[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 127 (Wednesday, July 2, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35872-35875]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-17299]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
Application for Transport Category Type Certificate for Military
Surplus U.S. Army Model UH-1H and UH-1V Helicopters
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed type certification basis.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice provides information and invites comments
concerning the proposed transport category type certification basis for
the Garlick Helicopters Incorporated (GHI) Model GH205A helicopter. GHI
has applied for a transport category standard type certificate for U.S.
Army surplus Model UH-1H and UH-1V helicopters that would be designated
as Model GH205A's. This nonrulemaking document is published in the
interest of informing the public of this application under the
provisions of 14 CFR 21.27 (Sec. 21.27). Public comments concerning the
proposed certification basis will be considered in determining the
airworthiness standards applicable to the type certification of these
surplus military helicopters in the transport category.
DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before September
2, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Comments must be mailed in duplicate to the Federal Aviation
Administration, Rotorcraft Directorate, Fort Worth, Texas 76193-0110.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard Monschke, Aerospace Engineer,
FAA, Rotorcraft Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service, Fort
Worth, Texas 76193-0110, telephone (817) 222-5116, fax (817) 222-5961.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
This notice of the proposed type certification basis of the Model
GH205A is part of the FAA's continuing efforts to keep the public
informed of the type certification programs conducted by the
[[Page 35873]]
FAA. Interested parties are invited to provide comments, written data,
views, or arguments relevant to the proposed type certification basis
of the Model GH205A as contained in this notice. Comments should be
submitted in duplicate to the address specified above. All comments
received on or before the closing date specified will be considered by
the Administrator before the type certification basis is established.
Availability of Additional Copies of Notice
Any person may obtain a copy of this notice by submitting a request
to the address noted in the ADDRESSES paragraph above or by calling
(817) 222-5110.
Background
GHI, Hamilton, Montana, has applied for a transport category
standard type certificate under the provisions of Sec. 21.27, ``Issue
of type certificate: Surplus aircraft of the Armed Forces of the United
States,'' for former U.S. Army Model UH-1H and UH-1V helicopters, to be
redesignated as GHI Model GH205A helicopters. The later military UH-1V
model contains avionics and internal equipment changes only and is
considered identical to the UH-1H model for the purposes of FAA
certification. The FAA Denver Aircraft Certification Office (ACO)
received the original GHI type certificate application dated December
9, 1993, and held a Preliminary Type Certification Board Meeting on
November 1, 1994. The program is large when viewed in terms of its
requirements for FAA resources, applicant type design submittals, and
policy considerations. Based on its potential impact on FAA
certification operations, the program was transferred to the Rotorcraft
Certification Office, Southwest Region, by mutual agreement of the FAA
and the applicant on June 12, 1995. Two familiarization meetings were
held June 29, 1995, and July 12, 1995, in Fort Worth, Texas, to discuss
engine and airframe certification issues, respectively. As a result,
the FAA determined the program was viable and initiated certification
activity.
Section 21.27 provides two methods for obtaining a type certificate
on a military surplus aircraft designed and constructed in the United
States and accepted for operational use by the U.S. Armed Forces. The
type certificate may be obtained if the surplus aircraft (1) is a
counterpart of a previously type certificated civil aircraft, or (2)
meets the airworthiness standards in effect when accepted by the U.S.
Armed Forces, subject to any special conditions or later amendments
necessary to ensure an adequate level of airworthiness for the
aircraft. The U.S. Army procurement offices in St. Louis, Missouri,
state that the UH-1H model helicopter was first accepted for
operational use on September 8, 1966, and no similar civil version was
certified until June 13, 1968. Hence, no similar civil model was
certificated prior to the first operational use of the UH-1H model
helicopter. The Model GH205A must therefore comply with the
airworthiness standards specified in Sec. 21.27(f) at the amendment
level in effect on September 8, 1966, which is part 29 through
Amendment 1.
