Special Conditions: Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation GVII-G500; Airbag Systems on Multiple-Place and Single-Place Side-Facing Seats, 27771-27773 [2017-12617]
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27771
Rules and Regulations
Federal Register
Vol. 82, No. 116
Monday, June 19, 2017
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.
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 25
[Docket No. FAA–2017–0240; Special
Conditions No. 25–691–SC]
Special Conditions: Gulfstream
Aerospace Corporation GVII–G500;
Airbag Systems on Multiple-Place and
Single-Place Side-Facing Seats
Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Final special conditions; request
for comments.
AGENCY:
These special conditions are
issued for the Gulfstream Aerospace
Corporation (Gulfstream) GVII–G500
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 airbag
systems on multiple-place and singleplace side-facing seats. 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 June 19, 2017. We must
receive your comments by August 3,
2017.
SUMMARY:
Send comments identified
by docket number FAA–2017–0240
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
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ADDRESSES:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
12:20 Jun 16, 2017
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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:
Alan Sinclair, FAA, Airframe and Cabin
Safety, ANM–115, Transport Airplane
Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service, 1601 Lind Avenue SW.,
Renton, Washington 98057–3356;
telephone 425–227–2195; facsimile
425–227–1320.
The FAA
has determined that notice of, and
opportunity for prior public comment
on, these special conditions is
impracticable because 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.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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Comments Invited
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 March 29, 2012, Gulfstream
Aerospace Corporation applied for a
type certificate for their new Model
GVII–G500 airplane. The Model GVII–
G500 airplane will be a twin-engine,
transport-category business jet capable
of accommodating up to 19 passengers.
The Model GVII–G500 airplane will
have a maximum takeoff weight of
76,850 lbs.
Type Certification Basis
Under Title 14, Code of Federal
Regulations (14 CFR) 21.17, Gulfstream
must show that the Model GVII–G500
airplane meets the applicable provisions
of 14 CFR part 25, as amended by
Amendments 25–1 through 25–129.
If the Administrator finds that the
applicable airworthiness regulations
(i.e., part 25) do not contain adequate or
appropriate safety standards for the
Model GVII–G500 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 type certificate
for that model be amended later to
include any other model that
incorporates the same or similar novel
or unusual design feature, the special
conditions would also apply to the other
model under § 21.101.
In addition to the applicable
airworthiness regulations and special
conditions, Model GVII–G500 airplanes
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 must issue a finding of regulatory
adequacy under § 611 of Public Law 92–
574, the ‘‘Noise Control Act of 1972.’’
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 116 / Monday, June 19, 2017 / Rules and Regulations
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
§ 21.17(a)(2).
Novel or Unusual Design Feature
The Model GVII–G500 airplane will
incorporate the following novel or
unusual design feature:
Airbag systems on multiple-place and
single-place side-facing seats.
Discussion
Side facing seats are considered a
novel design for transport-category
airplanes that include 14 CFR part 25,
Amendment 25–64, in their certification
bases, because this feature was not
anticipated when those airworthiness
standards were issued. Therefore, the
existing regulations do not provide
adequate or appropriate safety standards
for occupants of side-facing seats. For
the Model GVII–G500 airplane, FAA
Special Conditions No. 25–618–SC,
‘‘Technical Criteria for Approving SideFacing Seats,’’ proposed special
conditions to address the certification of
single- and multiple-place side-facing
seats. Those proposed special
conditions include condition 2(e),
which requires the axial rotation of the
upper leg (femur) to be limited to 35
degrees in either direction from the
nominal seat position. To accommodate
that requirement, Gulfstream has
developed a new airbag system that will
be installed close to the floor, and
which is designed to limit the axial
rotation of the occupant’s upper legs.
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.
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Applicability
As discussed above, these special
conditions are applicable to the
Gulfstream Model GVII–G500 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 certain novel
or unusual design features on one model
of airplane. 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
VerDate Sep<11>2014
12:20 Jun 16, 2017
Jkt 241001
previously issued. It is unlikely that
prior public comment would result in a
significant change from the substance
contained herein. Therefore, 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:
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 Gulfstream
Aerospace Corporation Model GVII–
G500 airplanes.
