[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 163 (Monday, August 24, 1998)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 44993-44995]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-22642]



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 Rules and Regulations
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  Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 163 / Monday, August 24, 1998 / Rules 
and Regulations  

[[Page 44993]]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 25

[Docket No. NM150; Special Conditions No. 25-140-SC]


Special Conditions: Bombardier Inc., Model BD-700-1A10 Global 
Express; High Intensity Radiated Fields (HIRF)

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final special conditions; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: These special conditions are issued for Bombardier Model BD-
700-1A10 airplanes manufactured by Bombardier. These airplanes will 
have novel and unusual design features when compared to the state of 
technology envisioned in the airworthiness standards for transport 
category airplanes. These special conditions contain the additional 
safety standards that the Administrator considers necessary to 
establish a level of safety equivalent to that provided by the existing 
airworthiness standards.

DATES: The effective date of these special conditions is August 14, 
1998. Comments must be received on or before September 23, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments on these special conditions may be mailed in 
duplicate to: Federal Aviation Administration, Transport Airplane 
Directorate, Regulations Branch, ANM-114, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, 
Washington, 98055-4056; Attn: Docket No. NM150, or delivered in 
duplicate to the same address. Comments may be inspected in the Docket 
weekdays, except Federal holidays, between 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Greg Dunn, FAA, Standardization 
Branch, ANM-113, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington, 98055-4056; 
telephone (425) 227-2799; facsimile (425) 227-1149.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    The FAA has determined that good cause exists for making these 
special conditions effective upon issuance; however, interested persons 
are invited to submit such written data, views, or arguments as they 
may desire. Communications should identify the regulatory docket and 
special condition number and be submitted in duplicate to the address 
specified above. All communications received on or before the closing 
date for comments will be considered by the Administrator. These 
special conditions may be changed in light of the comments received. 
All comments submitted will be available in the Rules Docket for 
examination by interested persons, both before and after the closing 
date for comments. A report summarizing each substantive public contact 
with FAA personnel concerning this rulemaking will be filed in the 
docket. Persons wishing the FAA to acknowledge receipt of their 
comments submitted in response to this request must submit with those 
comments a self-addressed, stamped postcard on which the following 
statement is made: ``Comments to Docket No. NM150.'' The postcard will 
be date stamped and returned to the commenter.

Background

    On January 27, 1994, Bombardier Inc., submitted an application to 
Transport Canada for FAA type certification (TC) of the Bombardier Inc. 
Model BD-700-1A10 Global Express airplane. The BD-700-1A10 is a long 
range, transport category airplane powered by two BMW/Rolls Royce BR710 
turbo-fan engines. The airplane's basic use is as a business jet with 
two-pilot cockpit, a rest area for a third pilot and flight attendant, 
and interior/seating arrangements for up to nineteen passengers, for a 
total occupancy of twenty-three persons. The overall length of the BD-
700-1A10 is 99 feet, the height is 24 feet, and the wing span is 92 
feet. The airplane has a maximum takeoff weight of 91,250 pounds, a 
maximum landing weight of 78,600 pounds, a maximum operating altitude 
of 51,000 feet, and a design range of 6500 nautical miles at Mach 0.8 
or 6330 nautical miles at Mach 0.85.

Type Certification Basis

    Under the provisions of 14 CFR Sec. 21.17, Bombardier must show 
that the BD-700-1A10 Global Express meets the applicable provisions of 
part 25, effective February 1, 1965, as amended by Amendments 25-1 
through 25-79. Subsequent to the January 27, 1994, date of application 
for type certification, Bombardier elected to comply with those 
sections of part 25 amended by Amendments 25-80 through 86, 25-88, 25-
90, 25-91, and other sections that are not relevant to these special 
conditions. In addition, the certification basis for the BD-700-1A10 
includes part 34, effective September 10, 1990, plus any amendments in 
effect at the time of certification; and part 36, effective December 1, 
1969, as amended by Amendment 36-1 through the amendment in effect at 
the time of certification. These special conditions will form an 
additional part of the type certification basis. The certification 
basis may also include other special conditions and exemptions that are 
not relevant to these special conditions.
    If the Administrator finds that the applicable airworthiness 
regulations (i.e., part 25, as amended) do not contain adequate or 
appropriate safety standards for the BD-700-1A10 Global Express because 
of a novel or unusual design feature, special conditions are prescribed 
under the provisions of Sec. 21.16 to establish a level of safety 
equivalent to that established in the regulations.
    Special conditions, as appropriate, are issued in accordance with 
Sec. 11.49 of the FAR after public notice, as required by Secs. 11.28 
and 11.29(b), and become part of the type certification basis in 
accordance with Sec. 21.17(a)(2).
    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, the special conditions would also apply to the 
other model under the provisions of Sec. 21.101(a)(1).

