Special Conditions: Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, Model GVII-G400 Airplane; Flight Envelope Protection: Takeoff Stall Protection

Issuing agencies

Abstract

These special conditions are issued for the Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation (Gulfstream) Model GVII-G400 airplane. This airplane 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 envelope protection function to protect the airplane from over- and rapid- rotation on takeoff. 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 91 Issue 216 (Tuesday, November 10, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 216 (Tuesday, November 10, 2026)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 72391-72392]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-22951]



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Rules and Regulations
                                                Federal Register
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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. 91, No. 216 / Tuesday, November 10, 2026 / 
Rules and Regulations

[[Page 72391]]



DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 25

[Docket No. FAA-2026-9408; Special Conditions No. 25-897-SC]


Special Conditions: Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, Model GVII-
G400 Airplane; Flight Envelope Protection: Takeoff Stall Protection

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 GVII-G400 airplane. This 
airplane 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 envelope 
protection function to protect the airplane from over- and rapid-
rotation on takeoff. 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 November 10, 2026. 
Send comments on or before December 28, 2026.

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by Docket No. FAA-2026-9408 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.
    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: Troy Brown, Flight Performance and 
Human Factors Section, AIR-687, Certification Standards Division, 
Aircraft Certification Service, Federal Aviation Administration, 1801 S 
Airport Rd., Wichita, KS 67209-2190; telephone and fax 405-666-1050; 
email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d5a1a7baacfbb4fbb7a7baa2bb95b3b4b4fbb2baa3"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a5d1d7cadc8bc48bc7d7cad2cbe5c3c4c48bc2cad3">[email&#160;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 title 
14, Code of Federal Regulations (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 proposed 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 proposed 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. The FAA may change these special conditions based on the 
comments received.

Background

    On December 1, 2022, Gulfstream applied for an amendment to Type 
Certificate No. T00021AT to include the new Model GVII-G400 airplane. 
The Gulfstream Model GVII-G400 airplane, which is a derivative of the 
Gulfstream Model GVII-500 (currently approved under Type Certificate 
No. T00021AT), is a twin engine transport category airplane with 
seating for 19 passengers and 2 crew, and has a maximum takeoff weight 
of 73,500 pounds.

Type Certification Basis

    Under the provisions of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 
CFR) 21.101, Gulfstream must show that the Model GVII-G400 airplane 
meets the applicable provisions of the regulations listed in Type 
Certificate No. T00021AT, or the applicable regulations

[[Page 72392]]

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 GVII-G400 
airplane 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 GVII-G400 airplane 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 GVII-G400 airplane will incorporate the 
following novel or unusual design feature:
    An envelope protection function within the electronic flight 
control system (EFCS) to protect the airplane from over- and rapid-
rotation on takeoff.

Discussion

    The Gulfstream Model GVII-G400 series airplanes are equipped with 
an envelope protection function within the EFCS that is designed to 
provide an enhanced takeoff stall protection (TSP) function. This 
feature protects against excessive pitch rate and pitch attitude during 
takeoff using a limitation in the electronic flight controls. It is 
designed to provide conventional behavior using a normal takeoff 
technique, including ``performance'' takeoffs. The on-ground mode is a 
pitch rate command with a pitch attitude limit. The functionality in 
on-ground mode is that pitch rate command is proportional to stick 
input. The limit to pitch attitude will indirectly limit the angle of 
attack.
    The TSP involves a control law update in the on-ground control mode 
only. The Model GVII-G400 series airplane's pitch control behavior, 
with regard to rotation rates and attitudes for normal takeoffs, will 
be similar to other Gulfstream airplanes equipped with side sticks; 
however, takeoffs with rapid rotation rates and over-rotation will be 
influenced by the TSP.
    The current regulations in Subpart B of 14 CFR part 25 do not 
address envelope protections for electronic flight control systems as 
this technology is novel or unusual for transport category airplanes. 
These special conditions are specific to Gulfstream airplanes 
incorporating TSP function. These conditions are necessary to ensure 
that the TSP function supports safe operation and does not interfere 
with required maneuvering in normal and emergency operations and in 
foreseeable atmospheric conditions. These conditions also ensure that 
the structural limits of the airplane are not exceeded. Furthermore, 
failure of the TSP function must not create hazardous flight 
conditions.
    The 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 GVII-G400 airplane. 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 GVII-G400 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), 40113, 44701, 44702, and 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 the Gulfstream Model GVII-G400 series 
airplanes, and will be applied by the FAA to the extent necessary to 
certify the envelope protection function within the electronic flight 
control system (EFCS) that protects the airplane from over- and rapid-
rotation on takeoff.
    For airplanes that employ envelope protection functions:
    1. Envelope protection functions must not unduly limit the 
maneuvering capability of the airplane nor interfere with its ability 
to perform maneuvers required for normal and emergency operations.
    2. Onset characteristics of each envelope protection function must 
be appropriate to the phase of flight and type of maneuver and must not 
conflict with the ability of the pilot to satisfactorily control the 
airplane flight path, speed, or attitude.
    3. Excursions of a limited flight parameter beyond its nominal 
design limit value due to dynamic maneuvering, airframe and system 
tolerances, and non-steady atmospheric conditions must not result in 
unsafe flight characteristics or conditions.
    4. Operation of envelope protection functions must not adversely 
affect aircraft control during expected levels of atmospheric 
disturbances, nor impede the application of recovery procedures in case 
of windshear.
    5. Simultaneous activation of envelope protection functions must 
not result in adverse coupling or adverse priority.
    6. In case of abnormal attitude or excursion of any flight 
parameters outside the protected boundaries, operation of envelope 
protection functions must not hinder airplane recovery.

    Issued in Des Moines, WA, on October 29, 2026.
Paul R. Siegmund,
Manager, Transport Airplane and Turbine Engine Standards Branch, 
Certification Standards Division, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2026-22951 Filed 11-9-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P


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