[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 245 (Friday, December 21, 2018)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 65485-65486]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-27566]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 21

Docket No. FAA-2018-0860]


Primary Category Airworthiness Design Standards; Vertical 
Aviation Technologies (VAT) Model S-52L Rotorcraft

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Issuance of final airworthiness design standards.

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SUMMARY: These airworthiness design standards are issued to Vertical 
Aviation Technologies (VAT) for certification of the Model S-52L 
rotorcraft under the regulations for primary category aircraft.

DATES: These airworthiness design standards are effective January 22, 
2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Hughlett, Aviation Safety 
Engineer, Rotorcraft Standards Branch, Policy and Innovation Division, 
FAA, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., Fort Worth, Texas 76177; telephone (817) 
222-5110; email [email protected].

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

Background

    The primary category for aircraft was created specifically for the 
simple, low performance personal aircraft. Section 21.17(f) provides a 
means for applicants to propose airworthiness standards for their 
particular primary category aircraft. The FAA procedure establishing 
appropriate airworthiness standards includes reviewing and possibly 
revising the applicants' proposal, publication of the submittal in the 
Federal Register for public review and comment, and addressing the 
comments. After all necessary revisions, the standards are published as 
approved FAA airworthiness standards.

Comments

    Proposed Primary Category Airworthiness Design Standards; Vertical 
Aviation Technologies (VAT) Model S-52L rotorcraft was published in the 
Federal Register on September 26, 2018 (83 FR 48574). No comments were 
received, and the airworthiness design standards are adopted as 
proposed.

Applicability

    These airworthiness design standards under the primary category 
rule are applicable to the VAT Model S-52L rotorcraft. Should VAT wish 
to apply these airworthiness design standards to other rotorcraft 
models, VAT must submit a new airworthiness design standard application 
under the primary rule category.

Conclusion

    This action affects only certain airworthiness design standards on 
the VAT Model S-52L rotorcraft. It is not a standard of general 
applicability and it affects only the applicant who applied to the FAA 
for approval of these features on the rotorcraft.

Citation

    The authority citation for these airworthiness standards is as 
follows:

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113 and 44701.

Final Airworthiness Standards for Acceptance Under the Primary Category

    CAR 13 effective 03/5/1952 as follows:
    13.0, 13.10, 13.11, 13.12, 13.13, 13.14, 13.16(a), 13.16(b), 
13.16(d), 13.17, 13.18, 13.19, 13.20, 13.21, 13.100, 13.101, 13.102, 
13.103, 13.104, 13.110, 13.111, 13.112, 13.113, 13.114, 13.115, 13.150, 
13.151, 13.153, 13.155, 13.156, 13.157.
    CAR 13 effective 05/16/1953 as follows:
    13.1, 13.15, 13.152, 13.154.
    14 CFR 33 through amendment 33-9 as follows:
    33.4, Appendix A33.
    14 CFR 33 through amendment 33-30 as follows:
    33.7(b).
    14 CFR 27 through amendment 27-0, except as noted below:
     27.853 at amendment 27-37,
     27.1351 at amendment 27-13,
     27.1357 at amendment 27-13,
     27.1529 at amendment 27-18,
     27.561 is replaced with VAT.561,
     27.785 is replaced with VAT.785.
    14 CFR 27 through amendment 27-30 as follows:
    27.952(a), 27.952(c), 27.952(f), 27.952(g).
    14 CFR 27 through amendment 27-35 as follows:
    27.975(b).
    VAT.561 General:
    (a) The rotorcraft, although it may be damaged in emergency landing 
conditions on land or water, must be designed as prescribed in this 
section to protect the occupants under those conditions.
    (b) The structure must be designed to give each occupant every 
reasonable chance of escaping serious injury in a minor crash landing 
when--
    (1) Proper use is made of seats, belts, and other safety design 
provisions;
    (2) The wheels are retracted (where applicable); and
    (3) The occupant experiences the following ultimate inertia forces 
relative to the surrounding structure:
    (i) Upward--4.0g.
    (ii) Forward--8.0g.
    (iii) Sideward--8.0g.
    (iv) Downward--12.0g.
    (v) Rearward--4.0g.
    (c) The supporting structure must be designed to restrain, under 
any ultimate inertial load up to those specified in this paragraph, any 
item of mass above and/or behind the crew and passenger

[[Page 65486]]

compartment that could injure an occupant if it came loose in an 
emergency landing. Items of mass to be considered include, but are not 
limited to, rotors, transmissions, and engines. The items of mass must 
be restrained for the following ultimate inertial load factors:
    (1) Upward--1.5g.
    (2) Forward--4.0g.
    (3) Sideward--2.0g.
    (4) Downward--4.0g
    VAT.785 Seats and berths:
    (a) The seats and berths, and their supporting structures, must be 
designed for loads resulting from the specified flight and landing 
conditions, including the emergency landing conditions of VAT.561.
    (b) The reactions from safety belts and harnesses must be 
considered.
    (c) Each pilot seat must be designed for the reactions resulting 
from the application of the pilot forces prescribed in Sec. 27.397.
    (d) The structural analysis and testing of the structures specified 
in paragraphs (a) through (c) may be simplified--
    (1) By assuming that the critical load in each direction, as 
determined from the prescribed flight, ground, and emergency landing 
conditions, acts separately; or
    (2) By using selected combinations of loads, if the required 
strength in the specified directions is proven.
    (e) Each occupant's seat must have a combined safety belt and 
shoulder harness with a single-point release. Each pilot's combined 
safety belt and shoulder harness must allow each pilot, when seated 
with safety belt and shoulder harness fastened, to perform all 
functions necessary for flight operations. There must be a means to 
secure belts and harnesses, when not in use, to prevent interference 
with the operation of the rotorcraft and with rapid egress in an 
emergency.
    (f) Each occupant must be protected from serious head injury by a 
safety belt plus a shoulder harness that will prevent the head from 
contacting any injurious object.
    (g) The safety belt and shoulder harness must meet the static 
strength requirements specified by this rotorcraft type certification 
basis.
    VAT.963 Fuel tanks: general:
    Each flexible fuel tank bladder or liner must be approved or shown 
to be suitable for the particular application and must be puncture-
resistant. Puncture resistance must be shown by meeting TSO-C80 
paragraph 16.0 requirements using a minimum puncture force of 250 
pounds.
    14 CFR 36 through amendment 36-30 as follows:
     Subpart H

    Issued in Ft. Worth, Texas, on December 12, 2018.
Jorge Castillo,
Acting Manager, Rotorcraft Standards Branch, Policy and Innovation 
Division, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-27566 Filed 12-20-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P