Special Conditions: Embraer S.A., Model ERJ 190-300 Series Airplanes; Electrical/Electronic Equipment Bay Fire Detection and Smoke Penetration, 71357-71360 [2016-25060]
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 200 / Monday, October 17, 2016 / Rules and Regulations
and this document now posts the
correct special conditions number. Also,
a typographical error occurred in the
wording of one of the headings
paragraphs of the document. This
document now posts the correct
headings wording.
DATES: This correction is effective on
October 17, 2016.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Varun Khanna, FAA, Airplane and
Flight Crew Interface Branch, ANM–
111, Transport Airplane Directorate,
Aircraft Certification Service, 1601 Lind
Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98055–4056;
telephone (425) 227–1298; facsimile
(425) 227–1149.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On October 31, 2013 (78 FR 65153),
the FAA published a final special
conditions, request for comments
document entitled ‘‘Special Conditions:
Learjet Model 45 Series Airplanes;
Aircraft Electronic System Security
Protection from Unauthorized External
Access.’’ The document issued special
conditions pertaining to aircraft
electronic system security protection
from unauthorized external access for
the Learjet Model 45 series airplanes.
However, the final special conditions;
request for comments, document was
published with an incorrect special
conditions number. The correct special
conditions number for this document is
‘‘25–501–SC.’’
Also, there was a typographical error
in one of the headings paragraphs of the
document. The correct heading should
read ‘‘ACTION: Final special conditions,
request for comments.’’ This document
corrects that error.
Since no part of the regulatory
information in the special conditions
has been changed, the special
conditions are not being republished.
jstallworth on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with RULES
Correction
In Final special conditions; request
for comments document [FR Doc. 2013–
25846, Filed 10–30–13; 8:45 a.m.] and
published in the Federal Register on
October 31, 2013 (78 FR 65153), make
the following corrections:
1. On page 65153, in the first column,
correct the 4th headings paragraph, from
‘‘[Docket No. FAA–2013–0920, Special
Conditions No. 25–13–12–SC]’’ to read
as ‘‘[Docket No. FAA–2013–0920,
Special Conditions No. 25–501–SC].’’
2. On page 63153, in the first column,
correct the 7th headings paragraph, from
‘‘ACTION: Final special condition;
request for comments.’’ to read as
‘‘ACTION: Final special conditions;
request for comments.’’
VerDate Sep<11>2014
14:00 Oct 14, 2016
Jkt 241001
Issued in Renton, Washington, on October
6, 2016.
Michael Kaszycki,
Assistant Manager, Transport Airplane
Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2016–25063 Filed 10–14–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–13–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 25
[Docket No. FAA–2013–0919, Special
Conditions No. 25–502–SC]
Special Conditions: Learjet Model 45
Series Airplanes; Isolation or Security
Protection of the Aircraft Control
Domain and the Airline Information
Services Domain From the Passenger
Services Domain
Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Final special conditions; request
for comments; correction.
AGENCY:
The FAA is correcting a final
special conditions; request for
comments document published in the
Federal Register on October 31, 2013
(78 FR 65155). In that document the
special conditions number was incorrect
and this document now posts the
correct special conditions number. Also,
a typographical error occurred in the
wording of one of the headings
paragraphs of the document. This
document now posts the correct
headings wording.
DATES: This correction is effective on
October 17, 2016.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Varun Khanna, FAA, Airplane and
Flight Crew Interface Branch, ANM–
111, Transport Airplane Directorate,
Aircraft Certification Service, 1601 Lind
Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98055–4056;
telephone (425) 227–1298; facsimile
(425) 227–1149.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
SUMMARY:
Background
On October 31, 2013 (78 FR 65155),
the FAA published a final special
conditions, request for comments
document entitled ‘‘Special Conditions:
Learjet Model 45 Series Airplanes;
Isolation or Security Protection of the
Aircraft Control Domain and the Airline
Information Services Domain from the
Passenger Services Domain.’’ The
document issued special conditions
pertaining to isolation or security
protection of the aircraft control domain
and the airline information services
domain from the passenger services
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71357
domain for the Learjet Model 45 series
airplanes.
