[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 15 (Wednesday, January 24, 2007)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 3040-3042]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-1018]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 23

[Docket No. CE264, Special Condition 23-204-SC]


Special Conditions; Piper Aircraft, Inc., Piper PA-32R-301T, 
Saratoga II TC, and PA-32-301FT, Piper 6X; Protection of Electronic 
Flight Instrument Systems (EFIS) for 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 to Piper Aircraft, Inc., 
2926 Piper Drive, Vero Beach, Florida 32960, for a type design change 
for the Piper PA-32R-301T, Saratoga II TC, and PA-32-301FT, Piper 6X. 
These airplanes will have novel and unusual design features when 
compared to the state of technology envisaged in the applicable 
airworthiness standards. These novel and unusual design features 
include the installation of electronic flight instrument system (EFIS) 
displays, Model G-1000, manufactured by Garmin AT, Inc., for which the 
applicable regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate 
airworthiness standards for the protection of these systems from the 
effects of high intensity radiated fields (HIRF). These special 
conditions contain the additional safety standards that the 
Administrator considers necessary to establish a level of safety 
equivalent to the airworthiness standards applicable to these 
airplanes.

DATES: The effective date of these special conditions is January 12, 
2007. Comments must be received on or before February 23, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Mail comments in duplicate to: Federal Aviation 
Administration, Regional Counsel, ACE-7, Attention: Rules Docket Clerk, 
Docket No. CE264, Room 506, 901 Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. 
Mark all comments: Docket No. CE264. You may inspect comments in the 
Rules Docket weekdays, except Federal holidays, between 7:30 a.m. and 4 
p.m.

[[Page 3041]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Brady, Aerospace Engineer, 
Standards Office (ACE-110), Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft 
Certification Service, Federal Aviation Administration, 901 Locust, 
Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; telephone (816) 329-4123.

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

    We invite interested persons to take part in this rulemaking by 
sending written data, views, or comments. The most helpful comments 
reference a specific portion of the special conditions, explain the 
reason for any recommended change, and include supporting data. We ask 
that you send us two copies of the written comments. Communications 
should identify the regulatory docket or notice number and be submitted 
in duplicate to the address specified above.
    We will file in the docket all comments we receive, as well as a 
report summarizing each substantive public contact with FAA personnel 
about these special conditions. You can inspect the docket before and 
after the closing date. If you wish to review the docket in person, go 
to the address in the ADDRESSES section of this preamble between 7:30 
a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    We will consider all comments we receive by the closing date for 
comments. We will consider comments filed late if it is possible to do 
so without incurring expense or delay. We may change these special 
conditions based on the comments we receive.
    If you want us to let you know we received your comments on these 
special conditions, send us a pre-addressed, stamped postcard on which 
the docket number appears. We will stamp the date on the postcard and 
mail it back to you.

Background

    On June 15, 2006, Piper Aircraft, Inc., 2926 Piper Drive, Vero 
Beach, Florida 32960, made an application to the FAA for a supplemental 
type certificate for a type design change for the Piper PA-32R-301T, 
Saratoga II TC, and PA-32-301FT, Piper 6X. The PA-32 is currently 
approved under TC No. A3SO. The proposed modification incorporates a 
novel or unusual design feature, such as digital avionics consisting of 
an EFIS that is vulnerable to HIRF external to the airplane.

Type Certification Basis

    Under the provisions of 14 CFR 21, 21.101, Piper Aircraft, Inc. 
must show that the Piper PA-32 aircraft, as changed, meets the original 
certification basis for the airplane, as listed on Type Data Sheet 
A3SO; the additional certification requirements added for the G1000 
system, exemptions, if any; and the special conditions adopted by this 
rulemaking action.

Discussion

    If the Administrator finds that the applicable airworthiness 
standards do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards 
because of novel or unusual design features of an airplane, special 
conditions are prescribed under the provisions of Sec.  21.16.
    Special conditions, as appropriate, as defined in Sec.  11.19, are 
issued in accordance with Sec.  11.38 after public notice and become 
part of the type certification basis in accordance with Sec.  21.101.
    Special conditions are initially applicable to the model for which 
they are issued. Should the applicant apply for a supplemental type 
certificate to modify any other model already included on the same type 
certificate to incorporate the same novel or unusual design feature, 
the special conditions would also apply to the other model under the 
provisions of Sec.  21.101.

