Special Conditions: Lufthansa Technik AG; Boeing Model 747-8 Series Airplanes, Large Non-Structural Glass in the Passenger Compartment, 14128-14130 [2017-05331]
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14128
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 51 / Friday, March 17, 2017 / Rules and Regulations
flight-control laws reduce feedback from
the pitching moment. Low-speed
excursions may become more hazardous
without the typical longitudinal
stability, and recovery may become
more difficult when the low-speed
situation is associated with a low
altitude, and with the engines at low
thrust or in performance-limiting
conditions.
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 Bombardier
Model BD–700–2A12 and BD–700–
2A13 series airplanes. Should
Bombardier 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.
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with RULES
Conclusion
This action affects only a certain
novel or unusual design feature on
Bombardier Model BD–700–2A12 and
BD–700–2A13 series airplanes. It is not
a rule of general applicability.
The substance of these special
conditions has been subjected to the
notice and comment period in several
prior instances and has been derived
without substantive change from those
previously issued. It is unlikely that
prior public comment would result in a
significant change from the substance
contained herein. Therefore, because a
delay would significantly affect the
certification of the airplane, the FAA
has determined that prior public notice
and comment are unnecessary and
impracticable, and good cause exists for
adopting these special conditions upon
publication in the Federal Register.
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.
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:
conditions are issued as part of the type
certification basis for Bombardier Inc.
Model BD–700–2A12 and BD–700–
2A13 series airplanes.
In lieu of the requirements of
§§ 25.171, 25.173, 25.175 and 25.177(c),
the following special conditions apply:
1. The airplane must be shown to
have suitable static lateral, directional,
and longitudinal stability in any
condition normally encountered in
service, including from the effects of
atmospheric disturbance. The showing
of suitable static lateral, directional, and
longitudinal stability must be based on
the airplane handling qualities,
including pilot workload and pilot
compensation, for specific test
procedures during the flight-test
evaluations.
2. The airplane must provide to the
pilot adequate awareness of a lowenergy (low speed, low thrust, low
height) state when fitted with flightcontrol laws presenting neutral
longitudinal stability significantly
below the normal operating speeds.
‘‘Adequate awareness’’ means warning
information that alerts the flightcrew of
unsafe operating conditions, allowing
the flightcrew to take appropriate
corrective action.
3. The following requirement must be
met for the configurations and speed
specified in paragraph (a) of § 25.177. In
straight, steady sideslips over the range
of sideslip angles appropriate to the
operation of the airplane, the ruddercontrol movements and forces must be
substantially proportional to the angle
of sideslip in a stable sense. This factor
of proportionality must lie between
limits found necessary for safe
operation. The range of sideslip angles
evaluated must include those sideslip
angles resulting from the lesser of:
a. One-half of the available ruddercontrol input; and
b. A rudder-control force of 180
pounds.
Issued in Renton, Washington, on February
10, 2017.
Michael Kaszycki,
Assistant Manager, Transport Airplane
Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2017–05327 Filed 3–16–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–13–P
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
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:31 Mar 16, 2017
Jkt 241001
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 25
[Docket No. FAA–2015–7689; Special
Conditions No. 25–645–SC]
Special Conditions: Lufthansa Technik
AG; Boeing Model 747–8 Series
Airplanes, Large Non-Structural Glass
in the Passenger Compartment
Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Final special conditions.
AGENCY:
These special conditions are
issued for the Boeing Model 747–8
airplane. This airplane, as modified by
Lufthansa Technik AG (Lufthansa), will
have a novel or unusual design feature
when compared to the state of
technology envisioned in the
airworthiness standards for transportcategory airplanes. This design feature
is the installation of large, nonstructural glass panels in the cabin area
of an executive interior occupied by
passengers and crew. 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: Effective April 17, 2017.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jayson Claar, FAA, Airframe and Cabin
Safety, ANM–115, Transport Airplane
Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service, 1601 Lind Avenue SW.,
Renton, Washington 98057–3356;
telephone 425–227–2194; facsimile
425–227–1320.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
SUMMARY:
Background
On March 8, 2012, Lufthansa Technik
AG applied for a supplemental type
certificate for large, non-structural glass
panels in the passenger compartment in
a Boeing Model 747–8 airplane. The
Model 747–8 airplane is a derivative of
the Boeing Model 747–400 airplane
approved under type certificate no.
