Rule2024-01740
Special Conditions: Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation Model GVIII-G700 and GVIII-G800 Series Airplanes; Operation Without Normal Electrical Power
Primary source
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Published
January 30, 2024
Effective
January 30, 2024
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Aviation Administration
Abstract
These special conditions are issued for the Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation (Gulfstream) Model GVIII-G700 and GVIII-G800 series airplanes. 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 an electronic flight-control system, the functions of which are dependent upon the electrical power-generation and distribution systems, whereby the loss of all electrical power may be catastrophic to the airplane. 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.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 20 (Tuesday, January 30, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 20 (Tuesday, January 30, 2024)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 5760-5762]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-01740]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 25
[Docket No. FAA-2023-2439; Special Conditions No. 25-852-SC]
Special Conditions: Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation Model GVIII-
G700 and GVIII-G800 Series Airplanes; Operation Without Normal
Electrical Power
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. 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 an electronic flight-control system, the functions of which
are dependent upon the electrical power-generation and distribution
systems, whereby the loss of all electrical power may be catastrophic
to the airplane. 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 30, 2024. Send
comments on or before March 15, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by Docket No. FAA-2023-2439 using
any of the following methods:
<bullet> Federal eRegulations Portal: Go to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a> and
follow the online instructions for sending your comments
electronically.
<bullet> 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.
<bullet> 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.
<bullet> Fax: Fax comments to Docket Operations at 202-493-2251.
[[Page 5761]]
<bullet> Docket: Background documents or comments received may be
read at <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a> 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: Dan Poblete, Aircraft Systems, AIR-
623, Technical Innovation Policy Branch, Policy and Innovation
Division, Aircraft Certification Service, Federal Aviation
Administration, 3960 Paramount Boulevard, Suite 100, Lakewood,
California 90712; telephone 562-627-5335, fax 562-627-5210; email
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#eb8f8a85828e87c58fc59b8489878e9f8eab8d8a8ac58c849d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="4c282d222529206228623c232e202938290c2a2d2d622b233a">[email protected]</span></a>.
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 14 CFR
11.35, the FAA will post all comments received without change to
<a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a>, 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 the individual listed in the For Further
Information Contact section above. 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 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 title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (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 (i.e., 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 Features
The Gulfstream Model GVIII-G700 and GVIII-G800 series airplanes
will incorporate the following novel or unusual design feature:
This design feature is an electronic flight-control system, the
functions of which are dependent upon the electrical power-generation
and distribution systems, whereby the loss of all electrical power may
be catastrophic to the airplane. These special conditions retain the
level of safety offered by Sec. 25.1351(d).
Discussion
The Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation Model GVIII-G700 and GVIII-
G800 airplanes incorporate a fly-by-wire flight-control system that
requires a continuous source of electrical power to keep the flight-
control system operable. The current regulation, Sec. 25.1351(d),
Amendment 25-72, ``Operation without normal electrical power,'' states
that the airplane must be operated safely in visual-flight-rules
conditions for a period of not less than five minutes after loss of all
normal electrical power. This rule was structured around a traditional
design of mechanical control cables for flight control that allowed
time for the crew to remedy an electrical failure, start the engine(s)
if necessary, and re-establish some or all of the electrical power-
generation capability.
To maintain the same level of safety associated with traditional
designs, the Model GVIII-G700 and GVIII-G800 airplane's design must not
be time limited in its operation when the airplane is without its
normal source of engine- or auxiliary-power-unit-generated electrical
power. Service experience has shown that the loss of all electrical
power generated by an airplane's engine generators or auxiliary power
unit (APU) is not extremely improbable. Likewise, regulations
[[Page 5762]]
require the applicant to demonstrate that the airplane has the power
required for continued safe flight and landing with the use of its
emergency electrical power systems. These emergency electrical power
systems must be able to power all loads considered essential for
continued safe flight and landing.
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 incorporating the same novel or unusual design
feature, these special conditions would apply to that model as well.
Conclusion
This action affects only a certain novel or unusual design feature
on Gulfstream Model GVIII-G700 and GVIII-G800 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
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
[ssquf] 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 Gulfstream Model GVIII-G700 and
GVIII-G800 series airplanes.
