[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 148 (Wednesday, August 3, 2005)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 44463-44465]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-15310]



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  Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 148 / Wednesday, August 3, 2005 / 
Rules and Regulations  

[[Page 44463]]



DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 23

[Docket No. CE201; Special Conditions No. 23-141-SC]


Special Conditions; Maule Aerospace Technology, Inc. M-7-230, M-
7-230C, and M-9-230 Airplane Models; Installation of Full Authority 
Digital Engine Control (FADEC) System and the Protection of the System 
From the Effects of High Intensity Radiated Fields (HIRF)

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final special conditions; request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: These special conditions are issued to Maule Aerospace 
Technology, Inc., for the Maule Aerospace Technology, Inc. M-7-230, M-
7-230C, and M-9-230 airplane models. These airplanes will have a novel 
or unusual design feature(s) associated with the installation of an 
engine that uses an electronic engine control system in place of the 
engine's mechanical system. The applicable airworthiness regulations do 
not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design 
feature. These special conditions contain additional safety standards 
that the Administrator considers necessary to establish a level of 
safety equivalent to that established by the existing airworthiness 
standards applicable to these airplanes. These special conditions were 
issued and effective in December 2003; however, they were inadvertently 
not published. This document is being published with the same effective 
date to correct that oversight.

DATES: The effective date of these special conditions is December 17, 
2003. Comments must be received on or before September 2, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be mailed in duplicate to: Federal Aviation 
Administration, Regional Counsel, ACE-7, Attention: Rules Docket Clerk, 
Docket No. CE201, Room 506, 901 Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. 
All comments must be marked: Docket No. CE201. Comments may be 
inspected in the Rules Docket weekdays, except Federal holidays, 
between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wes Ryan, Federal Aviation 
Administration, Aircraft Certification Service, Small Airplane 
Directorate, ACE-111, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 
64106; telephone 816-329-4127, fax 816-329-4090.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA has determined that notice and 
opportunity for prior public comment hereon are impracticable because 
these procedures would significantly delay issuance of the approval 
design and, thus, delivery of the affected aircraft. In addition, the 
substance of these special conditions has been subject to the public 
comment process in several prior instances with no substantive comments 
received. The FAA, therefore, finds that good cause exists for making 
these special conditions effective upon issuance.

Comments Invited

    Interested persons are invited to submit such written data, views, 
or arguments as they may desire. Communications should identify the 
regulatory docket or 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. The special conditions 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 this notice must include a self-
addressed, stamped postcard on which the following statement is made: 
``Comments to Docket No. CE201.'' The postcard will be date stamped and 
returned to the commenter.

Background

    On October 26, 2000, Maule Aerospace Technology, Inc. applied for a 
type certificate for the M-7-230, M-7-230C, and M-9-230 models. The M-
7-230, M-7-230C, and M-9-230 models are powered by one reciprocating 
engine equipped with an electronic engine control system with full 
authority capability in place of the hydromechanical control system.

Type Certification Basis

    Under the provisions of 14 CFR part 21, Sec.  21.17, Maule 
Aerospace Technology, Inc. must show that Models M-7-230, M-7-230C, and 
M-9-230 meet the applicable provisions of Part 3, Civil Air 
Regulations, effective May 15, 1956 as amended by 3-1 through 3-5; the 
following 14 CFR part 23 regulations at Amendment 23-55 that do not 
have equivalent rules in CAR 3: Sec. Sec.  23.853(e)(f), 23.943, 
23.1091, 23.1125, 23.1305, 23.1337, 23.863, 23.955, 23.1093, 23.1143, 
23.1309, 23.1351, 23.865, 23.961, 23.1103, 23.1163, 23.1311, 
23.1353(h), 23.903(f), 23.997, 23.1107, 23.1181, 23.1321, 23.1361, 
23.909, 23.1043, 23.1121, 23.1182, 23.1322, 23.1365, 23.939(b), 
23.1047, 23.1123, 23.1183, 23.1331; 14 CFR part 36, Amendment 36-24; 
exemptions, if any; and the special conditions adopted by this and 
other rulemaking actions.
    If the Administrator finds that the applicable airworthiness 
regulations (i.e., 14 CFR part 23) do not contain adequate or 
appropriate safety standards for the Models M-7-230, M-7-230C, and M-9-
230 because of novel or unusual design features, special conditions are 
prescribed under the provisions of Sec.  21.16.
    In addition to the applicable airworthiness regulations and special 
conditions, the Models M-7-230, M-7-230C, and M-9-230 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 pursuant to Sec.  611 of 
Public Law 92-574, the ``Noise Control Act of 1972.''
    Special conditions, as appropriate, as defined in Sec.  11.19, are 
issued in accordance with Sec.  11.38, and become