In addition to the requirements of
§§ 25.562 and 25.785, and Special
Conditions No. 25–495–SC, the
following special conditions are part of
the type certification basis for the
Gulfstream Model GVII–G500 airplane
with leg-flail airbags installed on sidefacing seats.
1. For seats with a leg-flail airbag
system, the system must deploy and
provide protection under crash
conditions where it is necessary to
prevent serious injury. The means of
protection must take into consideration
a range of stature from a 2-year-old child
to a 95th-percentile male. At some
buttock popliteal length and effective
seat-bottom depth, the lower legs will
not be able to form a 90-degree angle
relative to the upper leg; at this point,
the lower leg flail would not occur. The
leg-flail airbag system must provide a
consistent approach to prevention of leg
flail throughout that range of occupants
whose lower legs can form a 90-degree
angle relative to the upper legs when
seated upright in the seat. Items that
need to be considered include, but are
not limited to, the range of occupants’
popliteal height, the range of occupants’
buttock popliteal length, the design of
the seat effective height above the floor,
and the effective depth of the seatbottom cushion.
2. The leg-flail airbag system must
provide adequate protection for each
occupant regardless of the number of
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occupants of the seat assembly,
considering that unoccupied seats may
have an active leg-flail airbag system.
3. The leg-flail airbag system must not
be susceptible to inadvertent
deployment as a result of wear and tear,
or inertial loads resulting from in-flight
or ground maneuvers (including gusts
and hard landings), and other operating
and environmental conditions
(vibrations, moisture, etc.) likely to
occur in service.
4. Deployment of the leg-flail airbag
system must not introduce injury
mechanisms to the seated occupant, nor
result in injuries that could impede
rapid egress.
5. Inadvertent deployment of the legflail airbag system, during the most
critical part of the flight, must either
meet the requirement of § 25.1309(b), or
not cause a hazard to the airplane or its
occupants.
6. The leg-flail airbag system must not
impede rapid egress of occupants from
the airplane 10 seconds after airbag
deployment.
7. The leg-flail airbag system must be
protected from lightning and highintensity radiated fields (HIRF). The
threats to the airplane specified in
existing regulations regarding lightning
(§ 25.1316) and HIRF (§ 25.1317) are
incorporated by reference for the
purpose of measuring lightning and
HIRF protection.
8. The leg-flail airbag system must
function properly after loss of normal
airplane electrical power, and after a
transverse separation of the fuselage at
the most critical location. A separation
at the location of the leg-flail airbag
system does not have to be considered.
9. The leg-flail airbag system must not
release hazardous quantities of gas or
particulate matter into the cabin.
10. The leg-flail airbag system
installation must be protected from the
effects of fire such that no hazard to
occupants will result.
11. A means must be available to
verify the integrity of the leg-flail airbag
system’s activation system prior to each
flight, or the leg-flail airbag system’s
activation system must reliably operate
between inspection intervals. The FAA
considers that the loss of the leg-flail
airbag system’s deployment function
alone (i.e., independent of the
conditional event that requires the legflail airbag system’s deployment) is a
major-failure condition.
12. The airbag inflatable material may
not have an average burn rate of greater
than 2.5 inches per minute when tested
using the horizontal flammability test
defined in part 25, appendix F, part I,
paragraph (b)(5).
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 116 / Monday, June 19, 2017 / Rules and Regulations
13. The leg-flail airbag system, once
deployed, must not adversely affect the
emergency-lighting system (i.e., must
not block floor-proximity lights to the
extent that the lights no longer meet
their intended function).
Issued in Renton, Washington, on June 8,
2017.
Michael Kaszycki,
Assistant Manager, Transport Airplane
Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2017–12617 Filed 6–16–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–13–P
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY
Coast Guard
33 CFR Part 110
[Docket Number USCG–2015–0729]
RIN 1625–AA01
Port of Miami Anchorage Area; Atlantic
Ocean, Miami Beach, FL
Coast Guard, DHS.
