[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 249 (Wednesday, December 28, 2011)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 81360-81362]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-33281]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 25

[Docket No. FAA-2011-1172: Special Conditions No. 25-453-SC]


Special Conditions: Gulfstream Aerospace LP (GALP) Model G280 
Airplane, Operation Without Normal Electrical Power

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final special conditions.

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SUMMARY: These special conditions are issued for the Gulfstream 
Aerospace LP (GALP) Model G280 airplane. This airplane will have a 
novel or unusual design feature associated with operation without 
normal electrical power. 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: Effective Date: The effective date of these special conditions 
is December 20, 2011.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nazih Khaouly, Transport Airplane 
Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., 
Renton, Washington 98057-3356; telephone (425) 227-2432; facsimile 
(425) 227-1149.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On March 30, 2006, GALP applied for a type certificate for their 
new Model G280 airplane. The Model G280 will have a novel or unusual 
design feature associated with operation without normal electrical 
power.

Type Certification Basis

    Under the provisions of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 
CFR) 21.17, GALP must show that the Model G280 airplane meets the 
applicable provisions of part 25 as amended by Amendments 25-1 through 
25-117.
    If the Administrator finds that the applicable airworthiness 
regulations (i.e., 14 CFR part 25) do not contain adequate or 
appropriate safety standards for the Model G280 airplane because of a 
novel or unusual design feature, special conditions are prescribed 
under the provisions of Sec.  21.16.
    Special conditions are initially applicable to the model for which 
they

[[Page 81361]]

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.
    In addition to the applicable airworthiness regulations and special 
conditions, the Model G280 airplane must comply with the fuel-vent and 
exhaust-emission requirements of part 34 and the noise-certification 
requirements of 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 14 CFR 11.19, in 
accordance with Sec.  11.38, and they become part of the type-
certification basis under Sec.  21.17(a)(2).

Novel or Unusual Design Features

    The Model G280 airplane will incorporate the following novel or 
unusual design features:
    The Model G280 airplane is equipped with electrical and electronic 
systems that control critical functions and systems. Examples of these 
include the electronic displays, rudder, brakes, spoilers, flaps, and 
electronic engine controls. The Model G280 electrical-power generation 
and distribution architecture is equipped with an auxiliary power unit 
(APU) and is not equipped with a Ram Air Turbine (RAT) generator. The 
loss of all electrical power to certain functions and systems impacts 
the airplane's ability to land safely. Therefore, these special 
conditions are issued to retain the level of safety intended by the 
current Sec.  25.1351(d).

Discussion

    The Model G280 airplane requires a continuous source of electrical 
power for continued safe flight and landing. The current regulation in 
Sec.  25.1351(d), ``Operation without normal electrical power,'' states 
that the airplane must be operated safely in visual-flight-rules 
conditions, for a period of not less than five minutes, with the normal 
electrical power (electrical power sources excluding the battery) 
inoperative. This rule was structured around a traditional design 
utilizing mechanical controls for flight systems while the crew took 
time to sort out the electrical failure, start engine(s) if necessary, 
and re-establish some of the electrical-power-generation capability.
    To maintain the same level of safety associated with traditional 
designs, the Model G280 airplane electrical-system design must not be 
time-limited in its operation. It should be noted that service 
experience has shown that the loss of all electrical power, which is 
generated by the airplane's engine generators or APU is not extremely 
improbable. Thus, it must be demonstrated that the airplane can 
continue through safe flight and landing (including steering and 
braking on ground for airplanes using steer/brake-by-wire) with the use 
of its emergency electrical-power systems. These emergency electrical-
power systems must be able to power loads that are required for 
continued safe flight and landing.

Discussion of Comments

    Notice of proposed special conditions no. 25-11-17-SC for the GALP 
Model G280 airplanes was published in the Federal Register on October 
27, 2011 (76 FR 66660). No comments were received, and the special 
conditions are adopted as proposed.

Applicability

    As discussed above, these special conditions are applicable to the 
GALP Model G280 airplane. Should GALP 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 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 GALP Model 
G280 airplane is imminent, the FAA finds good cause to make these 
special conditions effective upon issuance.