However, the special conditions;
request for comments document was
published with an incorrect special
conditions number. The correct special
conditions number for this document is
‘‘25–502–SC.’’
Also, there was a typographical error
in one of the headings paragraphs in the
document. The correct heading should
read ‘‘ACTION: Final special conditions,
request for comments.’’ This document
corrects that error.
Since no part of the regulatory
information in the special conditions
has been changed, the special
conditions are not being republished.
Correction
In Final special conditions; request
for comments document [FR Doc. 2013–
25851, Filed 10–30–13; 8:45 a.m.] and
published on October 31, 2013 (78 FR
65155), make the following corrections:
1. On page 65155, in the first column,
correct the 4th headings paragraph, from
‘‘[Docket No. FAA–2013–0919, Special
Conditions No. 25–13–11–SC]’’ to read
as ‘‘[Docket No. FAA–2013–0919,
Special Conditions No. 25–502–SC].’’
2. On page 65155, in the first column,
correct the 7th headings paragraph, from
‘‘ACTION: Final special condition;
request for comments.’’ to read as
‘‘ACTION: Final special conditions,
request for comments.’’
Issued in Renton, Washington, on October
6, 2016.
Michael Kaszycki,
Assistant Manager, Transport Airplane
Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2016–25062 Filed 10–14–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–13–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 25
[Docket No. FAA–2016–9282; Special
Conditions No. 25–640–SC]
Special Conditions: Embraer S.A.,
Model ERJ 190–300 Series Airplanes;
Electrical/Electronic Equipment Bay
Fire Detection and Smoke Penetration
Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Final special conditions; request
for comments.
AGENCY:
These special conditions are
issued for the Embraer S.A. Model ERJ
190–300 series airplanes. These
airplanes will have novel or unusual
design features when compared to the
SUMMARY:
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71358
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 200 / Monday, October 17, 2016 / Rules and Regulations
state of technology envisioned in the
airworthiness standards for transport
category airplanes. These design
features are electrical/electronic
equipment bays distributed throughout
the airplane, with three of them in the
pressurized area. The time it takes to
determine the source of smoke in an
airplane with three or more equipment
bays could allow fire to spread,
generating a significant quantity of
smoke and damage. The applicable
airworthiness regulations do not contain
adequate or appropriate safety standards
for these design features. 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
Embraer S.A. on October 17, 2016. We
must receive your comments by
December 1, 2016.
ADDRESSES: Send comments identified
by docket number FAA–2016–9282
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.
Privacy: The FAA will post all
comments it receives, without change,
to https://www.regulations.gov/,
including any personal information the
commenter provides. Using the search
function of the docket Web site, anyone
can find and read the electronic form of
all comments received into any FAA
docket, including the name of the
individual sending the comment (or
signing the comment for an association,
business, labor union, etc.). 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
https://DocketsInfo.dot.gov/.
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
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14:00 Oct 14, 2016
Jkt 241001
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:
Stephen Happenny, FAA, Propulsion
and Mechanical Systems Branch, ANM–
112, Transport Airplane Directorate,
Aircraft Certification Service, 1601 Lind
Avenue SW., Renton, Washington
98057–3356; telephone 425–227–2147;
facsimile 425–227–1149.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA
has determined that notice of, and
opportunity for prior public comment
on, these special conditions is
impracticable because these procedures
would significantly delay issuance of
the design approval and thus delivery of
the affected airplane.
In addition, the substance of these
special conditions has been subject to
the public comment process in several
prior instances with no substantive
comments received. The FAA therefore
finds that good cause exists for making
these special conditions effective upon
publication in the Federal Register.
Comments Invited
The FAA is requesting comments to
allow interested persons to submit
views that may not have been submitted
in response to the prior opportunities
for comment described above. We invite
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.
We will consider all comments we
receive by the closing date for
comments. We may change these special
conditions based on the comments we
receive.
Background
On September 13, 2013, Embraer S.A.
applied for an amendment to Type
Certificate (TC) No. A57NM to include
the new Model ERJ 190–300 series
airplanes. The ERJ 190–300, which is a
derivative of the ERJ 190–100 STD
currently approved under TC No.