Final rule.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
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I. Table of Abbreviations
CFR Code of Federal Regulations
DHS Department of Homeland Security
FR Federal Register
NPRM Notice of proposed rulemaking
§ Section
U.S.C. United States Code
12:20 Jun 16, 2017
On December 1, 2015, the Coast
Guard published a notice of study that
indicated we were evaluating amending
the Miami Anchorage, based on the
location of coral reefs off the coast of
Florida. The Coast Guard received four
comments in response to the notice of
study during the period that ended on
February 1, 2016. In coordination with
several interested parties, the Coast
Guard published a Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking (NPRM) on May 10, 2016
(81 FR 28788). Four additional
comments were received in response to
the NPRM. The comment period for the
NPRM closed on July 11, 2016.
Through continued cooperation and
research with stakeholders, the Coast
Guard amended the original locations
and requirements stated in the NPRM,
and published these changes in a
Supplemental Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking (SNPRM), on February 22,
2017 (82 FR 11329). We received five
written submissions on the SNPRM
during the comment period that ended
on March 24, 2017. We did not receive
any oral comments.
III. Legal Authority and Need for Rule
The Coast Guard is dividing
its Miami anchorage ground into two
separate anchorage areas. This action is
necessary to reduce potential damage to
threatened coral posed by anchoring
vessels. The area for vessels to anchor
will be reduced by approximately 3
square nautical miles, but this rule still
leaves vessels with approximately 1.5
square miles of anchorage areas.
DATES: This rule is effective from July
19, 2017.
ADDRESSES: To view documents
mentioned in this preamble as being
available in the docket, go to https://
www.regulations.gov, type USCG–2015–
0729 in the ‘‘SEARCH’’ box and click
‘‘SEARCH.’’ Click on Open Docket
Folder on the line associated with this
rule.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If
you have questions on this rule, call or
email Mr. Paul Lehmann, Coast Guard
Seventh District Prevention Waterways
Management Division, U.S. Coast
Guard; telephone (305) 415–6796, email
Paul.D.Lehmann@uscg.mil.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
II. Background Information and
Regulatory History
Jkt 241001
The Coast Guard is issuing this rule
under authority in 33 U.S.C. 471. The
Seventh District Commander has
determined that the new locations of the
anchorage provide both a safe anchorage
ground for vessels, as well as provide
for protection of the coral reef and
uphold the environmental protection
mission of the Coast Guard.
IV. Discussion of Comments, Changes,
and the Rule
On December 1, 2015, the Coast
Guard published a notice of study that
indicated we were evaluating amending
the Miami Anchorage to divide the
anchorage into two smaller anchorage
areas. The proposed amendment was
designed in coordination with a variety
of local stakeholders, including the
South East Florida Coral Reef Initiative
(SEFCRI). Comment provided by these
stakeholders, academic research, and
environmental reports have raised
concerns with the Coast Guard about the
potential for damage to the Florida Reef
in the Miami Anchorage. Examples of
the body of work that influenced the
Coast Guard in proposing this
amendment may be found in the docket.
In response to the notice of study, the
Coast Guard received four comments.
These comments were addressed in an
NPRM published on May 10, 2016. In
response to the NPRM, we received four
additional comments. Two of the
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27773
comments, one by the local non-profit
Miami Waterkeeper and the other by a
private citizen, supported our planned
modification of the Miami Anchorage.
The third and fourth comments were
submitted by the Biscayne Bay Pilots
Association.
The Biscayne Bay Pilots Association
(pilots) submitted a comment, through
Becky Hope of the Port of Miami, on
May 17, 2016. This comment requested
the Coast Guard evaluate changes in the
proposed anchorage, including shifting
the outer anchorage west and shifting
the southern boundary of the outer
anchorage north. In response to these
comments, the Coast Guard met with
the Pilots to discuss the requests and the
basis at which we arrived at the current
anchorage configuration. During the
meeting the Coast Guard agreed to shift
the western boundary of the outer
anchorage approximately 300 feet to the
west to provide more room for large
anchoring vessels. This change does not
have any effect on coral or hard bottom
as the sea floor in that area is sand.