A20WE. The airplane, as modified by
Lufthansa Technik AG, is a four-engine,
transport-category airplane that will
have a maximum takeoff weight of
970,000 lbs, capacity for 24
crewmembers, and seating for 143
passengers.
Type Certification Basis
The certification basis for the Boeing
Model 747–8 airplane, as defined in
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 51 / Friday, March 17, 2017 / Rules and Regulations
type certificate no. A20WE, is Title 14,
Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR)
part 25 as amended by amendments 25–
1 through 25–120, with exceptions for
structures and systems that were
unchanged from the 747–400 design.
Under the provisions of § 21.101,
Lufthansa Technik AG must show that
the Model 747–8 airplane, as changed,
continues to meet the applicable
provisions of the regulations listed in
type certificate no. A20WE, or the
applicable regulations in effect on the
date of application for the change.
The certification basis includes
certain special conditions, exemptions,
or later amended sections of the
applicable part that are not relevant to
these special conditions.
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 Boeing Model 747–8 airplane
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 applicant apply
for a supplemental type certificate to
modify any other model included on the
same type certificate to incorporate the
same novel or unusual design feature,
these special conditions would also
apply to the other model under § 21.101.
In addition to the applicable
airworthiness regulations and special
conditions, the Model 747–8 airplane
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.
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with RULES
Novel or Unusual Design Features
Lufthansa Technik AG is modifying a
Boeing Model 747–8 airplane to install
an executive interior. This airplane, as
modified, will have a novel or unusual
design feature that is the installation of
large, non-structural glass panels in the
cabin area of an executive interior
occupied by passengers and crew. The
installation of these glass items in the
passenger compartment, which can be
occupied during taxi, takeoff, and
landing, is a novel or unusual design
feature with respect to the material
being installed. The applicable
airworthiness regulations do not contain
adequate or appropriate safety standards
for this design feature.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:31 Mar 16, 2017
Jkt 241001
Discussion
No specific regulations address the
design and installation of large glass
components in airplane passenger
cabins. Existing requirements, such as
§§ 25.561, 25.562, 25.601, 25.603,
25.613, 25.775, and 25.789, in the
Boeing Model 747–8 airplane
certification basis applicable to this
supplemental type certificate project,
provide some design standards
appropriate for large glass component
installations. However, additional
design standards for non-structural glass
augmenting the existing design are
needed to complement the existing
requirements. The addition of glass
involved in this installation, and the
potentially unsafe conditions caused by
damage to such components from
external sources, necessitate assuring
that adequate safety standards are
applied to the design and installation of
the feature in Boeing Model 747–8
airplanes.
For purposes of these special
conditions, a large glass component is
defined as a glass component weighing
4 kg (9 lbs) or more. Groupings of glass
items that individually weigh less than
4 kg, but collectively weigh 4 kg or
more, also would need to be included.
These special conditions also apply
when showing compliance with the
applicable performance standards in the
regulations for the installation of these
components. For example, heat-release
and smoke-density testing must not
result in fragmentation of the
component.
The use of glass has resulted in tradeoffs between the one unique
characteristic of glass—its capability for
undistorted or controlled light
transmittance, or transparency—and the
negative aspects of the material, such as
extreme notch-sensitivity, low fracture
resistance, low modulus of elasticity,
and highly variable properties. While
reasonably strong, glass is nonetheless
not a desirable material for traditional
airplane applications because it is heavy
(about the same density as aluminum),
and when it fails, it breaks into
extremely sharp fragments that have the
potential for injury and have been
known to be lethal. Thus the use of glass
traditionally has been limited to
windshields, and instrument and
display transparencies. The regulations
for certification of transport-category
airplanes only address, thus only
recognize, the use of glass in windshield
or window applications. These
regulations do address the adverse
properties of glass, but even so, pilots
are occasionally injured from shattered
glass windshields. FAA policy allows
PO 00000
Frm 00019
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
14129
glass on instruments and display
transparencies.
Other installations of large, nonstructural glass items have included the
following:
• Glass panels integrated onto a
stairway handrail closeout.
• Glass panels mounted in doors to
allow visibility through the door when
desired.
• Glass doors on some galley
compartments containing small
amounts of service items.