A57NM, is a 97 to 114-passenger
transport category airplane with two
Pratt & Whitney Model PW1900G
engines, a new wing design with a high
aspect ratio and raked wingtip, and a
new electrical distribution system.
The ERJ 190–300 will have electrical/
electronic equipment bays distributed
throughout the airplane, with three of
them in the pressurized area. The
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applicable airworthiness requirements
of Title 14, Code of Federal Aviation (14
CFR) 25.831 and 25.869 do not contain
adequate or appropriate safety standards
regarding smoke or fire detection and
protection against the penetration of
hazardous quantities of smoke into
occupied areas of the airplane for this
type of airplane configuration.
Type Certification Basis
Under the provisions of 14 CFR
21.101, Embraer S.A. must show that
the ERJ 190–300 meets the applicable
provisions of the regulations listed in
TC No. A57NM or the applicable
regulations in effect on the date of
application for the change, except for
earlier amendments as agreed upon by
the FAA. Embraer S.A. must show that
the ERJ 190–300 meets the applicable
provisions of 14 CFR part 25, as
amended by Amendments 25–1 through
25–137.
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 ERJ 190–300 because of a novel
or unusual design feature, special
conditions are prescribed under the
provisions of § 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 features, or should any other
model already included on the same
type certificate be modified to
incorporate the same novel or unusual
design features, these special conditions
would also apply to the other model
under § 21.101.
In addition to the applicable
airworthiness regulations and special
conditions, the ERJ 190–300 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 § 11.38, and they become part of
the type certification basis under
§ 21.101.
Novel or Unusual Design Features
The ERJ 190–300 will incorporate the
following novel or unusual design
features: Electrical/electronic equipment
bays that are distributed throughout the
airplane. There are three electrical bays
in the pressurized area—forward,
center, and aft. The forward bay is
located below the flight deck; the center
bay is in the center fuselage below the
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cabin floor; and the aft bay is located
near the aft pressure bulkhead.
Discussion
Traditionally, airplanes certified
under part 25 have had one or two
electrical equipment bays located in the
lower lobe adjacent to pressure regulator
and outflow valves or vents. If a fire
occurs in an electrical/electronic
equipment bay, any smoke is drawn
toward the outflow valves or vents and
discharged from the airplane without
entering occupied areas. On these
airplanes, the procedure for flight crew
determination of whether the source of
the smoke is in the electrical/electronic
equipment bay has relied on trial and
error. However, many factors, including
the airflow pattern, potential leak paths,
and location of outflow and regulator
valves, can make it difficult to identify
the smoke source, especially during
system and flight transients, such as
climbing, descending, or other changes
that would affect the internal flow path.
Also, if smoke penetrates occupied
areas, the flight crew would have less
information with which to determine
whether the source of the smoke is in an
electrical/electronic equipment bay.
The FAA has accepted this trial and
error approach for airplanes with no
more than two electrical/electronic
equipment bays, both located in the
lower lobe. However, for airplanes with
three or more equipment bays, the
additional time it could take the
flightcrew to determine the source of
smoke would also allow the fire
additional time to spread and generate
significant amounts of smoke and
damage.
Section 25.857 requires that cargo
compartments have means to prevent
hazardous quantities of smoke or fire
extinguishing agent from penetrating
into occupied areas of the airplane.
However, the regulatory requirements
do not address the following:
• Preventing hazardous quantities of
smoke or extinguishing agent
originating from the electrical/electronic
equipment bays from penetrating into
occupied areas of the airplane; or
• Installing smoke or fire detectors in
electrical/electronic equipment bays.
The FAA determined that airplanes
with electrical/electronic equipment bay
configurations like that of the ERJ 190–
300 need a means to detect smoke or fire
in each electrical/electronic equipment
bay located in the pressurized cabin to
ensure that the flightcrew can make an
informed decision as to the source of
smoke and shut down the specific
electrical/electronic equipment where
smoke or fire is present. If the electrical/
electronic equipment cannot be
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Jkt 241001
completely shut down due to conflict
with other safety requirements, Embraer
must conduct an analysis to:
• Show the criteria for shutting down
the specific electrical/electronic
equipment in the electrical/electronic
equipment bay that can be shut down;
and
• For the remaining electrical/
electronic equipment, demonstrate that
there are safety precautions
incorporated against fire propagation,
such as thermal protection, fire
containment, or other means, as
addressed in advisory circular AC 25–
16, ‘‘Electrical Fault and Fire Prevention
and Protection,’’ dated April 5, 1991.
