[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 67 (Friday, April 6, 2001)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 18214-18216]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-8514]


 ========================================================================
 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. 66, No. 67 / Friday, April 6, 2001 / Proposed 
Rules  

[[Page 18214]]



DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 25

[Docket No. NM189; Notice No. 25-01-03-SC]


Special Conditions: Gulfstream Model GV Airplanes; Certification 
of Cooktops

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed special conditions; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: These special conditions are issued for Gulfstream GV 
airplanes modified by Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation. These modified 
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. The modification incorporates the 
installation of an electrically heated surface, called a cooktop. The 
applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or 
appropriate safety standards for addressing the potential hazards that 
may be introduced by cooktops. 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: Comments must be received on or before May 7, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Comments on these special conditions may be mailed in 
duplicate to: Federal Aviation Administration, Transport Airplane 
Directorate, Attention: Rules Docket (ANM-114), Docket No. NM189, 1601 
Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 98055-4056; or delivered in 
duplicate to the Transport Airplane Directorate at the above address. 
All comments must be marked: Docket No. NM189. Comments may be 
inspected in the Rules Docket weekdays, except Federal holidays, 
between 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alan Sinclair, FAA, Transport 
Standards Staff, ANM-115, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft 
Certification Service, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 98055-
4056; telephone (425) 227-2195; facsimile (425) 227-1149.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    Interested persons are invited to participate in the making of 
these proposed special conditions by submitting such written data, 
views, or arguments as they may desire. Communications should identify 
the rules docket or notice number and be submitted in duplicate to the 
address specified above. The Administrator will consider all 
communications received on or before the closing date for comments. The 
proposal described in this document may be changed in light of the 
comments received. All comments received 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. Commenters wishing the FAA to acknowledge receipt of their 
comments submitted in response to these proposed special conditions 
must include with those comments a self-addressed, stamped postcard on 
which the following statement is made: ``Comments to Docket No. 
NM189.'' The postcard will be date stamped and returned to the 
commenter.

Background Information

    On July 28, 2000, Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, 4150 Donald 
Douglas Drive, Long Beach, CA, 90808, applied for a Supplemental Type 
Certificate (STC) to modify Gulfstream Model G-V airplanes. The Model 
G-V is a small transport category airplane powered by two 2 BMW-Rolls 
Royce Mark BR700-710A1-10 engines, with a maximum takeoff weight of 
90,500 pounds. The G-V operates with a 2-pilot crew and can hold up to 
19 passengers.
    The modification incorporates the installation of an electrically 
heated surface, called a cooktop. Cooktops introduce high heat, smoke, 
and the possibility of fire into the passenger cabin environment. These 
potential hazards to the airplane and its occupants must be 
satisfactorily addressed. Since existing airworthiness regulations do 
not contain safety standards addressing cooktops, special conditions 
are therefore proposed.

Type Certification Basis

    Under the provisions of 14 CFR 21.101, Gulfstream Aerospace 
Corporation must show that the Model G-V airplane, as changed, 
continues to meet the applicable provisions of the regulations 
incorporated by reference in Type Certificate Data Sheet No. A12EA, 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 Certificate Data Sheet No. A12EA are part 25, as amended by 
Amendments 25-1 through 25-81, with reversions to earlier Amendments, 
voluntary compliance to later Amendments, special conditions, 
equivalent safety findings, and exemptions listed in the Type 
Certificate Data Sheet.
    If the Administrator finds that the applicable airworthiness 
regulations (that is, part 25 as amended) do not contain adequate or 
appropriate safety standards for the Gulfstream G-V airplanes modified 
by Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation because of a novel or unusual 
design feature, special conditions are prescribed under the provisions 
of Sec. 21.16.
    In addition to the applicable airworthiness regulations and special 
conditions, these Gulfstream G-V airplanes must comply with the fuel 
vent and exhaust emission requirements of part 34 and the noise 
certification requirements of part 36.
    Special conditions, as defined in Sec. 11.19, are issued in 
accordance with Sec. 11.38, and become part of the type certification 
basis in accordance with Sec. 21.101(b)(2).
    Special conditions are initially applicable to the model for which 
they are issued. Should Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation apply at a 
later date for a supplemental type certificate to modify any other 
model included on the same type certificate to incorporate the same 
novel or unusual design feature, these special conditions would

[[Page 18215]]

also apply to the other model under the provisions of 
Sec. 21.101(a)(1).

Novel or Unusual Design Features

    As noted earlier, the modification of the Gulfstream GV airplanes 
will include installation of a cooktop in the passenger cabin. Cooktops 
introduce high heat, smoke, and the possibility of fire into the 
passenger cabin environment. The current airworthiness standards of 
part 25 do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards to 
protect the airplane and its occupants from these potential hazards. 
Accordingly, this system is considered to be a novel or unusual design 
feature.