Conclusion

    This action affects only certain novel or unusual design features 
on the GALP Model G280 airplane. 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 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 GALP Model G280 airplanes. The special 
conditions are issued in lieu of 14 CFR 25.1351(d) and are required to 
ensure that the airplane has sufficient electrical power for continued 
safe flight and landing.
    1. The applicant must show by test or a combination of test and 
analysis that the airplane is capable of continued safe flight and 
landing with all normal electrical power sources inoperative, as 
prescribed by paragraphs (1)(a) and (1)(b) below.
    For purposes of this special condition, normal sources of 
electrical-power generation do not include any alternate power sources 
such as a battery, ram-air turbine (RAT), or independent power systems 
such as the flight-control permanent-magnet generating system.
    In showing capability for continued safe flight and landing, 
consideration must be given to systems capability, effects on crew 
workload and operating conditions, and the physiological needs of the 
flightcrew and passengers for the longest diversion time for which 
approval is sought.
    a. Common-cause failures, cascading failures, and zonal physical 
threats must be considered in showing compliance with this requirement.
    b. The ability to restore operation of portions of the electrical-
power generation and distribution system may be considered if it can be 
shown that unrecoverable loss of those portions of the system is 
extremely improbable. An alternative source of electrical power must be 
provided for the time required to restore the minimum electrical-power-
generation capability required for safe flight and landing. 
Unrecoverable loss of all engines may be excluded when showing that 
unrecoverable loss of critical portions of the electrical system is 
extremely improbable. Unrecoverable loss of all engines is covered in 
special condition 2, below, and thus may be excluded when showing 
compliance with this requirement.
    2. Regardless of any electrical-generation and distribution-system 
recovery capability shown under special condition 1, above, sufficient 
electrical-system capability must be provided to:
    a. Allow time to descend, with all engines inoperative, at the 
speed that provides the best glide slope, from the maximum operating 
altitude to the altitude at which the soonest possible engine restart 
could be accomplished, and
    b. Subsequently allow multiple start attempts of the engines and 
APU. This capability must be provided in addition to the electrical 
capability required by existing part 25 requirements related to 
operation with all engines inoperative.

[[Page 81362]]

    3. The airplane emergency electrical-power system must be designed 
to supply:
    a. Electrical power required for immediate safety, which must 
continue to operate without the need for crew action following the loss 
of the normal electrical power, for a duration sufficient to allow 
reconfiguration to provide a non-time-limited source of electrical 
power.
    b. Electrical power required for continued safe flight and landing 
for the maximum diversion time.
    4. If APU-generated electrical power is used in satisfying the 
requirements of these special conditions, and if reaching a suitable 
runway upon which to land is beyond the capacity of the battery 
systems, then the APU must be able to be started under any foreseeable 
flight condition prior to the depletion of the battery or the 
restoration of normal electrical power, whichever occurs first. Flight 
tests must demonstrate this capability at the most critical condition.
    a. It must be shown that the APU will provide adequate electrical 
power for continued safe flight and landing.
    b. The Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) must incorporate non-normal 
procedures that direct the pilot to take appropriate actions to 
activate the APU after loss of normal engine-driven generated 
electrical power.
    As a part of showing compliance with these special conditions, the 
tests by which loss of all normal electrical power is demonstrated must 
also take into account the following:
    1. The failure condition should be assumed to occur during night 
instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), at the most critical phase 
of the flight, relative to the worst possible electrical-power 
distribution and equipment-loads-demand condition.
    2. After the un-restorable loss of normal engine generator power, 
the airplane-engine-restart capability must be provided and operations 
continued in IMC.
    3. It should be demonstrated that the aircraft is capable of 
continued safe flight and landing. The length of time must be computed 
based on the maximum diversion-time capability for which the airplane 
is being certified. Consideration for airspeed reductions resulting 
from the associated failure or failures must be made.
    4. The airplane must provide adequate indication of loss of normal 
electrical power to direct the pilot to the non-normal procedures, and 
the AFM must incorporate non-normal procedures that will direct the 
pilot to take appropriate actions.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on December 20, 2011.
K.C. Yanamura,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-33281 Filed 12-27-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P