83 FR 12252 - Special Conditions: Bombardier Inc. BD-700-2A12 and BD-700-2A13 Airplane; Flight-Envelope Protection: General Limiting Requirements

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 55 (March 21, 2018)

These special conditions are issued for the Bombardier Inc. (Bombardier) Model BD-700-2A12 and BD-700-2A13 airplanes. These 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. This design feature is a new control architecture and a full digital-flight-control system that provides comprehensive flight-envelope protections. 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.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 55 (Wednesday, March 21, 2018)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 12252-12254]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-05662]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 25

[Docket No. FAA-2018-0228; Special Conditions No. 25-719-SC]


Special Conditions: Bombardier Inc. BD-700-2A12 and BD-700-2A13 
Airplane; Flight-Envelope Protection: General Limiting Requirements

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 Bombardier Inc. 
(Bombardier) Model BD-700-2A12 and BD-700-2A13 airplanes. These 
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. This design feature is a new control 
architecture and a full digital-flight-control system that provides 
comprehensive flight-envelope protections. 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 Bombardier Inc. on March 21, 2018. 
Send your comments by May 7, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by docket number FAA-2018-0228 
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 website, 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).
    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.

[[Page 12253]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joe Jacobsen, FAA, Airplane and Flight 
Crew Interface Section, AIR-671, Transport Standards Branch, Policy and 
Innovation Division, Aircraft Certification Service, 2200 S. 216th St., 
Des Moines, Washington 98198-6547; telephone 206-231-3158; facsimile 
425-231-3398.

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 has determined that prior public notice and comment 
are unnecessary, and finds that, for the same reason, good cause exists 
for adopting these special conditions 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 by the closing date for 
comments. We may change these special conditions based on the comments 
we receive.

Background

    On May 30, 2012, Bombardier applied for an amendment to Type 
Certificate No. T00003NY to include the new BD-700-2A12 and BD-700-2A13 
airplanes. The Model BD-700-2A12 and BD-700-2A13 airplanes, which are 
derivatives of the BD-700 series airplane currently approved under Type 
Certificate No. T00003NY. The Model BD-700-2A12 and BD-700-2A13 
airplanes augment the existing BD-700 family of airplanes and are 
marketed as the Bombardier Global 7000 and Global 8000 airplanes, 
respectively. These are business jets with a maximum certified 
passenger capacity of 19. The Model BD-700-2A12 and BD-700-2A13 
airplanes will have a maximum takeoff weight of 106,250 lbs. and 
104,800 lbs., respectively.

Type Certification Basis

    Under the provisions of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 
CFR) 21.101, Bombardier must show that the Model BD-700-2A12 and BD-
700-2A13 airplanes meet the applicable provisions of the regulations 
listed in Type Certificate No. T00003NY 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 (i.e., 14 CFR part 25) do not contain adequate or 
appropriate safety standards for the Model BD-700-2A12 and BD-700-2A13 
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 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 Model BD-700-2A12 and BD-700-2A13 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 Bombardier Model BD-700-2A12 and BD-700-2A13 airplanes will 
incorporate the following novel or unusual design feature: New control 
architecture and a full digital-flight-control system that provides 
comprehensive flight-envelope protections.

Discussion

    The applicable airworthiness regulation is 14 CFR 25.143. The 
purpose of Sec.  [thinsp]25.143 is to verify that any operational 
maneuvers conducted within the operational envelope can be accomplished 
smoothly with average piloting skill and without exceeding any 
structural limits. The pilot should be able to predict the airplane 
response to any control input. During the course of the flight test 
program, the pilot determines compliance with Sec.  [thinsp]25.143 
primarily through qualitative methods. During flight test, the pilot 
should evaluate all of the following:
     The interface between each protection function;
     Transitions from one mode to another;
     Airplane response to intentional dynamic maneuvering, 
whenever applicable, through dedicated maneuvers;
     General controllability assessment;
     High speed characteristics; and
     High angle-of-attack.
    Section 25.143, however, does not adequately ensure that the novel 
or unusual features of the BD-700 series airplanes will have a level of 
safety equivalent to that of existing standards. These special 
conditions are therefore required to accommodate the flight envelope 
limiting systems in the BD-700 series airplanes. The general limiting 
requirements are necessary to ensure a smooth transition from normal 
flight to the protection mode and adequate maneuver capability. The 
general limiting requirements also ensure that the structural limits of 
the airplane are not exceeded. Furthermore, failure of the flight-
envelope protection feature must not create hazardous flight 
conditions. The additional safety standards in these special conditions 
will ensure a level of safety equivalent to that of existing standards.

Applicability

    As discussed above, these special conditions are applicable to the 
Bombardier Model BD-700-2A12 and BD-700-2A13 airplanes. Should 
Bombardier 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 certain novel or unusual design features 
on Bombardier Model BD-700-2A12 and BD-700-2A13 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(f), 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 Bombardier Model BD-700-2A12 and BD-
700-2A13 airplanes.

General Limiting Requirements

    a. Onset characteristics of each envelope protection feature must 
be

[[Page 12254]]

smooth, appropriate to the phase of flight and type of maneuver, and 
not in conflict with the ability of the pilot to satisfactorily change 
airplane flight path, speed, or attitude as needed.
    b. Limit values of protected flight parameters (and if applicable, 
associated warning thresholds) must be compatible with the following:
    i. Airplane structural limits,
    ii. Required safe and controllable maneuvering of the airplane, and
    iii. Margins to critical conditions. Unsafe flight characteristics/
conditions must not result if dynamic maneuvering, airframe and system 
tolerances (both manufacturing and in-service), and non-steady 
atmospheric conditions, in any appropriate combination and phase of 
flight, can produce a limited flight parameter beyond the nominal 
design-limit value.
    c. The airplane must be responsive to intentional dynamic 
maneuvering to within a suitable range of the parameter limit. Dynamic 
characteristics such as damping and overshoot must also be appropriate 
for the flight maneuver and limit parameter in question.
    d. When simultaneous envelope limiting is engaged, adverse coupling 
or adverse priority must not result.

Failure States

    a. Electronic flight-control-system failures (including sensors) 
must not result in a condition where a parameter is limited to such a 
reduced value that safe and controllable maneuvering is no longer 
available.
    b. The crew must be alerted by suitable means if any change in 
envelope limiting or maneuverability is produced by single or multiple 
failures of the electronic flight-control system not shown to be 
extremely improbable.

    Issued in Des Moines, Washington, on March 15, 2018.
Victor Wicklund,
Manager, Transport Standards Branch, Policy and Innovation Division, 
Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-05662 Filed 3-20-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P