The purpose of the smoke/fire
detection systems is to accomplish one
or more of the following: Automatically
shut off power to the affected
equipment; reconfigure the
environmental control systems, if
necessary, to control any smoke
resulting from a fire or overheat
condition; or alert the crew to the
existence of the fire.
These alternate criteria that the FAA
has developed to certify airplane
designs that incorporate distributed
electrical/electronic equipment bays are
based on existing smoke/fire detection
and smoke penetration guidance and
acceptable past practices. Sections
25.831(b), (c), and (d), and 25.869
provide the general requirements that
apply to electrical/electronic equipment
smoke penetration and evacuation.
Flight tests are conducted to
demonstrate compliance; however, the
amount of smoke generated and flight
test conditions have been highly
variable.
The special conditions below require
a smoke or fire detection system in each
electrical/electronic equipment bay
located in the pressurized compartment.
They also include requirements to
prevent propagation of hazardous
quantities of smoke or fire extinguishing
agent throughout the passenger cabin.
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 ERJ
190–300 series airplanes. Should
Embraer S.A. 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.
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71359
Conclusion
This action affects only certain novel
or unusual design features on one model
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.
The authority citation for these
special conditions is as follows:
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701,
44702, 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 Embraer S.A.
Model ERJ 190–300 series airplanes.
Design Requirements for Smoke
Detection and Smoke Penetration in
Distributed Electrical/Electronic
Equipment Bays.
1. Requirements to prevent
propagation of smoke from entering the
passenger cabin and cockpit:
a. To prevent such propagation,
means to prevent hazardous quantities
of smoke originating from the electrical/
electronic equipment bays from
incapacitating passengers and crew
must be demonstrated. Flight tests must
be part of such demonstration and shall
cover all dispatchable system
configurations.
b. A small quantity of smoke may
enter an occupied area only if the design
meets all of the following conditions:
i. The smoke enters occupied areas
during system transients 1 from below
deck or main deck sources. No
sustained smoke penetration beyond
that from environmental control system
transients is permitted.
ii. Penetration of the small quantity of
smoke is a dynamic event, characterized
by either dissipation or mobility.
Dissipation is rapid dilution of the
smoke by ventilation air, and mobility is
rapid movement of the smoke into and
out of the occupied area. In no case
should there be formation of a light haze
indicative of stagnant airflow, as this
1 Transient airflow conditions may cause air
pressure differences between compartments, before
the ventilation and pressurization system is
reconfigured. Additional transients occur during
changes to system configurations such as pack shutdown, fan shut-down, or changes in cabin altitude;
transition in bleed source change, such as from
intermediate stage to high stage bleed air; and cabin
pressurization fly-through during descent may
reduce air conditioning inflow. Similarly, in the
event of a fire, a small quantity of smoke that
penetrates into an occupied area before the
ventilation system is reconfigured would be
acceptable under certain conditions described
within this special condition.
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would indicate that the ventilation
system is failing to meet the
requirements of 14 CFR 25.831(b).
iii. The smoke from a smoke source
below the main deck must not rise
above armrest height on the main deck.
iv. The smoke from a source in the
main deck must dissipate rapidly via
dilution with fresh air and be evacuated
from the airplane. A procedure must be
included in the Airplane Flight Manual
(AFM) to evacuate smoke from the
occupied areas of the airplane. In order
to demonstrate that the quantity of
smoke is small, a flight test must be
conducted that simulates the emergency
procedures used in the event of a fire/
smoke during flight, including the use
of VMO/MMO descent profiles and a
simulated landing, if such conditions
are specified in the emergency
procedure.