These special conditions will reduce
the hazards from breakage, or from these
panels’ potential separation from the
cabin interior.
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.
Discussion of Comments
Notice of Proposed Special
Conditions no. 25–16–03–SC for
Lufthansa modifications to the Boeing
Model 747–8 airplane was published in
the Federal Register on February 25,
2016 (81 FR 9363). One comment was
received.
By letter no. B–H020–REG–16–TLM–
17 dated March 24, 2016, on behalf of
The Boeing Company (Boeing), Capt.
Terry L. McVenes, Director, System
Safety & Regulatory Affairs, wrote that
Boeing provides a
. . . comprehensive set of comments that
identify areas of the proposed text where
changes would be beneficial for better clarity
and accuracy. [Boeing] consider[s] such
clarifications important to ensure consistent
and standardized interpretation and
application of the requirements and guidance
provided in the document.
Boeing recommends that proposed
special condition no. 1, Material, and
proposed special condition no. 2,
Fragmentation, be revised to moreclearly define what each of these special
conditions require, and how these two
requirements are different. We agree
that those two conditions could be
addressed with a single test, so we
combined those two conditions into a
single condition, special condition no.
1, in this document, for clarity. The
subsequent special conditions have
been renumbered accordingly.
Boeing commented that the load
conditions in special condition no. 4, in
Notice no. 25–16–03–SC, which
corresponds to special condition no. 3
in this document, should include all
flight and landing loads, rather than
only emergency landing. These special
conditions are in addition to the load
requirements in the certification basis
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 51 / Friday, March 17, 2017 / Rules and Regulations
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with RULES
for the glass installation, rather than in
lieu of the load requirements. Thus, it
is not necessary to repeat that all of
these loads apply to this installation.
The emergency-landing load condition
is not normally applied to installations
of this type, but for the use of large glass
in the cabin, we determined that this
additional safety standard is necessary.
We made no changes to special
condition number 3 in response to the
Boeing comments.
Boeing recommends that the loading
conditions in proposed special
condition no. 3 (which is now special
condition no. 2), Strength, and proposed
special condition no. 4 (which is now
special condition no. 3), Retention, be
the same. Proposed special condition
no. 3 (which is now special condition
no. 2), Strength, is required to address
the unique, extremely notch-sensitive
characteristics of the glass as having low
fracture resistance, low modulus of
elasticity, and highly variable
properties. Special condition no. 3
(which is now special condition no. 2)
specifically accounts for abuse loads in
addition to the loads required per
subparts C & D of 14 CFR part 25.
Special condition no. 4 (which is now
special condition no. 3) accounts for
loads encountered during directional
loading and rebound resulting from
emergency landing loads of 14 CFR part
25. We have made minor grammatical
modifications to the requirements.
Boeing recommends that, for
proposed special condition no. 4 (which
is now special condition no. 3),
Retention, the statement, ‘‘Both the
directional loading and rebound
conditions must be assessed,’’ be
removed, because these both are
covered in proposed special condition
no. 3. As explained above, special
condition nos. 3 (which is now special
condition no. 2) and 4 (which is now
special condition no. 3) account for
different loading conditions. We have
made minor grammatical modifications
to the requirements.
Applicability
As discussed above, these special
conditions are applicable to Boeing
Model 747–8 series airplanes as
modified by Lufthansa. Should
Lufthansa apply at a later date for a
supplemental type certificate to modify
any other model included on type
certificate no. A20WE to incorporate 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 one
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:31 Mar 16, 2017
Jkt 241001
model series of airplane. It is not a rule
of general applicability and affects only
the applicant who applied to the FAA
for approval of this feature on the
airplane.
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, for large glass
components installed in a cabin
occupied by passengers or crew who are
not otherwise protected from the
injurious effects of failure of the glass
installations, as part of the type
certification basis for Boeing 747–8
airplanes modified by Lufthansa
Technik AG.
1. Material Fragmentation—The
applicant must use tempered or
otherwise treated glass to ensure that,
when fractured, the glass breaks into
small pieces with relatively dull edges.
The glass component installation must
retain all glass fragments to minimize
the danger from flying glass shards or
pieces. The applicant must demonstrate
this characteristic by impact and
puncture testing, and testing to failure.
The applicant may conduct this test
with or without any glass coating that
may be utilized in the design.