[[Page 44464]]

part of the type certification basis in accordance with Sec.  
21.17(a)(2).
    Special conditions are initially applicable to the models for which 
they are issued. Should the type certificate be amended later to 
include any other models that incorporate the same novel or unusual 
design feature, the special conditions would also apply to the other 
models under the provisions of Sec.  21.101.

Novel or Unusual Design Features

    The Models M-7-230, M-7-230C, and M-9-230 will incorporate the 
following novel or unusual design features:
    Maule Aerospace Technology, Inc. Models M-7-230, M-7-230C, and M-9-
230 airplanes will use an engine that includes an electronic control 
system with full engine authority capability.
    Many advanced electronic systems are prone to either upsets or 
damage, or both, at energy levels lower than analog systems. The 
increasing use of high power radio frequency emitters mandates 
requirements for improved high intensity radiated fields (HIRF) 
protection for electrical and electronic equipment. Since the 
electronic engine control system used on the Maule Aerospace 
Technology, Inc. Models M-7-230, M-7-230C, and M-9-230 will perform 
critical functions, provisions for protection from the effects of HIRF 
fields should be considered and, if necessary, incorporated into the 
airplane design data. The FAA policy contained in Notice 8110.71, dated 
April 2, 1998, establishes the HIRF energy levels that airplanes will 
be exposed to in service. The guidelines set forth in this Notice are 
the result of an Aircraft Certification Service review of existing 
policy on HIRF, in light of the ongoing work of the ARAC 
Electromagnetic Effects Harmonization Working Group (EEHWG). The EEHWG 
adopted a set of HIRF environment levels in November 1997 that were 
agreed upon by the FAA, JAA, and industry participants. As a result, 
the HIRF environments in this notice reflect the environment levels 
recommended by this working group. This notice states that a full 
authority digital engine control is an example of a system that should 
address the HIRF environments.
    Even though the control system will be certificated as part of the 
engine, the installation of an engine with an electronic control system 
requires evaluation due to the possible effects on or by other airplane 
systems (e.g., radio interference with other airplane electronic 
systems, shared engine and airplane power sources). The regulatory 
requirements in 14 CFR part 23 for evaluating the installation of 
complex systems, including electronic systems, are contained in Sec.  
23.1309. However, when Sec.  23.1309 was developed, the use of 
electronic control systems for engines was not envisioned; therefore, 
the Sec.  23.1309 requirements were not applicable to systems 
certificated as part of the engine (reference Sec.  23.1309(f)(1)). 
Also, electronic control systems often require inputs from airplane 
data and power sources and outputs to other airplane systems (e.g., 
automated cockpit powerplant controls such as mixture setting). 
Although the parts of the system that are not certificated with the 
engine could be evaluated using the criteria of Sec.  23.1309, the 
integral nature of systems such as these makes it unfeasible to 
evaluate the airplane portion of the system without including the 
engine portion of the system. However, Sec.  23.1309(f)(1) again 
prevents complete evaluation of the installed airplane system since 
evaluation of the engine system's effects is not required.
    Therefore, special conditions are proposed for the Maule Aerospace 
Technology, Inc. Models M-7-230, M-7-230C, and M-9-230 to provide HIRF 
protection and to evaluate the installation of the electronic engine 
control system for compliance with the requirements of Sec.  23.1309(a) 
through (e) at Amendment 23-46.

