[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 17 (Thursday, January 25, 2024)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 4800-4802]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-01380]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 25

[Docket No. FAA-2023-2444; Special Conditions No. 25-849-SC]


Special Conditions: Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation Model GVIII-
G700 and GVIII-G800 Series Airplanes; Side Stick Controllers--
Controllability and Maneuverability

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 Gulfstream 
Aerospace Corporation (Gulfstream) Model GVIII-G700 and GVIII-G800 
series airplanes.

[[Page 4801]]

These airplanes 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 
side-stick controllers for pitch and roll control. 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 Gulfstream on January 25, 2024. Send 
comments on or before March 11, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by Docket No. FAA-2023-2444 using 
any of the following methods:
     Federal eRegulations Portal: Go to https://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.
     Docket: Background documents or comments received may be 
read at https://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: Troy Brown, Performance and 
Environment Unit, AIR-621A, Technical Policy Branch, Policy and 
Standards Division, Aircraft Certification Service, Federal Aviation 
Administration, 1801 S Airport Rd., Wichita, KS 67209-2190; telephone 
and fax 405-666-1050; 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 finds, pursuant to 14 CFR 11.38(b), that new 
comments are unlikely, and notice and comment prior to this publication 
are unnecessary.

Privacy

    Except for Confidential Business Information (CBI) as described in 
the following paragraph, and other information as described in title 
14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) 11.35, the FAA will post all 
comments received without change to https://www.regulations.gov/, 
including any personal information you provide. The FAA will also post 
a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact received about 
these special conditions.

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 
these special conditions contain commercial or financial information 
that is customarily treated as private, that you actually treat as 
private, and that is relevant or responsive to these special 
conditions, 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 these special conditions. Send 
submissions containing CBI to Troy Brown, Performance and Environment 
Unit, AIR-621A, Technical Policy Branch, Policy and Standards Division, 
Aircraft Certification Service, Federal Aviation Administration, 1801 S 
Airport Rd., Wichita, KS 67209-2190; telephone and fax 405-666-1050; 
email [email protected]. Comments the FAA receives, which are not 
specifically designated as CBI, will be placed in the public docket for 
these special conditions.

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 and will consider comments filed late if it is possible to do 
so without incurring delay. The FAA may change these special conditions 
based on the comments received.

Background

    On December 31, 2019, Gulfstream applied for an amendment to Type 
Certificate No. T00015AT to include the new Model GVIII-G700 and GVIII-
G800 series airplanes. These airplanes, which are derivatives of the 
Model GVI currently approved under Type Certificate No. T00015AT, are 
twin-engine, transport-category airplanes, with a maximum seating for 
19 passengers, and a maximum take-off weight of 107,600 pounds (GVIII-
G700) and 105,600 pounds (GVIII-G800).

Type Certification Basis

    Under the provisions of 14 CFR 21.101, Gulfstream must show that 
the Model GVIII-G700 and GVIII-G800 series airplanes meet the 
applicable provisions of the regulations listed in Type Certificate No. 
T00015AT, 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 (e.g., 14 CFR part 25) do not contain adequate or 
appropriate safety standards for the Gulfstream Model GVIII-G700 and 
GVIII-G800 series 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 Gulfstream Model GVIII-G700 and GVIII-G800 series 
airplanes must comply with the 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 14 CFR 11.38, and they become part of the type 
certification basis under Sec.  21.101.

Novel or Unusual Design Feature

    The Gulfstream Model GVIII-G700 and GVIII-G800 series airplanes 
will

[[Page 4802]]

incorporate the following novel or unusual design feature:
    Side-stick controllers for pitch and roll control.

Discussion

    These special conditions for the Gulfstream Model GVIII-G700 and 
GVIII-G800 series airplanes address the unique features of the side-
stick controllers. The Model GVIII-G700 and GVIII-G800 series airplanes 
will incorporate side-stick controllers controlling a fly-by-wire (FBW) 
flight-control system. The FBW control laws are designed to provide 
conventional flying qualities such as positive static longitudinal and 
lateral stability as prescribed in part 25, subpart B. However, the 
pilot-control forces prescribed in the referenced regulations are not 
applicable for the side-stick controller design.
    Because current FAA regulations do not specifically address the use 
of side-stick controllers for pitch and roll control, the unique 
features of the side stick therefore must be demonstrated, through 
flight and simulator tests, to have suitable handling and control 
characteristics when considering the following:
     The handling qualities tasks and requirements of the 
Gulfstream Model GVIII Special Conditions and other 14 CFR part 25 
requirements for stability, control, and maneuverability, including the 
effects of turbulence.
     General ergonomics: Armrest comfort and support, local 
freedom of movement, displacement-angle suitability, and axis harmony.
     Inadvertent pilot input in turbulence.
     Inadvertent pitch and roll crosstalk from pilot inputs on 
the side-stick controller.
    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 
Gulfstream Model GVIII-G700 and GVIII-G800 series airplanes. Should 
Gulfstream apply at a later date for a change to the type certificate 
to include another 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 apply to the other model 
as well.

Conclusion

    This action affects only a certain novel or unusual design feature 
on Gulfstream Model GVIII-G700 and GVIII-G800 series 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

    The authority citation for these special conditions is as follows:

    Authority:  49 U.S.C. 106(f), 106(g), 40113, 44701, 44702, and 
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 the Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation 
Model GVIII-G700 and GVIII-G800 series airplanes:

(a) Pilot Strength

    In lieu of the control-force limits shown in Sec.  25.143(d) for 
pitch and roll, and in lieu of the specific pitch-force requirements of 
Sec. Sec.  25.143(i)(2), 25.145(b), 25.173(c), 25.175(b), and 
25.175(d), the applicant must show that the temporary and maximum 
prolonged-force levels for the side-stick controllers are suitable for 
all expected operating conditions and configurations, whether normal or 
non-normal.

(b) Pilot-Control Authority

    The electronic side-stick-controller coupling design must provide 
for corrective and/or overriding control inputs by either pilot with no 
unsafe characteristics. Annunciation of the controller status must be 
provided and must not be confusing to the flightcrew.

(c) Pilot Control

    The applicant must show by flight tests that the use of side-stick 
controllers does not produce unsuitable pilot-in-the-loop control 
characteristics when considering precision path control and tasks, and 
turbulence. In addition, pitch and roll control force and displacement 
sensitivity must be compatible, so that normal pilot inputs on one 
control axis will not cause significant unintentional inputs 
(crossover) on the other.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on January 19, 2024.
Patrick R. Mullen,
Manager, Technical Innovation Policy Branch, Policy and Innovation 
Division, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-01380 Filed 1-24-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P