Section 21.27(d) permits the FAA to relieve an applicant from
strict compliance with an airworthiness standard in the certification
basis, provided the stated conditions are satisfied. In addition
Sec. 21.27(e) permits the FAA to adopt special conditions or later
airworthiness requirements than those stated in the procedural rule to
ensure an adequate level of airworthiness of the type design. Special
conditions are airworthiness safety standards promulgated in accordance
with the procedural rules of Secs. 11.28 and 21.16, which include
public participation, and establish a level of safety equivalent to
that contained in the regulations.
The proposed certification basis addresses FAA general concerns
regarding the certification of military aircraft, compliance with
current external noise criteria, and the ability to identify all
critical components as to origin and service history. In that regard,
certain later amendments of the regulation will be imposed. The
applicant would be required to comply with basic airframe airworthiness
standard part 29 effective August 12, 1965, with selected later
revisions.
Regarding the proposed certification basis for the military T53-L-
13 engines, Sec. 21.27(c) allows the FAA to approve, for use on the
GH205A aircraft, those engines installed on surplus UH-1H and UH-1V
model helicopters. That approval would be based on a showing that the
previous military qualifications, acceptance, and service records
provide substantially the same level of airworthiness as would be
provided if the engines were type certificated under part 33. In
addition, Sec. 21.27(e) allows the FAA to require special conditions if
compliance with the regulations in part 33 in effect at the time the
engines were originally accepted by the military would not ensure an
adequate level of safety. Based on Secs. 21.27 (c) and (e), the FAA has
determined that the engines may be approved using the standards in
Civil Air Regulations (CAR) 13, Amendments 13-1, 13-2, and 13-3;
Sec. 33.14, Amendment 10; and Sec. 33.4, Amendment 9, and special
conditions. These engines, or engine components, will only be eligible
for installation on Model GH205A aircraft.
Type Certification Process
The statutory prerequisite for the issuance of a type certificate
(49 U.S.C. 44704) is a finding by the Administrator that the aircraft
is properly designed and manufactured, performs properly, and meets the
regulations and minimum standards prescribed under 49 U.S.C. 44701(a).
Pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 44701(a) and part 21, a type certificate is
issued after:
1. All applicable airworthiness, noise, fuel venting, and engine
emission requirements of the CFR have been met, including the
completion of required functional and reliability tests to ensure that
the helicopter is considered safe in its operational environment; and
2. The Administrator has found no feature or characteristic that
makes the helicopter unsafe for the category in which certification is
desired.
Proposed Type Certification Basis
The proposed type certification basis presented herein represents
the type certification basis required by Sec. 21.27(f), specifically,
the regulations in effect on the date that the military models were
first accepted by the U.S. Army, and later regulatory amendments,
deemed appropriate by the FAA or elected by the applicant. The initial
military acceptance date for the Model UH-1H helicopter was September
8, 1966, establishing the baseline airframe airworthiness certification
basis as part 29, Category B, Amendment 1. Similarly, the baseline
engine certification basis is CAR 13, Amendments 13-1, 13-2, and 13-3.
In this certification, the FAA has determined that instructions for
continued airworthiness are to be provided for the airframe in
accordance with Sec. 29.1529, Amendment 20, and for the engine in
accordance with Sec. 33.4, Amendment 9. The applicant would be required
to comply with these later airworthiness standards and with the engine
rotating components low cycle fatigue (start-stop stress) life
determination requirements of Sec. 33.14, Amendment 10.
The applicant will be required to demonstrate compliance with part
36, Appendix H, at the amendment level effective on the date of type
certification to stage 2 noise level requirements. The FAA will grant
an additional 2 EPNdb noise signature relief in accordance with
[[Page 35874]]
Sec. 36.805(c), based on the FAA's finding that the Model GH205A will
be classified as the first civil version of a related military-design
helicopter.