Novel or Unusual Design Features

    Piper Aircraft, Inc. plans to incorporate certain novel and unusual 
design features into the Piper PA-32R-301T, Saratoga II TC, and the PA-
32-301FT, Piper 6X, airplanes for which the airworthiness standards do 
not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for protection 
from the effects of HIRF. These features include EFIS, which are 
susceptible to the HIRF environment, that were not envisaged by the 
existing regulations for this type of airplane.
    Protection of Systems from High Intensity Radiated Fields (HIRF): 
Recent advances in technology have given rise to the application in 
aircraft designs of advanced electrical and electronic systems that 
perform functions required for continued safe flight and landing. Due 
to the use of sensitive solid state advanced components in analog and 
digital electronics circuits, these advanced systems are readily 
responsive to the transient effects of induced electrical current and 
voltage caused by the HIRF. The HIRF can degrade electronic systems 
performance by damaging components or upsetting system functions.
    Furthermore, the HIRF environment has undergone a transformation 
that was not foreseen when the current requirements were developed. 
Higher energy levels are radiated from transmitters that are used for 
radar, radio, and television. Also, the number of transmitters has 
increased significantly. There is uncertainty concerning the 
effectiveness of airframe shielding for HIRF. Furthermore, coupling to 
cockpit-installed equipment through the cockpit window apertures is 
undefined.
    The combined effect of the technological advances in airplane 
design and the changing environment has resulted in an increased level 
of vulnerability of electrical and electronic systems required for the 
continued safe flight and landing of the airplane. Effective measures 
against the effects of exposure to HIRF must be provided by the design 
and installation of these systems. The accepted maximum energy levels 
in which civilian airplane system installations must be capable of 
operating safely are based on surveys and analysis of existing radio 
frequency emitters. These special conditions require that the airplane 
be evaluated under these energy levels for the protection of the 
electronic system and its associated wiring harness. These external 
threat levels, which are lower than previous required values, are 
believed to represent the worst case to which an airplane would be 
exposed in the operating environment.
    These special conditions require qualification of systems that 
perform critical functions, as installed in aircraft, to the defined 
HIRF environment in paragraph 1 or, as an option to a fixed value using 
laboratory tests, in paragraph 2, as follows:
    (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 HIRF environment defined below:

[[Page 3042]]



------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                        Field strength
                                                       (volts per meter)
                      Frequency                      -------------------
                                                        Peak     Average
------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 kHz-100 kHz......................................        50        50
100 kHz-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.

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, 
electrical field strength, from 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.
    A preliminary hazard analysis must be performed by the applicant, 
for approval by the FAA, to identify either electrical or electronic 
systems that perform critical functions. The term ``critical'' means 
those functions whose failure would contribute to, or cause, a failure 
condition that would prevent the continued safe flight and landing of 
the airplane. The systems identified by the hazard analysis that 
perform critical functions are candidates for the application of HIRF 
requirements. A system may perform both critical and non-critical 
functions. Primary electronic flight display systems, and their 
associated components, perform critical functions such as attitude, 
altitude, and airspeed indication. The HIRF requirements apply only to 
critical functions.
    Compliance with HIRF requirements may be demonstrated by tests, 
analysis, models, similarity with existing systems, or any combination 
of these. Service experience alone is not acceptable since normal 
flight operations may not include an exposure to the HIRF environment. 
Reliance on a system with similar design features for redundancy as a 
means of protection against the effects of external HIRF is generally 
insufficient since all elements of a redundant system are likely to be 
exposed to the fields concurrently.

Applicability

    As discussed above, these special conditions are applicable to the 
Piper PA-32R-301T and PA-32-301FT. Should Piper Aircraft, Inc. apply at 
a later date for a supplemental type certificate for a type design 
change to modify any other model on the same type certificate to 
incorporate 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 one model of airplane. 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.
    The substance of these special conditions has been subjected to the 
notice and comment period 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 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 23

    Aircraft, Aviation safety, Signs and symbols.

Citation

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

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113 and 44701; 14 CFR 21.16 and 
21.101; 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 the Piper PA-32R-301T, Saratoga II TC, 
and PA-32-301FT, Piper 6X, airplane modified by Piper Aircraft, Inc. to 
add a G1000 EFIS system.
    1. Protection of Electrical and Electronic Systems from High 
Intensity Radiated Fields (HIRF). Each system that performs critical 
functions must be designed and installed to ensure that the operations, 
and operational capabilities of these systems to perform critical 
functions, are not adversely affected when the airplane is exposed to 
high intensity radiated electromagnetic fields external to the 
airplane.
    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 Kansas City, Missouri, on January 12, 2007.
Kim Smith,
Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. E7-1018 Filed 1-23-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P [FEDREG][VOL]*[/VOL][NO]*[/NO][DATE]*[/
DATE][RULES]