Discussion

    Currently, ovens are the prevailing means of heating food on 
airplanes. Ovens are characterized by an enclosure that contains both 
the heat source and the food being heated. The hazards represented by 
ovens are thus inherently limited, and are well understood through 
years of service experience. Cooktops, on the other hand, are 
characterized by exposed heat sources and the presence of relatively 
unrestrained hot cookware and heated food, which may represent 
unprecedented hazards to both occupants and the airplane.
    Cooktops could have serious passenger and airplane safety 
implications if appropriate requirements are not established for their 
installation and use. The proposed special condition applies to 
cooktops with electrically powered burners. The use of an open flame 
cooktop (for example natural gas) is beyond the scope of this proposed 
special condition and would require separate rulemaking action. The 
requirements identified in this proposed special condition are in 
addition to those considerations identified in Advisory Circular (AC) 
25-10, Guidance for Installation of Miscellaneous Non-required 
Electrical Equipment, and those in AC 25-17, Transport Airplane Cabin 
Interiors Crashworthiness Handbook. The intent of this proposed special 
condition is to provide a level of safety that is consistent with that 
on similar airplanes without cooktops.

Applicability

    As discussed above, these special conditions are applicable to 
Gulfstream GV airplanes modified by Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation. 
Should Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation apply at a later date for a 
supplemental type certificate to modify any other model included on the 
same type certificate to incorporate the same novel or unusual design 
feature, these special conditions would apply to that model as well 
under the provisions of Sec. 21.101(a)(1).

Conclusion

    This action affects only certain novel or unusual design features 
on the Gulfstream GV airplanes modified by Gulfstream Aerospace 
Corporation. 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.

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 supplemental type 
certification basis for Gulfstream Model G-V airplanes modified by 
Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation:

Cooktop Installations With Electrically-Powered Burners

    1. Means, such as conspicuous burner-on indicators, physical 
barriers, or handholds, must be installed to minimize the potential for 
inadvertent personnel contact with hot surfaces of both the cooktop and 
cookware. Conditions of turbulence must be considered.
    2. Sufficient design means must be included to restrain cookware 
while in place on the cooktop, as well as representative contents 
(soups or sauces, for example) from the effects of flight loads and 
turbulence.
    (a) Restraints must be provided to preclude hazardous movement of 
cookware and contents. These restraints must accommodate any cookware 
that is identified for use with the cooktop.
    (b) Restraints must be designed to be easily utilized and effective 
in service. The cookware restraint system should also be designed so 
that it will not be easily disabled, thus rendering it unusable.
    (c) Placarding must be installed which prohibits the use of 
cookware that cannot be accommodated by the restraint system.
    3. Placarding must be installed which prohibits the use of cooktops 
(that is, power on any burner) during taxi, takeoff, and landing (TTL).
    4. Means must be provided to address the possibility of a fire 
occurring on or in the immediate vicinity of the cooktop caused by 
materials or grease inadvertently coming in contact with the burners.


    Note: Two acceptable means of complying with this requirement 
are as follows:


     Placarding must be installed that prohibits any burner 
from being powered when the cooktop is unattended (this would prohibit 
a single person from cooking on the cooktop and intermittently serving 
food to passengers while any burner is powered). In addition, a fire 
detector must be installed in the vicinity of the cooktop, which 
provides an audible warning in the passenger cabin; and a fire 
extinguisher of appropriate size and extinguishing agent must be 
installed in the immediate vicinity of the cooktop. A fire on or around 
the cooktop must not block access to the extinguisher. One of the fire 
extinguishers required by Sec. 25.851 may be used to satisfy this 
requirement if the total complement of extinguishers can be evenly 
distributed throughout the cabin. If this is not possible, then the 
extinguisher in the galley area would be additional.

        or

     An automatic, thermally-activated fire suppression system 
must be installed to extinguish a fire at the cooktop and immediately 
adjacent surfaces. The agent used in the system must be an approved 
total flooding agent suitable for use in an occupied area. The fire 
suppression system must have a manual override. The automatic 
activation of the fire suppression system must also automatically shut 
off power to the cooktop.
    5. The surfaces of the galley surrounding the cooktop, which would 
be exposed to a fire on the cooktop surface or in cookware on the 
cooktop, must be constructed of materials that comply with the 
flammability requirements of part III of appendix F of part 25. This 
requirement is in addition to the flammability requirements typically 
required of the materials in these galley surfaces. During the 
selection of these materials, consideration must also be given to 
ensure that the flammability characteristics of the materials will not 
be adversely affected by the use of cleaning agents and utensils used 
to remove cooking stains.
    6. The cooktop must be ventilated with a system independent of the 
airplane cabin and cargo ventilation system. Procedures and time 
intervals must be established to inspect and clean or replace the 
ventilation system to prevent a fire hazard from the accumulation of 
flammable oils. These procedures and time intervals must be

[[Page 18216]]

included in the Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA). The 
ventilation system ducting must be protected by a flame arrestor.


    Note: The applicant may find additional useful information in 
Society of Automotive Engineers, Aerospace Recommended Practice 85, 
Rev. E, entitled ``Air Conditioning Systems for Subsonic 
Airplanes,'' dated August 1, 1991.


    7. Means must be provided to contain spilled foods or fluids in a 
manner that will prevent the creation of a slipping hazard to occupants 
and will not lead to the loss of structural strength due to airplane 
corrosion.
    8. Cooktop installations must provide adequate space for the user 
to immediately escape a hazardous cooktop condition.
    9. A means to shut off power to the cooktop must be provided at the 
galley containing the cooktop and in the cockpit. If additional 
switches are introduced in the cockpit, revisions to smoke or fire 
emergency procedures of the AFM will be required.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on March 29, 2001.
Donald L. Riggin,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 01-8514 Filed 4-5-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P