On June 11, 2016, the Pilots submitted
a follow up comment to the public
docket expressing concern that the outer
anchorage would expose vessels to
increased current and waves and, they
claim, could increase the chance a
vessel would drag anchor. In order to
properly assess environmental
conditions and risk of an anchor drag,
the Coast Guard consulted with the
National Weather Service and Maersk
training center. The National Weather
Service conducted a study, analyzing
the previous year’s current in the
vicinity of the anchorage. The Weather
Service found that the average current
in the area of the outer anchorage over
the previous year was approximately 1.2
knots, with currents ranging plus or
minus half a knot from the mean current
seventy percent of the time. This
information was provided to the Maersk
training center in Svendborg, Denmark.
Subject matter experts at the training
school indicated that the conditions
posed no significant hazard and that
captains would have the training and
experience to set an anchor in the
deeper waters of the outer anchorage.
Due to the additional changes
requested by the various parties
involved, we published a Supplemental
Notice to Proposed Rulemaking on
February 22, 2017. The Coast Guard
received five comments in response to
this SNPRM. The Florida Department of
Environmental Protection supports this
project as a means to reduce coral reef
and hardbottom impacts. The additional
comments were in support of the rule,
citing the desire to protect natural
resources while acknowledging
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 116 (Monday, June 19, 2017)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 27771-27773]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-12617]
========================================================================
Rules and Regulations
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
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.
========================================================================
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 116 / Monday, June 19, 2017 / Rules
and Regulations
[[Page 27771]]
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 25
[Docket No. FAA-2017-0240; Special Conditions No. 25-691-SC]
Special Conditions: Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation GVII-G500;
Airbag Systems on Multiple-Place and Single-Place Side-Facing Seats
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Final special conditions; request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: These special conditions are issued for the Gulfstream
Aerospace Corporation (Gulfstream) GVII-G500 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 airbag systems on multiple-
place and single-place side-facing seats. 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 June 19, 2017. We must
receive your comments by August 3, 2017.
ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by docket number FAA-2017-0240
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/ 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: Alan Sinclair, FAA, Airframe and Cabin
Safety, ANM-115, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; telephone
425-227-2195; facsimile 425-227-1320.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA has determined that notice of, and
opportunity for prior public comment on, these special conditions is
impracticable because 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
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 March 29, 2012, Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation applied for a
type certificate for their new Model GVII-G500 airplane. The Model
GVII-G500 airplane will be a twin-engine, transport-category business
jet capable of accommodating up to 19 passengers. The Model GVII-G500
airplane will have a maximum takeoff weight of 76,850 lbs.
Type Certification Basis
Under Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) 21.17,
Gulfstream must show that the Model GVII-G500 airplane meets the
applicable provisions of 14 CFR part 25, as amended by Amendments 25-1
through 25-129.
If the Administrator finds that the applicable airworthiness
regulations (i.e., part 25) do not contain adequate or appropriate
safety standards for the Model GVII-G500 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 or similar
novel or unusual design feature, the special conditions would also
apply to the other model under Sec. 21.101.
In addition to the applicable airworthiness regulations and special
conditions, Model GVII-G500 airplanes 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 must issue a
finding of regulatory adequacy under Sec. 611 of Public Law 92-574,
the ``Noise Control Act of 1972.''
[[Page 27772]]
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. 21.17(a)(2).
Novel or Unusual Design Feature
The Model GVII-G500 airplane will incorporate the following novel
or unusual design feature:
Airbag systems on multiple-place and single-place side-facing
seats.
Discussion
Side facing seats are considered a novel design for transport-
category airplanes that include 14 CFR part 25, Amendment 25-64, in
their certification bases, because this feature was not anticipated
when those airworthiness standards were issued. Therefore, the existing
regulations do not provide adequate or appropriate safety standards for
occupants of side-facing seats. For the Model GVII-G500 airplane, FAA
Special Conditions No. 25-618-SC, ``Technical Criteria for Approving
Side-Facing Seats,'' proposed special conditions to address the
certification of single- and multiple-place side-facing seats. Those
proposed special conditions include condition 2(e), which requires the
axial rotation of the upper leg (femur) to be limited to 35 degrees in
either direction from the nominal seat position. To accommodate that
requirement, Gulfstream has developed a new airbag system that will be
installed close to the floor, and which is designed to limit the axial
rotation of the occupant's upper legs.