In determining the certification basis, the FAA has considered the
operating experience of similar civil helicopter models manufactured by
Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc., and the service history for the UH-1H
and UH-1V model military helicopters available from the U.S. Army. For
example, as provided by Sec. 21.27(d), the single servo valve, single
hydraulic assist primary flight control system design peculiar to the
military UH-1H and UH-1V configuration has been found by the FAA to
provide substantially the same level of airworthiness as specified in
Sec. 29.695, latest amendment, and that strict compliance with the
requirement will impose a severe burden on the applicant. That relief
from strict compliance with Sec. 21.27(f) is based on satisfactory
service experience and is contingent on an inflight demonstration that
continued safe flight and landing can be executed following a loss of
power assist to the flight controls at flight envelope limits.
Certification Basis Summary Table
Airframe:
Part 29, Amendment 1, Category B
Section 29. 1529, Amendment 20
Part 36, Appendix H, Latest Amendment
Engine:
CAR 13, Amendments 13-1, 13-2, 13-3
Section 33.14, Amendment 10
Section 33.4, Amendment 9
Special Conditions and Exemptions
The FAA has not identified any additional requirements for special
conditions pursuant to Sec. 21.16 nor has GHI petitioned the FAA for
any exemptions relative to the certification of the Model GH205A
airframe. However, the airframe certification process will address the
issues of initial inspection, teardown, life limited parts, military
unique parts, non-FAA approved military vendor (breakout) parts, non-
FAA approved repairs and alterations, instructions for continued
airworthiness, and compliance with FAA airworthiness directives (ADs)
and/or military safety of flight messages. The airframe will be
inspected and overhauled in accordance with an FAA approved procedure.
Prior to civil certification, the airframe must pass a conformity
inspection to the FAA approved Model GH205A type design.
For engines, the FAA would propose separate special conditions
under the provisions of Sec. 21.16 to establish a level of safety
substantially equivalent to that established in part 33.
The Department of Defense makes no representation as to an engine's
conformance with FAA airworthiness requirements in compliance with CFRs
for engines sold to the commercial aviation industry as surplus. The
FAA's concern has been that once the engines enter the military
service, they are no longer subject to FAA operating limitations,
surveillance, and quality assurance program and, therefore, may not
meet FAA standards or airworthiness requirements when released as
surplus. Certain engine components may have exceeded life limits of the
civil counterpart or shelf life, may not have been produced under an
FAA-approved quality system, or may lack documentation, operating
records, or maintenance records. In addition, Sec. 43.13 mandates that
the installer of a part have a reasonable basis for determining that,
after the part is installed on a U.S. type-certificated product, the
condition for the product is at least equal to the product's original
or properly altered condition and that the product is in a condition
for safe operation.
The FAA finds that the engine approval basis alone may not contain
adequate or appropriate safety standards for engines installed in
surplus military aircraft for the reasons described previously. The
areas of FAA concern regarding approval of the military surplus engines
are described as follows:
a. Engine and Maintenance Records
The following data would be required to support an equivalent
airworthiness determination to the engine approval basis described
previously:
(1) Records which establish that the engine and components and
parts that have been installed since original manufacture were produced
under an FAA approved production and inspection system.
(2) Complete historical records maintained by the military, the
manufacturer, and any other prior owner(s) pertaining to inspection,
modification, repair, alteration, maintenance, and operation of the
engine from the time of acceptance by the military.
(3) A report that the engine has an equivalent level of
airworthiness substantiated by the engine approval basis described
previously. The report will be required to address the provisions of
CAR 13 and applicable part 33 sections on a paragraph by paragraph
basis.
b. Military Unique and Breakout Hardware
Military unique and breakout hardware are engine components for
which the military utilized the manufacturer's design drawings and
specifications, but the components were produced specifically for the
military by non FAA-approved manufacturers. All military unique and
breakout hardware must be replaced with parts made by FAA production
approval holders.
