[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 155 (Wednesday, August 12, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 48242-48244]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-19835]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 23

[Docket No. FAA-2015-2903; Special Conditions No. 23-270-SC]


Special Conditions: Honda Aircraft Company, Model HA-420, 
HondaJet; Ventilation Requirements in High Altitude Operations

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 Honda Aircraft 
Company, Model HA-420 airplane. This airplane will have a novel or 
unusual design feature associated with high altitude operations above 
41,000 feet. 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 August 12, 
2015.
    We must receive your comments by September 11, 2015

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by docket number FAA-2015-2903 
using any of the following methods:
     Federal eRegulations Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the online instructions for sending your 
comments electronically.
     Mail: Send comments to Docket Operations, M-30, U.S. 
Department of Transportation (DOT), 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Room 
W12-140, West Building Ground Floor, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
     Hand Delivery of Courier: Take comments to Docket 
Operations in Room W12-140 of the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 
New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m., and 5 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
     Fax: Fax comments to Docket Operations at 202-493-2251.
    Privacy: The FAA will post all comments it receives, without 
change, to http://regulations.gov, including any personal information 
the commenter provides. Using the search function of the docket Web 
site, anyone can find and read the electronic form of all comments 
received into any FAA docket, including the name of the individual 
sending the comment (or signing the comment for an association, 
business, labor union, etc.). DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement can 
be found in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 
19477-19478), as well as at http://DocketsInfo.dot.gov.
    Docket: Background documents or comments received may be read at 
http://www.regulations.gov at any time. Follow the online instructions 
for accessing the docket or go to the Docket Operations in Room W12-140 
of the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 
Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Leslie B. Taylor, Federal Aviation 
Administration, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, MO 64106; telephone (816) 
329-4134; facsimile (816) 329-4090.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  The FAA has determined, in accordance with 
5 U.S. Code 553(b)(3)(B) and 553(d)(3), that notice and opportunity for 
prior public comment hereon are unnecessary because 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.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Special condition No.               Company/airplane model
------------------------------------------------------------------------
23-243-SC.............................  Embraer Model EMB-505.
23-102-SC.............................  Cessna Model 525A.
25-ANM-108............................  Gulfstream Aerospace
                                         Corporation, Model Gulfstream
                                         V.
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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 consider all comments we receive on or before 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.

Background

    On October 11, 2006, Honda Aircraft Company applied for a type 
certificate for their new model HA-420. On October 10, 2013, Honda 
Aircraft Company requested an extension with an effective application 
date of October 1, 2013. This extension changed the type certification 
basis to amendment 23-62.
    The HA-420 is a four to five passenger (depending on 
configuration), two crew, lightweight business jet with a 43,000-foot 
service ceiling and a maximum takeoff weight of 9963 pounds. The 
airplane is powered by two GE-Honda Aero Engines (GHAE) HF-120 turbofan 
engines.
    This airplane will have a novel or unusual design feature 
associated with high altitude operations above 41,000 feet. During the 
development of the supersonic transport special conditions, it was 
noted that certain pressurization

[[Page 48243]]

failures resulted in hot ram or bleed air being used to maintain 
pressurization. Such a measure can lead to cabin temperatures that 
exceed human tolerance limits following probable and improbable 
failures. The current part 23 does not address this hazard.

Type Certification Basis

    Under the provisions of 14 CFR 21.17, Honda Aircraft Company must 
show that the HA-420 meets the applicable provisions of part 23, as 
amended by amendment 23-0 through amendment 23-62 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 HA-420 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 HA-420, 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 HA-420 will incorporate the following novel or unusual design 
features: Will operate at altitudes above 41,000 feet where the 
ventilation requirements in Sec.  23.831, amendment 23-62, are 
inadequate above that altitude.

Applicability

    As discussed above, these special conditions are applicable to the 
HA-420. Should Honda 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 airplanes. 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, identified above, 
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, 
notice and opportunity for prior public comment hereon are unnecessary 
and the FAA finds good cause, in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B) 
and 553(d)(3), making these special conditions effective 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 
21.17; 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 Honda Aircraft Company, HA-420 
airplanes.

1. Air Conditioning

    In addition to the requirements of Sec.  23.831(c) through (d), 
amendment 23-62, the applicant must design the cabin cooling system to 
meet the following conditions during flight above 15,000 feet mean sea 
level:
    a. After any probable failure, the cabin temperature-time history 
may not exceed the values shown in figure 1.
    b. After any improbable failure, the cabin temperature-time history 
may not exceed the values shown in figure 2.

[[Page 48244]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TR12AU15.000


    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri on August 3, 2015.
Earl Lawrence,
Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-19835 Filed 8-11-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P