These special conditions contain the additional safety standards
that the Administrator considers necessary to establish a level of
safety equivalent to that established by the existing airworthiness
standards.
Applicability
As discussed above, these special conditions are applicable to the
Gulfstream Model GVII-G500 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 certain novel or unusual design features
on one model of airplane. 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, 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:
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 Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation Model
GVII-G500 airplanes.
In addition to the requirements of Sec. Sec. 25.562 and 25.785,
and Special Conditions No. 25-495-SC, the following special conditions
are part of the type certification basis for the Gulfstream Model GVII-
G500 airplane with leg-flail airbags installed on side-facing seats.
1. For seats with a leg-flail airbag system, the system must deploy
and provide protection under crash conditions where it is necessary to
prevent serious injury. The means of protection must take into
consideration a range of stature from a 2-year-old child to a 95th-
percentile male. At some buttock popliteal length and effective seat-
bottom depth, the lower legs will not be able to form a 90-degree angle
relative to the upper leg; at this point, the lower leg flail would not
occur. The leg-flail airbag system must provide a consistent approach
to prevention of leg flail throughout that range of occupants whose
lower legs can form a 90-degree angle relative to the upper legs when
seated upright in the seat. Items that need to be considered include,
but are not limited to, the range of occupants' popliteal height, the
range of occupants' buttock popliteal length, the design of the seat
effective height above the floor, and the effective depth of the seat-
bottom cushion.
2. The leg-flail airbag system must provide adequate protection for
each occupant regardless of the number of occupants of the seat
assembly, considering that unoccupied seats may have an active leg-
flail airbag system.
3. The leg-flail airbag system must not be susceptible to
inadvertent deployment as a result of wear and tear, or inertial loads
resulting from in-flight or ground maneuvers (including gusts and hard
landings), and other operating and environmental conditions
(vibrations, moisture, etc.) likely to occur in service.
4. Deployment of the leg-flail airbag system must not introduce
injury mechanisms to the seated occupant, nor result in injuries that
could impede rapid egress.
5. Inadvertent deployment of the leg-flail airbag system, during
the most critical part of the flight, must either meet the requirement
of Sec. 25.1309(b), or not cause a hazard to the airplane or its
occupants.
6. The leg-flail airbag system must not impede rapid egress of
occupants from the airplane 10 seconds after airbag deployment.
7. The leg-flail airbag system must be protected from lightning and
high-intensity radiated fields (HIRF). The threats to the airplane
specified in existing regulations regarding lightning (Sec. 25.1316)
and HIRF (Sec. 25.1317) are incorporated by reference for the purpose
of measuring lightning and HIRF protection.
8. The leg-flail airbag system must function properly after loss of
normal airplane electrical power, and after a transverse separation of
the fuselage at the most critical location. A separation at the
location of the leg-flail airbag system does not have to be considered.
9. The leg-flail airbag system must not release hazardous
quantities of gas or particulate matter into the cabin.
10. The leg-flail airbag system installation must be protected from
the effects of fire such that no hazard to occupants will result.
11. A means must be available to verify the integrity of the leg-
flail airbag system's activation system prior to each flight, or the
leg-flail airbag system's activation system must reliably operate
between inspection intervals. The FAA considers that the loss of the
leg-flail airbag system's deployment function alone (i.e., independent
of the conditional event that requires the leg-flail airbag system's
deployment) is a major-failure condition.
12. The airbag inflatable material may not have an average burn
rate of greater than 2.5 inches per minute when tested using the
horizontal flammability test defined in part 25, appendix F, part I,
paragraph (b)(5).
[[Page 27773]]
13. The leg-flail airbag system, once deployed, must not adversely
affect the emergency-lighting system (i.e., must not block floor-
proximity lights to the extent that the lights no longer meet their
intended function).
Issued in Renton, Washington, on June 8, 2017.
Michael Kaszycki,
Assistant Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-12617 Filed 6-16-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P