2. Requirement for smoke or fire
detection in electrical/electronic
equipment bays:
A smoke or fire detection system
compliant with 14 CFR 25.858 and
25.855 must be provided for each
electrical/electronic equipment bay in
the pressurized cabin. Each system must
provide a visual indication to the flight
deck within one minute after the start of
a fire. Airplane flight tests must be
conducted to show compliance with
these requirements, and the
performance of the detectors must be
shown in accordance with AC 25–9A,
‘‘Smoke Detection, Penetration, and
Evacuation Tests and Related Flight
Manual Emergency Procedures,’’ or
other means acceptable to the FAA.
3. Requirement for AFM procedures
safety evaluation:
It shall be demonstrated by means of
flight tests that, in the event of smoke/
fire detection in the electrical/electronic
equipment bays, the AFM procedures
for shutting down any or all of the
electrical/electronic equipment do not
compromise the safe operation of the
airplane.
In case a procedure requests only part
of the equipment to be shut down, the
remaining equipment shall be
incorporated with safety features against
fire propagation.
Issued in Renton, Washington, on October
4, 2016.
Michael Kaszycki,
Assistant Manager, Transport Airplane
Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2016–25060 Filed 10–14–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–13–P
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 97
[Docket No.: FAA–2015–0783; Amdt. No.
97–1338]
RIN 2120–AA65
Cancellation of Standard Instrument
Approach Procedures as Part of the
National Procedures Assessment
(NPA) Initiative
Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Final rule.
AGENCY:
The FAA is issuing a final
rule that removes certain redundant or
underutilized ground-based
nondirectional radio beacon (NDB) and
VHF omnidirectional range (VOR)
Standard Instrument Approach
Procedures (SIAPs). On April 13, 2015,
the FAA published a notice of proposed
rulemaking to remove 736 SIAPs. This
final rule addresses 125 of the 198
procedures for which comments were
received.
SUMMARY:
This rule is effective at 0901
UTC on November 10, 2016.
ADDRESSES: For information on where to
obtain copies of rulemaking documents
and other information related to this
final rule, see ‘‘How To Obtain
Additional Information’’ in the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of
this document.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Dana Mitchell, Aeronautical
Information Services, AJV–5, Federal
Aviation Administration, Air Traffic
Organization, 1305 East-West Highway,
Room 5257, Silver Spring, MD 20910;
Telephone (301) 427–4897; Email AMCATO-IFP-Cancellations@faa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
DATES:
Authority for This Rulemaking
The FAA’s authority to issue rules on
aviation safety is found in Title 49 of the
United States Code. Subtitle I, Section
106 describes the authority of the FAA
Administrator. Subtitle VII, Aviation
Programs, describes in more detail the
scope of the agency’s authority.
This rulemaking is promulgated
under the authority described in
Subtitle VII, Part A, Subpart i, Section
40103, sovereignty and use of airspace,
and Subpart iii, Section 44701, general
requirements. Under these sections, the
FAA is charged with prescribing
regulations to regulate the safe and
efficient use of the navigable airspace; to
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govern the flight, navigation, protection,
and identification of aircraft for the
protection of persons and property on
the ground, and for the efficient use of
the navigable airspace (49 U.S.C.
40103(b)), and to promote safe flight of
civil aircraft in air commerce by
prescribing regulations and minimum
standards for other practices, methods,
and procedures necessary for safety in
air commerce and national security (49
U.S.C. 44701(a)(5)). This action is
within the scope of that authority.
SIAPs are promulgated by rulemaking
procedures and are incorporated by
reference into 14 CFR 97.20.
Background
On June 27, 2014, the FAA published
criteria for determining whether to
retain existing SIAPs (79 FR 36576).
Removing identified ground-based NDB
and VOR SIAPs is an integral part of
right-sizing the quantity and type of
procedures in the National Airspace
System (NAS). As new technology
facilitates the introduction of area
navigation (RNAV) instrument approach
procedures, the number of procedures
available in the NAS has nearly doubled
over the past decade. The complexity
and cost of maintaining the existing
ground based navigational infrastructure
while expanding RNAV capability is not
sustainable.