c. Conformity
The applicant will be required to present evidence to substantiate
that the engine conforms to the FAA-approved type design of its civil
counterpart. The manufacturing records will include any deviation from
the FAA approved type design and quality control system which was in
existence at the time of manufacture. With regard to maintenance, the
applicant will need to establish that any alterations, modifications,
or repairs were accomplished in compliance with FAA-approved data by
maintenance facilities certificated by the FAA. When this cannot be
established, the alterations or repairs must be appropriately
substantiated in accordance with the applicable regulations and
approved by the FAA, or the altered or repaired hardware will be
removed. The operating records will be examined to determine whether
the engine was utilized outside of the operating envelope specified for
the civil version engine including speed, temperature, torque, engine
mount load and other engine limits. In addition, this records review of
operational history will be required to determine if the engine has
been subjected to other extreme operating conditions such as accidents,
fire, and missile drone target shooting.
d. Life Limited Engine Parts
The military mission cycle, with or without the same type design,
generally differs from civil aircraft mission cycles. As such, the life
cycle limits for engine rotating parts (such as disks, spacers, hubs,
and shafts of the compressors and turbines) and life limited stationary
engine components may not be directly transferable between military and
civil engines having the same hardware. To perform an accurate cycle
adjustment on a military life limited engine part, there must be a
record of operating hours and operating history and a known mission
profile. Unlike civil missions, many military operations subject engine
hardware to a wide variance in strain range, thus subjecting these
components to multiple partial cycles for each flight
[[Page 35875]]
hour. The applicant will need to define a process for screening
military engine operating and maintenance records to insure their
accuracy.
For engines lacking complete, accurate time in service (TIS) and
operating records, the time remaining on life limited parts is
considered unknown, therefore, such parts are considered not airworthy
and will be required to be removed. For those engines having accurate
TIS and service history records, the applicant will be required to
develop a conversion factor(s) to convert TIS of past engine usage in
military service to the equivalent civil engine cycles which will
include cumulative partial cycles. The procedure for such conversions
must be submitted to and approved by the FAA. The applicant will need
to use the published life limit in civil engine manuals for all life
limited engine hardware to establish the remaining cycles. If
applicable, the applicant must also develop procedures approved by the
FAA to account for anticipated additional life to be consumed from
other aircraft operating modes, such as external load and repetitive
heavy lift operations, that are not considered in the published life in
the civil engine manuals.
e. Continued Airworthiness
The applicant will be required to provide Instructions for
Continued Airworthiness in accordance with Sec. 33.4 or the civil
counterpart engine manuals acceptable to the FAA. The applicant will be
responsible for maintaining pertinent information concerning continued
airworthiness of the engines, such as future ADs and service
difficulties. In addition, the type certificate holder is responsible
for corrective actions of service difficulties including support of all
accident, incident, and service difficulty engineering investigations.
f. Identification Marking
The existing military identification marking (data plate) should
remain attached to the engine. A supplemental data plate, in compliance
with the requirements of part 45, will be used to further identify the
applicant's engine.
g. Airworthiness Directives (AD's)
The applicant would be required to comply with all FAA AD's
pertaining to the civil equivalent engine and certain military Time
Compliance Technical Orders (i.e., the military equivalent to AD) that
are approved by the FAA for the engines.
h. Overhaul
The engine will need to be in newly overhauled condition according
to civil engine manuals by a maintenance facility certified by the FAA.
Post Certification Activity
The design evaluation does not end with the issuance of the type
certificate. Regulations require type certificate holders to submit
various reports and data on the aircraft's service experience and to
perform periodic inspections and maintenance necessary to assure
continued airworthiness. The FAA continues to monitor the safety
performance of a design after the type design is approved and the
aircraft is introduced into service through the various reports and
data that the FAA receives and with postcertification design reviews
when necessary. The airworthiness standards such as part 29, and the
operational standards, such as parts 91 and 135, are amended from time
to time to incorporate new technologies and to upgrade the existing
level of safety. If an unsafe condition is found as a result of service
experience and that condition is likely to exist or develop in other
products of the same type, the FAA issues an AD under part 39 to
require a change to the type design or to define special inspection or
operational limitations. In effect, these are retroactive applications
of required type design changes.
Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on June 20, 1997.
Eric Bries,
Acting Manager, Aircraft Certification Service, Rotorcraft Directorate.
[FR Doc. 97-17299 Filed 7-1-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P