Applicability

    As discussed above, these special conditions are applicable to the 
Models M-7-230, M-7-230C, and M-9-230. Should Maule Aerospace 
Technology, Inc. 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.

Conclusion

    This action affects only certain novel or unusual design features 
on the M-7-230, M-7-230C, and M-9-230 airplanes. It is not a rule of 
general applicability, and it affects only the applicant who applied to 
the FAA for approval of these features on the airplane.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 23

    Aircraft, Aviation safety, Signs and symbols.

Citation

0
The authority citation for these special conditions is as follows:

PART 23--[AMENDED]

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113 and 44701; 14 CFR 21.16 and 
21.17; and 14 CFR 11.38 and 11.19.

The Special Conditions

0
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 Maule Aerospace Technology, Inc. M-7-
230, M-7-230C, and M-9-230 models of airplanes.
    1. High Intensity Radiated Fields (HIRF) Protection. In showing 
compliance with 14 CFR part 21 and the airworthiness requirements of 14 
CFR part 23, protection against hazards caused by exposure to HIRF 
fields for the full authority digital engine control system, which 
performs critical functions, must be considered. To prevent this 
occurrence, the electronic engine control system must be designed and 
installed to ensure that the operation and operational capabilities of 
this critical system are not adversely affected when the airplane is 
exposed to high energy radio fields.
    At this time, the FAA and other airworthiness authorities are 
unable to precisely define or control the HIRF energy level to which 
the airplane will be exposed in service; therefore, the FAA hereby 
defines two acceptable interim methods for complying with the 
requirement for protection of systems that perform critical functions.
    (1) The applicant may demonstrate that the operation and 
operational capability of the installed electrical and electronic 
systems that perform critical functions are not adversely affected when 
the aircraft is exposed to the external HIRF threat environment defined 
in the following table:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Frequency Field strength  (volts per meter)        Peak     Average
------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 kHz-100 kHz....................................         50         50
100-500 kHz.......................................         50         50
500 kHz-2 MHz.....................................         50         50
2 MHz-30 MHZ......................................        100        100
30 MHz-70 MHz.....................................         50         50
70 MHz-100 MHz....................................         50         50
100 MHz-200 MHz...................................        100        100
200 MHz-400 MHz...................................        100        100
400 MHz-700 MHz...................................        700         50
700 MHz-1 GHz.....................................        700        100
1 GHz-2 GHZ.......................................       2000        200
2 GHz-4 GHZ.......................................       3000        200
4 GHz-6 GHz.......................................       3000        200
6 GHz-8 GHz.......................................       1000        200
8 GHz-12 GHz......................................       3000        300
12 GHz-18 GHZ.....................................       2000        200
18 GHz-40 GHZ.....................................        600        200
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The field strengths are expressed in terms of peak root-mean-square
  (rms) values.


[[Page 44465]]

or,

    (2) The applicant may demonstrate by a system test and analysis 
that the electrical and electronic systems that perform critical 
functions can withstand a minimum threat of 100 volts per meter peak 
electrical strength, without the benefit of airplane structural 
shielding, in the frequency range of 10 KHz to 18 GHz. When using this 
test to show compliance with the HIRF requirements, no credit is given 
for signal attenuation due to installation. Data used for engine 
certification may be used, when appropriate, for airplane 
certification.
    2. Electronic Engine Control System. The installation of the 
electronic engine control system must comply with the requirements of 
Sec.  23.1309(a) through (e) at Amendment 23-46. The intent of this 
requirement is not to re-evaluate the inherent hardware reliability of 
the control itself, but rather determine the effects, including 
environmental effects addressed in Sec.  23.1309(e), on the airplane 
systems and engine control system when installing the control on the 
airplane. When appropriate, engine certification data may be used when 
showing compliance with this requirement.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri on July 25, 2005.
James E. Jackson,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 05-15310 Filed 8-2-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P