On April 13, 2015, the FAA published
a notice of proposed rulemaking
(NPRM) proposing to remove certain
SIAPs (80 FR 19577). The NPRM
included a list of 736 procedures that
were identified for cancellation and the
comment period closed on May 28,
2015. The FAA received comments on
198 of those procedures. Of those 198
procedures, 125 are being addressed in
this final rule. The remaining 73 require
additional evaluation and will be
addressed in a subsequent Federal
Register document.
It should be noted that NPA
Instrument Flight Procedure (IFP)
cancellation activities, and associated
criteria, do not supersede similar
activities being performed under the
FAA’s Very-High Frequency OmniDirectional Range Minimum
Operational Network (VOR MON)
Program (see 81 FR 48694 (July 26,
2016)). However, NPA IFP cancellation
activities have been coordinated with
the FAA office responsible for the VOR
MON implementation program, as their
input has been thoroughly considered.
SIAPs Being Processed for Cancellation
The following 8 SIAPs were proposed
for cancellation in the NPRM: VOR/
DME RWY 25, Alaska (GAL); VOR RWY
18, AL (DCU); VOR RWY 18, Illinois
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 200 (Monday, October 17, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 71357-71360]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-25060]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 25
[Docket No. FAA-2016-9282; Special Conditions No. 25-640-SC]
Special Conditions: Embraer S.A., Model ERJ 190-300 Series
Airplanes; Electrical/Electronic Equipment Bay Fire Detection and Smoke
Penetration
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Final special conditions; request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: These special conditions are issued for the Embraer S.A. Model
ERJ 190-300 series airplanes. These airplanes will have novel or
unusual design features when compared to the
[[Page 71358]]
state of technology envisioned in the airworthiness standards for
transport category airplanes. These design features are electrical/
electronic equipment bays distributed throughout the airplane, with
three of them in the pressurized area. The time it takes to determine
the source of smoke in an airplane with three or more equipment bays
could allow fire to spread, generating a significant quantity of smoke
and damage. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain
adequate or appropriate safety standards for these design features.
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 Embraer S.A. on October 17, 2016. We
must receive your comments by December 1, 2016.
ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by docket number FAA-2016-9282
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.
Privacy: The FAA will post all comments it receives, without
change, to https://www.regulations.gov/, including any personal
information the commenter provides. Using the search function of the
docket Web site, anyone can find and read the electronic form of all
comments received into any FAA docket, including the name of the
individual sending the comment (or signing the comment for an
association, business, labor union, etc.). 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 https://DocketsInfo.dot.gov/.
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: Stephen Happenny, FAA, Propulsion and
Mechanical Systems Branch, ANM-112, Transport Airplane Directorate,
Aircraft Certification Service, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton,
Washington 98057-3356; telephone 425-227-2147; facsimile 425-227-1149.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA has determined that notice of, and
opportunity for prior public comment on, these special conditions is
impracticable because these procedures would significantly delay
issuance of the design approval and thus delivery of the affected
airplane.
In addition, the substance of these special conditions has been
subject to the public comment process in several prior instances with
no substantive comments received. The FAA therefore finds that good
cause exists for making these special conditions effective upon
publication in the Federal Register.
Comments Invited
The FAA is requesting comments to allow interested persons to
submit views that may not have been submitted in response to the prior
opportunities for comment described above. We invite 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.
We will consider all comments we receive by the closing date for
comments. We may change these special conditions based on the comments
we receive.
Background
On September 13, 2013, Embraer S.A. applied for an amendment to
Type Certificate (TC) No. A57NM to include the new Model ERJ 190-300
series airplanes. The ERJ 190-300, which is a derivative of the ERJ
190-100 STD currently approved under TC No. A57NM, is a 97 to 114-
passenger transport category airplane with two Pratt & Whitney Model
PW1900G engines, a new wing design with a high aspect ratio and raked
wingtip, and a new electrical distribution system.
The ERJ 190-300 will have electrical/electronic equipment bays
distributed throughout the airplane, with three of them in the
pressurized area. The applicable airworthiness requirements of Title
14, Code of Federal Aviation (14 CFR) 25.831 and 25.869 do not contain
adequate or appropriate safety standards regarding smoke or fire
detection and protection against the penetration of hazardous
quantities of smoke into occupied areas of the airplane for this type
of airplane configuration.