2. Strength—In addition to meeting
the load requirements for all flight and
landing loads, including any of the
applicable emergency-landing
conditions in subparts C & D of 14 CFR
part 25, the glass components that are
located such that they are not protected
from contact with cabin occupants must
not fail due to abusive loading, such as
impact from occupants stumbling into,
leaning against, sitting on, or performing
other intentional or unintentional
forceful contact with the glass
component. The applicant must assess
the effect of design details such as
geometric discontinuities or surface
finish, including but not limited to
embossing and etching.
3. Retention—The glass component,
as installed in the airplane, must not
come free of its restraint or mounting
system in the event of an emergency
landing, considering both the
directional loading and resulting
rebound conditions. The applicant must
assess the effect of design details such
as geometric discontinuities or surface
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Frm 00020
Fmt 4700
Sfmt 4700
finish, including but not limited to
embossing and etching.
4. Instructions for Continued
Airworthiness: The instructions for
continued airworthiness must reflect the
method used to fasten the panel to the
cabin interior and must ensure the
reliability of the methods used (e.g., life
limit of adhesives, or clamp
connection). The applicant must define
any inspection methods and intervals
based upon adhesion data from the
manufacturer of the adhesive, or upon
actual adhesion-test data, if necessary.
Issued in Renton, Washington, on February
10, 2017.
Michael Kaszycki,
Assistant Manager, Transport Airplane
Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2017–05331 Filed 3–16–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–13–P
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
17 CFR Parts 229, 232, 239 and 249
[Release Nos. 33–10322; 34–80132; File No.
S7–19–16]
RIN 3235–AL95
Exhibit Hyperlinks and HTML Format
Securities and Exchange
Commission.
ACTION: Final rule.
AGENCY:
We are adopting amendments
that will require registrants that file
registration statements and reports
subject to the exhibit requirements
under Item 601 of Regulation S–K, or
that file Forms F–10 or 20–F, to include
a hyperlink to each exhibit listed in the
exhibit index of these filings. To enable
the inclusion of such hyperlinks, the
amendments also require that registrants
submit all such filings in HyperText
Markup Language (‘‘HTML’’) format.
DATES: Effective on September 1, 2017.
Compliance Dates: Registrants must
comply with the final rules for filings
submitted on or after September 1, 2017.
A registrant that is a ‘‘smaller reporting
company,’’ as defined in Securities Act
Rule 405 and Exchange Act Rule 12b–
2, or that is neither a ‘‘large accelerated
filer’’ nor an ‘‘accelerated filer,’’ as
defined in Exchange Act Rule 12b–2,
and that submits filings in ASCII need
not comply with the final rules until
September 1, 2018, one year after the
effective date.
The compliance date with respect to
any Form 10–D that will require
hyperlinks to any exhibits filed with
Form ABS–EE is delayed until
Commission staff has completed
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\17MRR1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 51 (Friday, March 17, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 14128-14130]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-05331]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 25
[Docket No. FAA-2015-7689; Special Conditions No. 25-645-SC]
Special Conditions: Lufthansa Technik AG; Boeing Model 747-8
Series Airplanes, Large Non-Structural Glass in the Passenger
Compartment
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Final special conditions.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: These special conditions are issued for the Boeing Model 747-8
airplane. This airplane, as modified by Lufthansa Technik AG
(Lufthansa), 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 the
installation of large, non-structural glass panels in the cabin area of
an executive interior occupied by passengers and crew. 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: Effective April 17, 2017.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jayson Claar, FAA, Airframe and Cabin
Safety, ANM-115, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; telephone
425-227-2194; facsimile 425-227-1320.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On March 8, 2012, Lufthansa Technik AG applied for a supplemental
type certificate for large, non-structural glass panels in the
passenger compartment in a Boeing Model 747-8 airplane. The Model 747-8
airplane is a derivative of the Boeing Model 747-400 airplane approved
under type certificate no. A20WE. The airplane, as modified by
Lufthansa Technik AG, is a four-engine, transport-category airplane
that will have a maximum takeoff weight of 970,000 lbs, capacity for 24
crewmembers, and seating for 143 passengers.
Type Certification Basis
The certification basis for the Boeing Model 747-8 airplane, as
defined in
[[Page 14129]]
type certificate no. A20WE, is Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations
(14 CFR) part 25 as amended by amendments 25-1 through 25-120, with
exceptions for structures and systems that were unchanged from the 747-
400 design.
