[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 17 (Wednesday, January 26, 2022)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 3921-3923]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-01443]
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Rules and Regulations
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains regulatory documents
having general applicability and legal effect, most of which are keyed
to and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations, which is published
under 50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.
The Code of Federal Regulations is sold by the Superintendent of Documents.
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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 17 / Wednesday, January 26, 2022 /
Rules and Regulations
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 25
[Docket No. FAA-2022-0056; Special Conditions No. 25-806-SC]
Special Conditions: Peregrine; Installed Rechargeable Lithium
Batteries
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Final special conditions; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: These special conditions are issued for a supplemental type
certificate to install rechargeable lithium batteries in the Emergency
Exit Light (EEL) power supply on certain transport category airplanes.
These airplanes, as modified by Peregrine, will have a novel or unusual
design feature when compared to the state of technology envisioned in
the airworthiness standards for transport category airplanes. This
design feature is the installation of an EEL power supply that contains
rechargeable lithium batteries. 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 Peregrine on January 26, 2022. Send
comments on or before March 14, 2022.
ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by Docket No. FAA-2022-0056 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: Except for Confidential Business Information (CBI) as
described in the following paragraph, and other information as
described in 14 CFR 11.35, the FAA will post all comments received
without change to http://www.regulations.gov/, including any personal
information you provide. The FAA will also post a report summarizing
each substantive verbal contact received about this proposal.
Confidential Business Information: Confidential Business
Information (CBI) is commercial or financial information that is both
customarily and actually treated as private by its owner. Under the
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from
public disclosure. If your comments responsive to this Notice contain
commercial or financial information that is customarily treated as
private, that you actually treat as private, and that is relevant or
responsive to this Notice, it is important that you clearly designate
the submitted comments as CBI. Please mark each page of your submission
containing CBI as ``PROPIN.'' The FAA will treat such marked
submissions as confidential under the FOIA, and the indicated comments
will not be placed in the public docket of this Notice. Submissions
containing CBI should be sent to Nazih Khaouly, Aircraft Systems, AIR-
623, Technical Innovation Policy Branch, Policy and Innovation
Division, Aircraft Certification Service, Federal Aviation
Administration, 2200 South 216th Street, Des Moines, Washington 98198;
telephone and fax 206-231-3160; email [email protected]. Comments
the FAA receives, which are not specifically designated as CBI, will be
placed in the public docket for this rulemaking.
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: Nazih Khaouly, Aircraft Systems, AIR-
623, Technical Innovation Policy Branch, Policy and Innovation
Division, Aircraft Certification Service, Federal Aviation
Administration, 2200 South 216th Street, Des Moines, Washington 98198;
telephone and fax 206 231 3160; 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
The FAA invites 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.
The FAA will consider all comments received by the closing date for
comments. The FAA may change these special conditions based on the
comments received.
Background
On January 22, 2021, Peregrine applied for a supplemental type
certificate to install rechargeable lithium batteries in the ELL power
supply. Peregrine wants to apply this STC to multiple transport
category airplanes and may periodically amend this STC to expand its
applicability to include additional transport category airplane makes
and models.
Type Certification Basis
Under the provisions of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14
CFR) 21.101, Peregrine must show that airplanes, for which they make
application to modify by STC no. ST01086DE, as changed, continue to
meet the applicable
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provisions of the regulations listed in each airplane's respective type
certificate 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 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 airplane model
for which they are issued. Should the applicant apply for an STC to
modify any other model included on the same type certificate 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 airplanes modified by STC no. ST01086DE 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 airplanes with STC no. ST01086DE will incorporate the following
novel or unusual design feature:
The installation of an EEL power supply that contains rechargeable
lithium batteries.
Discussion
Rechargeable lithium batteries are considered to be a novel or
unusual design feature in transport category airplanes, with respect to
the requirements in Sec. 25.1353. This type of battery has certain
failure, operational, and maintenance characteristics that differ
significantly from those of the nickel-cadmium and lead-acid
rechargeable batteries currently approved for installation on transport
category airplanes. These batteries introduce higher energy levels into
airplane systems through new chemical compositions in various battery-
cell sizes and construction. Interconnection of these cells in battery
packs introduces failure modes that require unique design
considerations, such as provisions for thermal management.
Special Condition 1 requires that each individual cell within a
battery be designed to maintain safe temperatures and pressures.
Special Condition 2 addresses these same issues but for the entire
battery. Special Condition 2 requires that the battery be designed to
prevent propagation of a thermal event, such as self-sustained,
uncontrolled increases in temperature or pressure from one cell to
adjacent cells.
Special Conditions 1 and 2 are intended to ensure that the cells
and battery are designed to eliminate the potential for uncontrollable
failures. However, a certain number of failures will occur due to
various factors beyond the control of the designer. Therefore, other
special conditions are intended to protect the airplane and its
occupants if failure occurs.
