Proposed Rule2024-14489
Draft Policy Statement on Special Class Rotorcraft
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
July 11, 2024
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Aviation Administration
Abstract
The FAA invites public comment on the agency's draft policy statement PS-AIR-21.17-02, "Special Class Rotorcraft." This proposed policy would identify certain rotorcraft as special class.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 133 (Thursday, July 11, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 133 (Thursday, July 11, 2024)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 56824-56825]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-14489]
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Proposed Rules
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 133 / Thursday, July 11, 2024 /
Proposed Rules
[[Page 56824]]
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 21
[Docket No. FAA-2024-1794]
Draft Policy Statement on Special Class Rotorcraft
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The FAA invites public comment on the agency's draft policy
statement PS-AIR-21.17-02, ``Special Class Rotorcraft.'' This proposed
policy would identify certain rotorcraft as special class.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before September 9, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Send comments identified with ``PS-AIR-21.17-02'' and docket
number FAA-2024-1794 using any of the following methods:
<bullet> Federal eRulemaking 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.
Privacy: The FAA will post all comments received without change to
<a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a>, including any personal information the commenter
provides. DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement can be found in the
Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-19478), as
well as at <a href="http://DocketsInfo.dot.gov">DocketsInfo.dot.gov</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Blyn, Product Policy Management:
Airplanes, GA, Emerging Aircraft, and Rotorcraft AIR-62B, Policy and
Standards Division, Aircraft Certification Service, Federal Aviation
Administration, 10101 Hillwood Pkwy., Fort Worth, Texas 76177;
telephone (817) 222-5762; email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#345e555951471a56584d5a745255551a535b42"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e389828e8690cd818f9a8da3858282cd848c95">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Advancements in technology have resulted in the development of
electrically powered rotorcraft with more than two main rotor systems.
Although these aircraft are rotorcraft as defined in 14 CFR part 1, the
FAA has found that they are not typical of the rotorcraft designs
utilizing main and auxiliary rotors envisaged by the rotorcraft
airworthiness standards in 14 CFR parts 27 and 29.
Rotorcraft type-certificated in the normal and transport categories
under parts 27 and 29, respectively, have primarily been helicopters
that use a single main rotor and an anti-torque rotor or two main
rotors to provide lift and thrust for horizontal flight. Helicopters
create lift by changing the pitch of the main rotor blades and move
into horizontal flight by varying the pitch of the main rotor blades
throughout their rotation.
Over the past few years, the FAA has been working with potential
applicants on certification projects for normal category rotorcraft
designs that create lift and thrust by using multiple (three or more)
rotor systems. Instead of varying the pitch of the rotor blade
throughout its rotation, these aircraft create directional control for
horizontal movement by varying the power at each rotor. These aircraft
also rely on electric or hybrid-electric propulsion and not (or not
only) a traditional internal combustion engine. Additionally, they
employ advanced flight control system designs, such as fly-by-wire,
that are highly integrated with the electric propulsion system. These
designs provide extensive flight envelop protection and introduce high
levels of automation.
During these projects, the FAA has found that existing type
certification criteria do not accommodate or apply to these rotorcraft.
For example, only 60 percent of the requirements in part 27 may be
appropriate for these designs. Some of the remaining requirements are
not applicable and would need exemptions from the regulatory
requirements. For other requirements, due to the novel and unusual
design, applicants would need special conditions to modify the existing
standards. Furthermore, additional airworthiness criteria, for which
there are no standards in part 27, would require special conditions to
provide an appropriate safety standard to address the novel and unusual
design features.
The FAA amended 14 CFR part 21 at amendment 21-60 to add procedural
requirements for the issuance of type certificates for special classes
of aircraft in Sec. 21.17(b). In the Final Rule, the FAA explained
that it intended the special class category to include, in part, those
aircraft that would not be eligible for certification under existing
standards due to their unique, novel, or unusual design features. The
FAA further stated that the ``decision to type certificate an aircraft
in either the special class aircraft category or under part 23 of the
[CFR] is entirely dependent upon the aircraft's unique, novel, and/or
unusual design features.'' (52 FR 8040, March 13, 1987).
The rotorcraft described in the paragraphs above have those unique,
novel, or unusual design features the special class category was
designed to accommodate. Type certificating these rotorcraft under part
27 or 29 with exemptions and special conditions would be a lengthy
administrative process. The resulting certification basis will likely
contain a portion of the existing airworthiness standards combined with
a significant number of special conditions containing unique
airworthiness criteria. Moreover, the special class process provides
the public greater visibility of the complete certification basis. The
level of safety provided by the certification basis would be the same
under either process.
Accordingly, the FAA has determined that special class rotorcraft
as defined in this policy are sufficiently different from the normal
and transport category rotorcraft envisaged by parts 27 and 29,
respectively, to be considered a ``special class'' of rotorcraft under
Sec. 21.17(b). This finding is consistent with the definition of
``class'' in part 1 as used with respect to the certification of
aircraft. The FAA has concluded that
[[Page 56825]]
designating these rotorcraft as a special class under Sec. 21.17(b)
would provide a more practical means of type certification and is in
the public interest. Additionally, an applicant for a special class
rotorcraft may use propellers in place of rotors for the rotorcraft's
lift and directional control.
Comments Invited
The FAA invites the public to submit comments on the draft policy
statement, as specified in the ADDRESSES section. Commenters should
include the subject line ``PS-AIR-21.17-02'' and the docket number FAA-
2024-1794 on all comments submitted to the FAA. The most helpful
comments will reference a specific portion of the draft document,
explain the reasons for any recommended change, and include supporting
data. The FAA will consider all comments received on or before the
closing date before issuing the final policy statement. The FAA will
also consider comments filed late if it is possible to do so without
incurring expense or delay.
You may examine the draft advisory circular on the agency's public
website and in the docket as follows:
<bullet> At <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a> in Docket Number FAA-2024-
1794.
<bullet> At <a href="http://www.faa.gov/aircraft/draft_docs/">http://www.faa.gov/aircraft/draft_docs/</a>.
Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on June 26, 2024.
Patrick Mullen,
Manager, Technical Policy Branch, Policy and Standards Division,
Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-14489 Filed 7-10-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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