Under the provisions of Sec. 21.101, Lufthansa Technik AG must
show that the Model 747-8 airplane, as changed, continues to meet the
applicable provisions of the regulations listed in type certificate no.
A20WE, or the applicable regulations in effect on the date of
application for the change.
The certification basis includes certain special conditions,
exemptions, or later amended sections of the applicable part that are
not relevant to these special conditions.
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 Boeing Model 747-8 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 applicant apply for a supplemental type
certificate to modify any other model included on the same type
certificate 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 Model 747-8 airplane 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
Lufthansa Technik AG is modifying a Boeing Model 747-8 airplane to
install an executive interior. This airplane, as modified, will have a
novel or unusual design feature that is the installation of large, non-
structural glass panels in the cabin area of an executive interior
occupied by passengers and crew. The installation of these glass items
in the passenger compartment, which can be occupied during taxi,
takeoff, and landing, is a novel or unusual design feature with respect
to the material being installed. The applicable airworthiness
regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for
this design feature.
Discussion
No specific regulations address the design and installation of
large glass components in airplane passenger cabins. Existing
requirements, such as Sec. Sec. 25.561, 25.562, 25.601, 25.603,
25.613, 25.775, and 25.789, in the Boeing Model 747-8 airplane
certification basis applicable to this supplemental type certificate
project, provide some design standards appropriate for large glass
component installations. However, additional design standards for non-
structural glass augmenting the existing design are needed to
complement the existing requirements. The addition of glass involved in
this installation, and the potentially unsafe conditions caused by
damage to such components from external sources, necessitate assuring
that adequate safety standards are applied to the design and
installation of the feature in Boeing Model 747-8 airplanes.
For purposes of these special conditions, a large glass component
is defined as a glass component weighing 4 kg (9 lbs) or more.
Groupings of glass items that individually weigh less than 4 kg, but
collectively weigh 4 kg or more, also would need to be included. These
special conditions also apply when showing compliance with the
applicable performance standards in the regulations for the
installation of these components. For example, heat-release and smoke-
density testing must not result in fragmentation of the component.
The use of glass has resulted in trade-offs between the one unique
characteristic of glass--its capability for undistorted or controlled
light transmittance, or transparency--and the negative aspects of the
material, such as extreme notch-sensitivity, low fracture resistance,
low modulus of elasticity, and highly variable properties. While
reasonably strong, glass is nonetheless not a desirable material for
traditional airplane applications because it is heavy (about the same
density as aluminum), and when it fails, it breaks into extremely sharp
fragments that have the potential for injury and have been known to be
lethal. Thus the use of glass traditionally has been limited to
windshields, and instrument and display transparencies. The regulations
for certification of transport-category airplanes only address, thus
only recognize, the use of glass in windshield or window applications.
These regulations do address the adverse properties of glass, but even
so, pilots are occasionally injured from shattered glass windshields.
FAA policy allows glass on instruments and display transparencies.
Other installations of large, non-structural glass items have
included the following:
Glass panels integrated onto a stairway handrail closeout.
Glass panels mounted in doors to allow visibility through
the door when desired.
Glass doors on some galley compartments containing small
amounts of service items.
These special conditions will reduce the hazards from breakage, or
from these panels' potential separation from the cabin interior.
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.
Discussion of Comments
Notice of Proposed Special Conditions no. 25-16-03-SC for Lufthansa
modifications to the Boeing Model 747-8 airplane was published in the
Federal Register on February 25, 2016 (81 FR 9363). One comment was
received.
By letter no. B-H020-REG-16-TLM-17 dated March 24, 2016, on behalf
of The Boeing Company (Boeing), Capt. Terry L. McVenes, Director,
System Safety & Regulatory Affairs, wrote that Boeing provides a
. . . comprehensive set of comments that identify areas of the
proposed text where changes would be beneficial for better clarity
and accuracy. [Boeing] consider[s] such clarifications important to
ensure consistent and standardized interpretation and application of
the requirements and guidance provided in the document.
Boeing recommends that proposed special condition no. 1, Material,
and proposed special condition no. 2, Fragmentation, be revised to
more-clearly define what each of these special conditions require, and
how these two requirements are different. We agree that those two
conditions could be addressed with a single test, so we combined those
two conditions into a single condition, special condition no. 1, in
this document, for clarity. The subsequent special conditions have been
renumbered accordingly.