Special Conditions 3, 7, and 8 are self-explanatory. Special
Condition 4 clarifies that the flammable-fluid fire-protection
requirements of Sec. 25.863 apply to rechargeable lithium battery
installations. Section 25.863 is applicable to areas of the airplane
that could be exposed to flammable fluid leakage from airplane systems.
Rechargeable lithium batteries contain electrolyte that is a flammable
fluid.
Special Condition 5 requires each rechargeable lithium battery
installation to not damage surrounding structure or adjacent systems,
equipment, or electrical wiring from corrosive fluids or gases that may
escape in such a way as to cause a major or more severe failure
condition. Special Condition 6 requires each rechargeable lithium
battery installation to have provisions to prevent any hazardous effect
on airplane structure or systems caused by the maximum amount of heat
it can generate due to any failure of it or its individual cells. The
means of meeting special conditions 5 and 6 may be the same, but they
are independent requirements addressing different hazards. Special
Condition 5 addresses corrosive fluids and gases, whereas special
condition 6 addresses heat.
Special Condition 9 requires rechargeable lithium batteries to have
``automatic'' means, for charge rate and disconnect, due to the fast-
acting nature of lithium battery chemical reactions. Manual
intervention would not be timely or effective in mitigating the hazards
associated with these batteries.
These special conditions apply to all rechargeable lithium battery
installations in lieu of Sec. 25.1353(b)(1) through (4) at Amendment
25-123 or Sec. 25.1353(c)(1) through (4) at earlier amendments. Those
regulations remain in effect for other battery installations.
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
airplane models listed on the approved model list (AML) of STC no.
ST01086DE, which is available at rgl.faa.gov. All models listed in the
AML must be evaluated and determined to comply with these special
conditions. Additionally each new model added to the AML subsequently
must also be evaluated and determined to comply with these special
conditions. Should Peregrine apply at a later date for a change to STC
no. ST01086DE to include any other model on the AML to incorporate the
same novel or unusual design feature, these special conditions would
apply to that model as well. Should Peregrine apply at a later date for
another STC to modify any other model included on the type certificates
of the models on the STC no. ST01086DE AML to incorporate the same
novel or unusual design feature, these special conditions would also
apply to that model as well. These special conditions are not
applicable to those models in which special conditions for rechargeable
lithium batteries have already been issued against the Type Certificate
for that specific model.
Conclusion
This action only affects the installation of an EEL power supply
that contains rechargeable lithium batteries on the airplane models
listed on the AML of STC no. ST01086DE. It is not a rule of general
applicability and affects only the applicant who will apply to the FAA
for approval of these features on the airplanes.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 25
Aircraft, Aviation safety, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements.
Authority Citation
The authority citation for these special conditions is as follows:
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 106(g), 40113, 44701, 44702,
44704.
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 airplane models listed on the approved
model list of
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supplemental type certificate no. ST01086DE, as modified by Peregrine.
In lieu of Sec. 25.1353(b)(1) through (4) at amendment 25-123, or
Sec. 25.1353(c)(1) through (4) at earlier amendments, each
rechargeable lithium battery installation must:
1. Be designed to maintain safe cell temperatures and pressures
under all foreseeable operating conditions to prevent fire and
explosion.
2. Be designed to prevent the occurrence of self-sustaining,
uncontrollable increases in temperature or pressure, and automatically
control the charge rate of each cell to protect against adverse
operating conditions, such as cell imbalance, back charging,
overcharging and overheating.
3. Not emit explosive or toxic gases, either in normal operation or
as a result of its failure that may accumulate in hazardous quantities
within the airplane.
4. Meet the requirements of Sec. 25.863.
5. Not damage surrounding structure or adjacent systems, equipment,
or electrical wiring from corrosive fluids or gases that may escape in
such a way as to cause a major or more-severe failure condition.
6. Have provisions to prevent any hazardous effect on airplane
structure or systems caused by the maximum amount of heat it can
generate due to any failure of it or its individual cells.
7. Have a failure sensing and warning system to alert the flight
crew if its failure affects safe operation of the airplane.
8. Have a monitoring and warning feature that alerts the flightcrew
when its charge state falls below acceptable levels if its function is
required for safe operation of the airplane.
9. Have a means to automatically disconnect from its charging
source in the event of an over-temperature condition, cell failure or
battery failure.
Note: A battery system consists of the battery, battery
charger, and any protective monitoring and alerting circuitry or
hardware inside or outside of the battery. It also includes vents
(where necessary) and packaging. For the purpose of these special
conditions, a battery and the battery system is referred to as a
battery.
Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on January 20, 2022.
Patrick R. Mullen,
Manager, Technical Innovation Policy Branch, Policy and Innovation
Division, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-01443 Filed 1-25-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P