[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 212 (Wednesday, November 4, 2009)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 57060-57061]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-26596]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 23

[Docket No. CE300; Special Conditions No. 23-240-SC]


Special Conditions: Cessna Aircraft Company, Model 525C; Flight 
Performance, Flight Characteristics, and Operating Limitations

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final special conditions; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: These special conditions are issued for the Cessna Aircraft 
Company, Model 525C airplane. This airplane will have a novel or 
unusual design feature(s) associated with turbofan engines, engine 
location, and certain performance characteristics necessary for this 
type of airplane that were not envisioned by the existing regulations. 
The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or 
appropriate safety standards for this design feature. 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: The effective date of these special conditions is November 4, 
2009. We must receive your comments by December 4, 2009.

ADDRESSES: Mail two copies of your comments to: Federal Aviation 
Administration, Regional Counsel, ACE-7, Attn: Rules Docket No. CE300, 
901 Locust, Kansas City, MO 64106. You may deliver two copies to the 
Regional Counsel at the above address. Mark your comments: Docket No. 
CE300. You may inspect comments in the Rules Docket weekdays, except 
Federal holidays, between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Lowell Foster, Federal Aviation 
Administration, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, MO 64106; telephone (816) 
329-4125; facsimile (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

    We invite interested people to take part in this rulemaking by 
sending written comments, data, or views. 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 written comments.
    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 comment 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 28, 2007, Cessna Aircraft Company applied for a type 
certificate for their new Model Cessna Model 525C. The Cessna Model 
525C is a commuter category derivative configuration of the Model 525B 
airplane with unique turbofan engines, engine location, and certain 
performance characteristics necessary for this type of airplane. Unlike 
similar commuter category jet projects, these special conditions 
reflect the model history of the model 525 back through normal category 
for consistency in training.

Type Certification Basis

    Under the provisions of 14 CFR, part 21, Sec.  21.17, Cessna 
Aircraft Company must show that the Cessna Model 525C meets the 
applicable provisions of part 23, as amended by Amendment 23-1 through 
23-59 thereto.
    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 Model 525C 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, the Model 525C 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 under Sec.  611 of Public Law 92-574, the ``Noise 
Control Act of 1972.''
    The FAA issues special conditions, as defined in Sec.  11.19, under 
Sec.  11.38 and they become part of the type certification basis under 
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.

Novel or Unusual Design Features

    The Cessna Model 525C will incorporate the following novel or 
unusual design features: Two aft mounted Williams International FJ44-4A 
turbofan engines rated at 3,400 pounds of thrust with a Full Authority 
Digital Engine Control (FADEC) system and other performance 
characteristics that were not envisioned by the regulations when the 
Model 525 was originally certificated.

Applicability

    As discussed above, these special conditions are applicable to the 
Cessna Model 525C. Should Cessna Aircraft Company 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.

Conclusion

    This action affects only certain novel or unusual design features 
on one model of airplane. It is not a rule of general

[[Page 57061]]

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. Therefore, 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

    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 
21.17; and 14 CFR 11.38 and 11.19.

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 Cessna Model 525C airplanes.
    1. SC 23.161, Trim
    Instead of the requirements of Sec.  23.161(b)(2), the following 
applies:
    (b)(2) For commuter category airplanes, at all speeds from 1.4 
VS1 to VMO/MMO.
    2. SC 23.181, Dynamic stability
    Instead of compliance with the requirements of Sec.  23.181(a), and 
(d), the following applies:
    (a) Any short period oscillation, not including combined lateral-
directional oscillations, occurring between 1.2 VS and the 
maximum allowable speed appropriate to the configuration of the 
airplane must be heavily damped with the primary controls--
    (1) Free; and
    (2) In a fixed position.
    (d) During the conditions as specified in Sec.  23.175, when the 
longitudinal control force required to maintain speeds differing from 
the trim speed by at least plus and minus 15 percent or 15 knots, 
whichever is less, is released after first returning the control to the 
original trimmed position, the response of the airplane must not 
exhibit any dangerous characteristics nor be excessive in relation to 
the magnitude of the control force prior to release. Any long-period 
oscillation of flight path, phugoid oscillation, that results must not 
be so unstable as to increase the pilot's workload or otherwise 
endanger the airplane.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on October 28, 2009.
Margaret Kline,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. E9-26596 Filed 11-3-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P