Novel or Unusual Design Features

    The Bombardier BD-700-1A10 airplane will utilize electrical and 
electronic systems, such as electronic displays (Honeywell Primus 2000) 
and

[[Page 44994]]

Full Authority Digital Engine Controls (Rosec) that perform critical 
functions. The disruption of signals to these systems could result in 
loss of critical flight systems or misleading information being 
presented to the pilot.

Discussion

    There is no specific regulation that addresses protection 
requirements for electrical and electronic systems from high intensity 
radiated fields (HIRF). Increased power levels from ground-based radio 
transmitters, and the growing use of sensitive electrical and 
electronic systems to command and control airplanes, have made it 
necessary to provide adequate protection.
    To ensure that a level of safety is achieved equivalent to that 
intended by the regulations incorporated by reference, special 
conditions are needed for the Bombardier BD-700-1A10, which require 
that new electrical and electronic systems that perform critical 
functions be designed and installed to preclude component damage and 
interruption of function due to both the direct and indirect effects of 
HIRF.

High-Intensity Radiated Fields (HIRF)

    With the trend toward increased power levels from ground-based 
transmitters, plus the advent of space and satellite communications, 
coupled with electronic command and control of the airplane, the 
immunity of critical digital avionics systems to HIRF must be 
established.
    It is not possible to precisely define the HIRF to which the 
airplane will be exposed in service. There is also uncertainty 
concerning the effectiveness of airframe shielding for HIRF. 
Furthermore, coupling of electromagnetic energy to cockpit-installed 
equipment through the cockpit window apertures is undefined. Based on 
surveys and analysis of existing HIRF emitters, an adequate level of 
protection exists when compliance with the HIRF protection special 
condition is shown with either paragraph 1 OR 2 below:
    1. A minimum threat of 100 volts per meter peak electric field 
strength from 10 KHz to 18 GHz.
    a. The threat must be applied to the system elements and their 
associated wiring harnesses without the benefit of airframe shielding.
    b. Demonstration of this level of protection is established through 
system tests and analysis.
    2. A threat external to the airframe of the following field 
strengths for the frequency ranges indicated.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                         Field Strength 
                                                           (volts per   
                       Frequency                             meter)     
                                                       -----------------
                                                          Peak   Average
------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 KHz--100 KHz                                              50       50
100 KHz--500 KHz                                             60       60
500 KHz--2 MHz                                               70       70
2 MHz--30 MHz                                               200      200
30 MHz--100 MHz                                              30       30
100 MHz--200 MHz                                            150       33
200 MHz--400 MHz                                             70       70
400 MHz--700 MHz                                           4020      935
700 MHz--1 GHz                                             1700      170
1 GHz--2 GHz                                               5000      990
2 GHz--4 GHz                                               6680      840
4 GHz--6 GHz                                               6850      310
6 GHz--8 GHz                                               3600      670
8 GHz--12 GHz                                              3500     1270
12 GHz--18 GHz                                             3500      360
18 GHz--40 GHz                                             2100      750
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The threat levels identified in the above table differ in some 
minor respects from those published previously for other airplanes. 
They are considered appropriate, however, for the Bombardier BD-700-
1A10 in view of its intended use.

Applicability

    As discussed above, these special conditions are applicable to BD-
700-1A10 airplanes manufactured by Bombardier. 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, the 
special conditions would apply to that model as well under the 
provisions of Sec. 21.101(a)(1).

Conclusion

    This action affects only certain design features on Bombardier BD-
700-1A10 airplanes manufactured by Bombardier. It is not a rule of 
general applicability and affects only the applicant who applied to the 
FAA for approval of these features on the airplane.
    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 Bombardier 
BD-700-1A10 is imminent, the FAA finds that good cause exists to make 
these special conditions effective upon issuance.
    The substance of the special conditions has been subjected to the 
notice and comment procedure in several prior instances and has been 
derived without substantive change from those previously issued. It is 
unlikely that prior public comment would result in a significant change 
from the substance contained herein. For this reason, and because a 
delay would significantly affect the certification of the airplane, 
which is imminent, the FAA has determined that prior public notice and 
comment are unnecessary and impracticable, and good cause exists for 
adopting these special conditions immediately. Therefore, these special 
conditions are being made effective upon issuance. The FAA is 
requesting comments to allow interested persons to submit views that 
may not have been submitted in response to the prior opportunities for 
comment described above.

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 Bombardier BD-700-1A10 airplanes 
manufactured by Bombardier.
    1. Protection from Unwanted Effects of High-Intensity Radiated 
Fields (HIRF). Each electrical and electronic system that performs 
critical functions must be designed and installed to ensure that the 
operation and operational capability of these systems to perform 
critical functions are not adversely affected when the airplane is 
exposed to high intensity radiated fields.
    2. For the purpose of these special conditions, the following 
definition applies: Critical Functions. Functions whose failure would 
contribute to or cause a failure condition that would prevent the 
continued safe flight and landing of the airplane.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on August 14, 1998.
John J. Hickey,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate Aircraft Certification 
Service, ANM-100.

[[Page 44995]]

[FR Doc. 98-22642 Filed 8-21-98; 8:45 am]
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