Type Certification Basis
Under the provisions of 14 CFR 21.101, Embraer S.A. must show that
the ERJ 190-300 meets the applicable provisions of the regulations
listed in TC No. A57NM or the applicable regulations in effect on the
date of application for the change, except for earlier amendments as
agreed upon by the FAA. Embraer S.A. must show that the ERJ 190-300
meets the applicable provisions of 14 CFR part 25, as amended by
Amendments 25-1 through 25-137.
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 ERJ 190-300 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 features, or should any other model already included on
the same type certificate be modified to incorporate the same novel or
unusual design features, 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 ERJ 190-300 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 ERJ 190-300 will incorporate the following novel or unusual
design features: Electrical/electronic equipment bays that are
distributed throughout the airplane. There are three electrical bays in
the pressurized area--forward, center, and aft. The forward bay is
located below the flight deck; the center bay is in the center fuselage
below the
[[Page 71359]]
cabin floor; and the aft bay is located near the aft pressure bulkhead.
Discussion
Traditionally, airplanes certified under part 25 have had one or
two electrical equipment bays located in the lower lobe adjacent to
pressure regulator and outflow valves or vents. If a fire occurs in an
electrical/electronic equipment bay, any smoke is drawn toward the
outflow valves or vents and discharged from the airplane without
entering occupied areas. On these airplanes, the procedure for flight
crew determination of whether the source of the smoke is in the
electrical/electronic equipment bay has relied on trial and error.
However, many factors, including the airflow pattern, potential leak
paths, and location of outflow and regulator valves, can make it
difficult to identify the smoke source, especially during system and
flight transients, such as climbing, descending, or other changes that
would affect the internal flow path. Also, if smoke penetrates occupied
areas, the flight crew would have less information with which to
determine whether the source of the smoke is in an electrical/
electronic equipment bay.
The FAA has accepted this trial and error approach for airplanes
with no more than two electrical/electronic equipment bays, both
located in the lower lobe. However, for airplanes with three or more
equipment bays, the additional time it could take the flightcrew to
determine the source of smoke would also allow the fire additional time
to spread and generate significant amounts of smoke and damage.
Section 25.857 requires that cargo compartments have means to
prevent hazardous quantities of smoke or fire extinguishing agent from
penetrating into occupied areas of the airplane. However, the
regulatory requirements do not address the following:
Preventing hazardous quantities of smoke or extinguishing
agent originating from the electrical/electronic equipment bays from
penetrating into occupied areas of the airplane; or
Installing smoke or fire detectors in electrical/
electronic equipment bays.
The FAA determined that airplanes with electrical/electronic
equipment bay configurations like that of the ERJ 190-300 need a means
to detect smoke or fire in each electrical/electronic equipment bay
located in the pressurized cabin to ensure that the flightcrew can make
an informed decision as to the source of smoke and shut down the
specific electrical/electronic equipment where smoke or fire is
present. If the electrical/electronic equipment cannot be completely
shut down due to conflict with other safety requirements, Embraer must
conduct an analysis to:
Show the criteria for shutting down the specific
electrical/electronic equipment in the electrical/electronic equipment
bay that can be shut down; and
For the remaining electrical/electronic equipment,
demonstrate that there are safety precautions incorporated against fire
propagation, such as thermal protection, fire containment, or other
means, as addressed in advisory circular AC 25-16, ``Electrical Fault
and Fire Prevention and Protection,'' dated April 5, 1991.
The purpose of the smoke/fire detection systems is to accomplish
one or more of the following: Automatically shut off power to the
affected equipment; reconfigure the environmental control systems, if
necessary, to control any smoke resulting from a fire or overheat
condition; or alert the crew to the existence of the fire.
These alternate criteria that the FAA has developed to certify
airplane designs that incorporate distributed electrical/electronic
equipment bays are based on existing smoke/fire detection and smoke
penetration guidance and acceptable past practices. Sections 25.831(b),
(c), and (d), and 25.869 provide the general requirements that apply to
electrical/electronic equipment smoke penetration and evacuation.
