[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 55 (Wednesday, March 21, 2018)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 12251-12252]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-05651]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 25

[Docket No. FAA-2018-0201; Special Conditions No. 25-717-SC]


Special Conditions: Bombardier Inc., Model BD-700-2A12 and BD-
700-2A13 Series Airplanes, Flight Envelope Protection: Pitch and Roll 
Limiting

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 Bombardier Inc. 
(Bombardier), Model BD-700-2A12 and BD-700-2A13 series airplanes. This 
airplane will have a novel or unusual design feature when compared to 
the state of technology envisioned in the applicable airworthiness 
standards for transport-category airplanes. This design feature is the 
fly-by-wire electronic flight-control system (EFCS) that will limit 
pitch and roll functions to prevent the airplane from attaining certain 
pitch attitudes and roll angles. 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: This action is effective on Bombardier Inc. on March 21, 2018. 
Send your comments by May 7, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by docket number FAA-2018-0201 
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 or 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://www.regulations.gov/, including any personal 
information the commenter provides. Using the search function of the 
docket website, 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).
    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 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: Joe Jacobsen, FAA, Airplane and Flight 
Crew Interface Section, AIR-671, Transport Standards Branch, Policy and 
Innovation Division, Aircraft Certification Service, 2200 South 216th 
Street, Des Moines, Washington 98198; telephone 206-231-3158; email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The substance of these special conditions 
has been published in the Federal Register for public comment in 
several prior instances with no substantive comments received. 
Therefore, the FAA has determined that prior public notice and comment 
are unnecessary, and finds that, for the same reason, good cause exists 
for adopting these special conditions upon publication in the Federal 
Register.

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 will consider all comments we receive by the closing date for 
comments. We may change these special conditions based on the comments 
we receive.

Background

    On May 30, 2012, Bombardier applied for an amendment to Type 
Certificate No. T00003NY to include the new Models BD-700-2A12 and BD-
700-2A13 series airplanes. The BD-700-2A12 and BD-700-2A13 series 
airplanes, are derivatives of the BD-700 currently approved under Type 
Certificate No. T00003NY, and are business jets with a maximum 
certified passenger capacity of 19. The maximum takeoff weight of Model 
BD-700-2A12 airplane is 106,250 lbs. and 104,800 lbs. for the Model BD-
700-2A13 airplane.

Type Certification Basis

    Under the provisions of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 
CFR) 21.101, Bombardier must show that the Model BD-700-2A12 and BD-
700-2A13 airplanes meet the applicable provisions of the regulations 
listed in Type Certificate No. T00003NY or the applicable regulations 
in effect on the date of application for the change except for earlier 
amendments as agreed upon by the FAA.
    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 BD-700-2A12 and BD-700-2A13 
airplanes 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 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, or should any other model already included on 
the same type certificate be modified to incorporate the same novel or 
unusual design feature, these special conditions would also apply to 
the other model under Sec.  21.101.
    In addition to the applicable airworthiness regulations and special 
conditions, the Bombardier Model BD-700-2A12 and BD-700-2A13 series 
airplanes 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.
    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.  21.101.

Novel or Unusual Design Features

    The Model BD-700-2A12 and BD-700-2A13 airplanes will incorporate 
the

[[Page 12252]]

following novel or unusual design features:
    Fly-by-wire EFCS that will limit pitch and roll functions to 
prevent the airplane from attaining certain pitch attitudes and roll 
angles greater than plus or minus 65 degrees, and introduce positive 
spiral stability introduced for roll angles greater than 30 degrees at 
speeds below VMO/MMO. This system generates the 
actual surface commands that provide for stability augmentation and 
flight control for all three airplane axes (longitudinal, lateral, and 
directional).

Discussion

    Part 25 of title 14 of the CFR does not specifically relate to 
flight characteristics associated with fixed attitude limits. 
Bombardier proposes to implement on the airplanes pitch and roll 
attitude-limiting functions via the EFCS normal mode. This will prevent 
the airplane from attaining certain pitch attitudes and roll angles 
greater than plus or minus 65 degrees. In addition, positive spiral 
stability, introduced for roll angles greater than 30 degrees at speeds 
below VMO/MMO, and spiral stability 
characteristics, must not require excessive pilot strength to achieve 
bank angles up to the bank-angle limit. These special conditions are in 
addition to the requirements of Sec.  25.143. 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.

Applicability

    As discussed above, these special conditions are applicable to the 
Model BD-700-2A12 and BD-700-2A13 airplanes. Should Bombardier apply at 
a later date for a change to the type certificate to include another 
model incorporating the same novel or unusual design feature, these 
special conditions would apply to that model as well.

Conclusion

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

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 25

    Aircraft, Aviation safety, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements.

Authority Citation

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 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 Bombardier Model BD-700-2A12 and BD-
700-2A13 series airplanes:
    In addition to Sec.  25.143, the following requirements apply to 
the electronic flight-control system (EFCS) pitch- and roll-limiting 
functions:
    1. The pitch-limiting function must not impede normal maneuvering 
for pitch angles up to the maximum required for normal maneuvering, 
including a normal, all-engines-operating takeoff, plus a suitable 
margin to allow for satisfactory speed control.
    2. The pitch- and roll-limiting functions must not restrict or 
prevent attaining pitch attitudes necessary for emergency maneuvering, 
or roll angles up to 65 degrees. Spiral stability, which is introduced 
above 30 degrees of roll angle, must not require excessive pilot 
strength to achieve these roll angles. Other protections, which further 
limit the roll capability under certain extreme angle-of-attack, 
attitude, or high-speed conditions, are acceptable, as long as they 
allow at least 45 degrees of roll capability.
    3. A lower limit of roll is acceptable beyond the overspeed warning 
if it is possible to recover the airplane to the normal flight envelope 
without undue difficulty or delay.

    Issued in Des Moines, Washington.
Victor Wicklund,
Manager, Transport Standards Branch, Policy and Innovation Division, 
Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-05651 Filed 3-20-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P