[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 173 (Friday, September 6, 2013)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 54791-54792]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-20150]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 21


Proposed Additional Airworthiness Design Standards: Advanced 
Avionics Under the Special Class (JAR-VLA) Regulations; Aquila Aviation 
by Excellence GmbH, Model AT01-100.

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Request for comments.

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SUMMARY: This document announces the issuance of the design criteria 
for the inclusion of advance avionics with intergrated electronic 
displays for the Aquila Aviation by Excellence GmbH AT01-100. These 
additional provisions are expansions of the existing JAR-VLA (Joint 
Aviation Requirements-Very Light Aircraft) and CS-VLA regulations as 
the current regulations do not adequetely address these types of 
systems. The current regulations only address traditional federated 
gauges. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has not expanded the 
VLA regulations for these types of installation on these types of 
airplanes through EASA special conditions or new regulations. These 
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) design criteria are being 
proposed to help initiate standards for this type of airplane without 
being overburdensome and to encourage EASA to follow suit.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before October 7, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Send all comments to the Federal Aviation Administration 
(FAA), Standards Office, Small Airplane Directorate (ACE-112), Aircraft 
Certification Service, 901 Locust Street, Room 301, Kansas City, MO 
64106.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Doug Rudolph, Aerospace Engineer, 
Standards Office (ACE-112), Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft 
Certification Service, FAA; telephone number (816) 329-4059, fax number 
(816) 329-4090, email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Any person may obtain a copy of this 
information by contacting the person named above under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT.

[[Page 54792]]

Background

    The original certification of the aircraft was done under the 
provisions of 14 CFR 21.29, as a Sec.  21.17(b), special class 
aircraft, JAR-VLA, using the requirements of JAR-VLA Amendment VLA/92/
01 as developed by the Joint Aviation Authority, and under Title 14 of 
the Code of Federal Regulations and two additional design criteria 
issued on September 2, 2003 (68 FR 56809).
    The regulation applicable to the Amended Type Certificate (TC) 
approval is Sec.  21.17(b). This section describes the regulatory basis 
for the approval of JAR-VLA and CS-VLA aircraft as a special class. 
Policy on this subject includes AC 23-11B and AC 21.17-3.
    FAA policy expressed in AC 23-11B and AC 21.17-3 limits JAR-VLA and 
CS-VLA aircraft approved under Sec.  21.17(b), to Day-VFR operations. 
Additionally, the FAA also published design criteria to allow expansion 
of the Aquila AT01-100 airplane to include Night-VFR as shown in NPRM 
75 FR 32576. In conjunction with the expansion to Night-VFR operations 
intergrated avionic displays are to be installed on the Aquila AT01-100 
airplane.
    EASA allowed the applicant to comply with CS-23 regulations for the 
intergrated avionic displays installed on the Aquila AT01-100 airplane 
and made them part of the EASA certification basis, but did not publish 
these additional requirements as Special Conditions as they did for the 
Night-VFR expansion. The FAA's system does not allow this type of 
additional requirements, such as 14 CFR part 23 regulations, to be 
added to a special class, Sec.  21.17(b) airplane without being 
publically noticed either through design criteria or expansion of the 
existing AC 23-11B. This is the reason for this design criteria 
noticification.
    The FAA has concluded that it is acceptable to allow advanced 
intergrated avionic systems for certification on the Aquila Model AT01-
100 under the special class amended TC project AT00651CE-A, provided 
the applicant complies with the below listed design criteria based on 
existing part 23 regulations at the described amendment levels. 
Revisions to AC 23-11B and AC 21.17-3 will be made to address future 
airplanes that wish to allow these installations.
    To satisfy the additional required design criteria for the Special 
Class (JAR-VLA) Regulations of Sec.  21.17(b), Aquila Aviation by 
Excellence GmbH has agreed with the FAA to use the 14 CFR part 23 
regulations for their Model AT01-100, as shown on the FAA G-1 Issue 
Paper. The applicable criteria for the installation of advanced avionic 
displays on the Aquila AT01-100 are as follows:

14 CFR 23.867 at amendment 23-49, ``Electrical bonding and protection 
against lightning and static electricity''
14 CFR 23.1307 at amendment 23-49, ``Miscellaneous Equipment''
14 CFR 23.1311 at amendment 23-62, ``Electronic Display Instrument 
Systems''
14 CFR 23.1321 at amendment 23-49, ``Arrangement and visibility''
14 CFR 23.1359 at amendment 23-49, ``Electrical System Fire 
Protection''.

In addition to the above five regulations that will be used for design 
criteria, the FAA has also developed a methods of compliance (MOC) 
issue paper for VLA-1309 for this type of installation.

Comments Invited

    We invite interested parties to submit comments on the proposed 
airworthiness standards to the address specified above. Commenters must 
identify the Aquila Model AT01-100 and submit comments to the address 
specified above. The FAA will consider all communications received on 
or before the closing date before issuing the final acceptance. The 
proposed airworthiness design standards and comments received may be 
inspected at the FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft 
Certification Service, Standards Office (ACE-110), 901 Locust Street, 
Room 301, Kansas City, MO 64106, between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 
4:00 p.m. weekdays, except Federal holidays.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri on August 5, 2013.
Earl Lawrence,
Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-20150 Filed 9-5-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P