Flight tests are conducted to demonstrate compliance; however, the
amount of smoke generated and flight test conditions have been highly
variable.
The special conditions below require a smoke or fire detection
system in each electrical/electronic equipment bay located in the
pressurized compartment. They also include requirements to prevent
propagation of hazardous quantities of smoke or fire extinguishing
agent throughout the passenger cabin.
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
ERJ 190-300 series airplanes. Should Embraer S.A. 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 certain novel or unusual design features
on one model 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.
The authority citation for these special conditions is as follows:
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701, 44702, 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 Embraer S.A. Model ERJ 190-300
series airplanes.
Design Requirements for Smoke Detection and Smoke Penetration in
Distributed Electrical/Electronic Equipment Bays.
1. Requirements to prevent propagation of smoke from entering the
passenger cabin and cockpit:
a. To prevent such propagation, means to prevent hazardous
quantities of smoke originating from the electrical/electronic
equipment bays from incapacitating passengers and crew must be
demonstrated. Flight tests must be part of such demonstration and shall
cover all dispatchable system configurations.
b. A small quantity of smoke may enter an occupied area only if the
design meets all of the following conditions:
i. The smoke enters occupied areas during system transients \1\
from below deck or main deck sources. No sustained smoke penetration
beyond that from environmental control system transients is permitted.
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\1\ Transient airflow conditions may cause air pressure
differences between compartments, before the ventilation and
pressurization system is reconfigured. Additional transients occur
during changes to system configurations such as pack shut-down, fan
shut-down, or changes in cabin altitude; transition in bleed source
change, such as from intermediate stage to high stage bleed air; and
cabin pressurization fly-through during descent may reduce air
conditioning inflow. Similarly, in the event of a fire, a small
quantity of smoke that penetrates into an occupied area before the
ventilation system is reconfigured would be acceptable under certain
conditions described within this special condition.
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ii. Penetration of the small quantity of smoke is a dynamic event,
characterized by either dissipation or mobility. Dissipation is rapid
dilution of the smoke by ventilation air, and mobility is rapid
movement of the smoke into and out of the occupied area. In no case
should there be formation of a light haze indicative of stagnant
airflow, as this
[[Page 71360]]
would indicate that the ventilation system is failing to meet the
requirements of 14 CFR 25.831(b).
iii. The smoke from a smoke source below the main deck must not
rise above armrest height on the main deck.
iv. The smoke from a source in the main deck must dissipate rapidly
via dilution with fresh air and be evacuated from the airplane. A
procedure must be included in the Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) to
evacuate smoke from the occupied areas of the airplane. In order to
demonstrate that the quantity of smoke is small, a flight test must be
conducted that simulates the emergency procedures used in the event of
a fire/smoke during flight, including the use of VMO/
MMO descent profiles and a simulated landing, if such
conditions are specified in the emergency procedure.
2. Requirement for smoke or fire detection in electrical/electronic
equipment bays:
A smoke or fire detection system compliant with 14 CFR 25.858 and
25.855 must be provided for each electrical/electronic equipment bay in
the pressurized cabin. Each system must provide a visual indication to
the flight deck within one minute after the start of a fire. Airplane
flight tests must be conducted to show compliance with these
requirements, and the performance of the detectors must be shown in
accordance with AC 25-9A, ``Smoke Detection, Penetration, and
Evacuation Tests and Related Flight Manual Emergency Procedures,'' or
other means acceptable to the FAA.
3. Requirement for AFM procedures safety evaluation:
It shall be demonstrated by means of flight tests that, in the
event of smoke/fire detection in the electrical/electronic equipment
bays, the AFM procedures for shutting down any or all of the
electrical/electronic equipment do not compromise the safe operation of
the airplane.
In case a procedure requests only part of the equipment to be shut
down, the remaining equipment shall be incorporated with safety
features against fire propagation.
Issued in Renton, Washington, on October 4, 2016.
Michael Kaszycki,
Assistant Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-25060 Filed 10-14-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