Because the total loss of normal, generated, electrical power in
two-engine airplanes is not extremely improbable, and because the loss
of all electrical power may be catastrophic to airplanes equipped with
an electronic flight-control system, the following special conditions
apply to Gulfstream Model GVIII-G700 and GVIII-G800 airplanes.
(a) In lieu of Sec. 25.1351(d), the following special conditions
apply:
(1) Gulfstream must show, by test or a combination of test and
analysis, that the airplane is capable of continued safe flight and
landing with all normal electrical power sources inoperative, as
prescribed by paragraphs (1)(i) and (1)(ii), below. For purposes of
these special conditions, normal sources of electrical-power generation
do not include alternate power sources such as the battery, ram-air
turbine, or independent power systems such as the flight-control
permanent-magnet generating system. In showing capability for continued
safe flight and landing, Gulfstream must account for systems
capability, effects on crew workload and operating conditions, and the
physiological needs of the flightcrew and passengers for the longest
diversion time for which Gulfstream is seeking approval.
(i) In showing compliance with this requirement, Gulfstream must
account for common-cause failures, cascading failures, and zonal
physical threats.
(ii) Gulfstream may consider the ability to restore operation of
portions of the electrical power generation and distribution system if
it can be shown that unrecoverable loss of those portions of the system
is extremely improbable. The design must provide an alternative source
of electrical power for the time required to restore the minimum
electrical-power generation capability required for safe flight and
landing. Gulfstream may exclude unrecoverable loss of all engines when
showing compliance with this requirement.
(2) Regardless of electrical-power generation and distribution-
system recovery capability shown under special condition (1), above,
sufficient electrical-system capability must be provided to:
(i) Allow time to descend, with all engines inoperative, at the
speed that provides the best glide distance, from the maximum operating
altitude to the top of the engine-restart envelope, and
(ii) Subsequently allow multiple start attempts of the engines and
auxiliary power unit (APU). The design must provide this capability in
addition to the electrical capability required by existing part 25
requirements related to operation with all engines inoperative.
(3) The airplane emergency electrical-power system must be designed
to supply:
(i) Electrical power required for immediate safety, which must
continue to operate without the need for crew action following the loss
of the normal electrical power, for a duration sufficient to allow
reconfiguration to provide a non-time-limited source of electrical
power.
(ii) Electrical power required for continued safe flight and
landing for the maximum diversion time.
(4) If the applicant uses APU-generated electrical power to satisfy
the requirements of these special conditions, and if reaching a
suitable runway for landing is beyond the capacity of the battery
systems, then the APU must be able to be started under any foreseeable
flight condition prior to the depletion of the battery, or the
restoration of normal electrical power, whichever occurs first. Flight
tests must demonstrate this capability at the most critical condition.
(i) The applicant must show that the APU will provide adequate
electrical power for continued safe flight and landing.
(ii) The airplane flight manual (AFM) must incorporate abnormal
procedures that direct the pilot to take appropriate actions to
activate the APU after loss of normal engine-driven generated
electrical power.
(5) As part of showing compliance with these special conditions,
the tests to demonstrate loss of all normal electrical power must also
take into account the following:
(i) The assumption that the failure condition occurs during night
instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) at the most critical phase
of the flight, relative to the worst possible electrical-power
distribution and equipment-loads-demand condition.
(ii) After an unrestorable loss of normal engine-driven generated
electrical power, the airplane engine-restart capability is provided,
and operations are continued in IMC.
(iii) The airplane is demonstrated to be capable of continued safe
flight and landing. The duration of this capability must be computed
based on the maximum diversion-time capability for which the airplane
is being certified. The applicant must account for airspeed reductions
resulting from the associated failure or failures.
(iv) The airplane must provide adequate indication of loss of
normal electrical power to direct the pilot to the abnormal procedures,
and the AFM must incorporate abnormal procedures that will direct the
pilot to take appropriate actions.
Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on January 24, 2024.
Patrick R. Mullen,
Manager, Technical Innovation Policy Branch, Policy and Innovation
Division, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-01740 Filed 1-29-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on January 30, 2024.
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