Boeing commented that the load conditions in special condition no.
4, in Notice no. 25-16-03-SC, which corresponds to special condition
no. 3 in this document, should include all flight and landing loads,
rather than only emergency landing. These special conditions are in
addition to the load requirements in the certification basis
[[Page 14130]]
for the glass installation, rather than in lieu of the load
requirements. Thus, it is not necessary to repeat that all of these
loads apply to this installation. The emergency-landing load condition
is not normally applied to installations of this type, but for the use
of large glass in the cabin, we determined that this additional safety
standard is necessary. We made no changes to special condition number 3
in response to the Boeing comments.
Boeing recommends that the loading conditions in proposed special
condition no. 3 (which is now special condition no. 2), Strength, and
proposed special condition no. 4 (which is now special condition no.
3), Retention, be the same. Proposed special condition no. 3 (which is
now special condition no. 2), Strength, is required to address the
unique, extremely notch-sensitive characteristics of the glass as
having low fracture resistance, low modulus of elasticity, and highly
variable properties. Special condition no. 3 (which is now special
condition no. 2) specifically accounts for abuse loads in addition to
the loads required per subparts C & D of 14 CFR part 25. Special
condition no. 4 (which is now special condition no. 3) accounts for
loads encountered during directional loading and rebound resulting from
emergency landing loads of 14 CFR part 25. We have made minor
grammatical modifications to the requirements.
Boeing recommends that, for proposed special condition no. 4 (which
is now special condition no. 3), Retention, the statement, ``Both the
directional loading and rebound conditions must be assessed,'' be
removed, because these both are covered in proposed special condition
no. 3. As explained above, special condition nos. 3 (which is now
special condition no. 2) and 4 (which is now special condition no. 3)
account for different loading conditions. We have made minor
grammatical modifications to the requirements.
Applicability
As discussed above, these special conditions are applicable to
Boeing Model 747-8 series airplanes as modified by Lufthansa. Should
Lufthansa apply at a later date for a supplemental type certificate to
modify any other model included on type certificate no. A20WE to
incorporate 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 one model series of airplane. It is not a rule of general
applicability and affects only the applicant who applied to the FAA for
approval of this feature on the airplane.
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, for large
glass components installed in a cabin occupied by passengers or crew
who are not otherwise protected from the injurious effects of failure
of the glass installations, as part of the type certification basis for
Boeing 747-8 airplanes modified by Lufthansa Technik AG.
1. Material Fragmentation--The applicant must use tempered or
otherwise treated glass to ensure that, when fractured, the glass
breaks into small pieces with relatively dull edges. The glass
component installation must retain all glass fragments to minimize the
danger from flying glass shards or pieces. The applicant must
demonstrate this characteristic by impact and puncture testing, and
testing to failure. The applicant may conduct this test with or without
any glass coating that may be utilized in the design.
2. Strength--In addition to meeting the load requirements for all
flight and landing loads, including any of the applicable emergency-
landing conditions in subparts C & D of 14 CFR part 25, the glass
components that are located such that they are not protected from
contact with cabin occupants must not fail due to abusive loading, such
as impact from occupants stumbling into, leaning against, sitting on,
or performing other intentional or unintentional forceful contact with
the glass component. The applicant must assess the effect of design
details such as geometric discontinuities or surface finish, including
but not limited to embossing and etching.
3. Retention--The glass component, as installed in the airplane,
must not come free of its restraint or mounting system in the event of
an emergency landing, considering both the directional loading and
resulting rebound conditions. The applicant must assess the effect of
design details such as geometric discontinuities or surface finish,
including but not limited to embossing and etching.
4. Instructions for Continued Airworthiness: The instructions for
continued airworthiness must reflect the method used to fasten the
panel to the cabin interior and must ensure the reliability of the
methods used (e.g., life limit of adhesives, or clamp connection). The
applicant must define any inspection methods and intervals based upon
adhesion data from the manufacturer of the adhesive, or upon actual
adhesion-test data, if necessary.
Issued in Renton, Washington, on February 10, 2017.
Michael Kaszycki,
Assistant Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-05331 Filed 3-16-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
