
    The Model LJ-200-1A10 is the first airplane manufactured by Learjet 
Inc. to utilize advanced composite materials in the construction of its 
fuselage and wings.
    This proposed special condition is necessary to ensure a level of 
safety equivalent to that provided by 14 CFR part 25. Regulations 
applicable to burn requirements, including Sec. Sec.  25.853 and 
25.856(a), remain valid for this airplane but do not reflect the threat 
generated from toxic levels of gases produced from carbon-fiber/resin 
system materials following a post-crash fire scenario.

Type Certification Basis

    Under the provisions of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 
CFR) 21.17, Learjet Inc. must show that the Model LJ-200-1A10 meets the 
applicable provisions of part 25, as amended by Amendments 25-1 through 
25-127.
    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 LJ-200-1A10 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, the 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 LJ-200-1A10 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, and the FAA must issue a 
finding of regulatory adequacy under Sec.  611 of Public Law 92-574, 
the ``Noise Control Act of 1972.''
    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 LJ-200-1A10 will incorporate the following novel or 
unusual design features:

[[Page 66318]]

    The Model LJ-200-1A10 is the first airplane manufactured by Learjet 
Inc. to utilize advanced composite materials in the construction of its 
fuselage and wings. In accordance with Sec.  21.16, fuselage structure 
fabricated from monolithic carbon-fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) 
prepreg material (reinforcement fiber pre-impregnated with a 
thermoplastic or thermoset resin matrix) constitutes a novel and 
unusual design feature for a large transport-category airplane 
certificated under 14 CFR part 25.

Discussion

    Existing regulations do not adequately ensure that composite 
structure offers passengers the same protection from an on-ground, 
post-crash fire condition as would a conventional aluminum structure. 
Learjet is introducing a new material that may have different toxicity 
characteristics than those of traditional materials. Service experience 
has shown that, in post-crash fires, traditional aluminum structural 
materials emit acceptable toxicity levels. Therefore, it is necessary 
to ensure that the material being utilized does not reduce the 
survivability of the passengers during a post-crash fire or provide 
levels of toxic fumes that would be lethal or incapacitating, 
preventing evacuation of the aircraft following a crash scenario. This 
proposed special condition is necessary to ensure a level of safety 
equivalent to that provided by 14 CFR part 25. Regulations applicable 
to burn requirements, including Sec. Sec.  25.853 and 25.856(a), remain 
valid for this airplane but are not sufficient to address the potential 
hazard from toxic levels of gases that might be produced from carbon 
fiber/resin system materials during a post-crash fire.

Applicability

    As discussed above, these special conditions are applicable to the 
Model LJ-200-1A10. Should Learjet Inc. apply at a later date for a 
change to the type certificate to include another airplane 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 one model of airplanes. It is not a rule of general applicability.

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 Proposed Special Conditions

    Accordingly, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposes the 
following special conditions as part of the type certification basis 
for Learjet Inc. Model LJ-200-1A10 airplanes.
    The Learjet Model LJ-200-1A10 must show that toxic levels of gases 
produced from the composite-material system are in no way an additional 
threat to the passengers and their ability to evacuate when compared to 
an aluminum-constructed aircraft.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on October 18, 2013.
Jeffrey E. Duven,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-26406 Filed 11-4-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P