[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 148 (Wednesday, August 3, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-18831]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: August 3, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 25
[Docket No. NM-98; Special Conditions No. 25-ANM-87]
Special Conditions: Canadair Model CL-215-6B11 (CL-415 Variant),
High Intensity Radiated Fields (HIRF)
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Final special conditions; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: These special conditions are issued for Canadair Model CL-215-
6B11 (CL-415 variant) airplanes manufactured by Canadair Inc. of
Montreal, Canada. These airplanes are equipped with digital electronic
flight instrument systems (EFIS) and an integrated instrument display
system with active matrix liquid crystal displays (LCD's) that perform
critical functions. The applicable regulations do not contain adequate
or appropriate safety standards for the protection of the EFIS and the
LCD's from the effects of high-intensity radiated fields (HIRF). These
special conditions provide the additional safety standards that the
Administrator considers necessary to ensure that the critical functions
performed by these systems are maintained when the airplane is exposed
to HIRF.
DATES: The effective date of these special conditions is July 14, 1994;
Comments must be received on or before September 19, 1994.
ADDRESSES: Comments on these final special conditions; request for
comments, may be mailed in duplicate to: Federal Aviation
Administration, Office of the Assistant Chief Counsel, Attn.: Rules
Docket (ANM-7), Docket No. NM-98, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton,
Washington, 98055-4056; or delivered in duplicate to the Office of the
Assistant Chief Counsel at the above address. Comments must be marked
``Docket No. NM-98.'' Comments may be inspected in the Rules Docket
weekdays, except Federal holidays, between 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Gary Lium, FAA, Standardization Branch, Transport Airplane Directorate,
Aircraft Certification Service, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton,
Washington 98055-4056; telephone (206) 227-1112.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
The FAA has determined that good cause exists for making these
special conditions effective upon issuance, however, interested persons
are invited to submit such written data, views, or arguments as they
may desire. Communications should identify the regulatory docket and
special conditions number and be submitted in duplicate to the address
specified above. All communications received on or before the closing
date for comments will be considered by the Administrator. These
special conditions may be changed in light of the comments received.
All comments submitted will be available in the Rules Docket for
examination by interested persons, both before and after the closing
date for comments. A report summarizing each substantive public contact
with FAA personnel concerning this rulemaking will be filed in the
docket. Persons wishing the FAA to acknowledge receipt of their
comments submitted in response to this request must submit with those
comments a self-addressed, stamped postcard on which the following
statement is made: ``Comments to Docket No. NM-98.'' The postcard will
be date stamped and returned to the commenter.
Background
On December 17, 1993, Canadair, Inc. of Montreal, Canada, applied
for an amendment to Type Certificate A14EA to incorporate the model CL-
215-6B11 (CL-415 variant) water bomber aircraft. This aircraft is
similar to the Model CL-215-6B11, approved March 30, 1993, as a
retrofit conversion of the reciprocating engine-powered CL-215-1A10. It
differs, however, in that it is a production model featuring the same
turboprop engines, but incorporating certain product improvements. The
design of the CL-215-6B11 includes the installation of digital avionics
consisting of an electronic flight instrument system (EFIS) and an
integrated instrument display system with active matrix liquid crystal
displays that are potentially vulnerable to high-intensity radiated
fields (HIRF) external to the airplane.
Supplemental Type Certification Basis
Under the provisions of Sec. 21.101 of the Federal Aviation
Regulations (FAR), Canadair Inc. must show that the Model CL-215-6B11
(CL-415 variant) meets the applicable provisions of the regulations
incorporated by reference in Type Certificate No. A14EA, or the
applicable regulations in effect on the date of application for the
Model CL-215-6B11. The regulations incorporated by reference in the
type certificate are commonly referred to as the ``original type
certification basis.''
The regulations incorporated by reference in Type Certificate No.
A14EA for the Model CL-215-6B11 are part 25 of the Federal Aviation
Regulations (FAR), as amended by Amendment 25-61, except for certain
requirements found inappropriate for the intended special purpose.
Those exceptions, which are not relevant to the special conditions
proposed herein, are listed in Report RAO-215-100, Supplement 1, Part
2.1, pages 47 through 117, dated September 19, 1991. These special
conditions will form an additional part of the certification basis.
If the Administrator finds that the applicable airworthiness
regulations (i.e., part 25, as amended) do not contain adequate or
appropriate safety standards for the CL-215-6B11 (CL-415 variant)
because of a novel or unusual design feature, special conditions are
prescribed under the provisions of Sec. 21.16 to establish a level of
safety equivalent to that established in the regulations.
Special conditions, as appropriate, are issued in accordance with
Sec. 11.49 of the FAR after public notice, as required by Secs. 11.28
and 11.29, and become part of the type certification basis in
accordance with Sec. 21.101(b)(2).
Special conditions are initially applicable to the model for which
they are issued. Should the type certificate for that model be amended
at a later date to include any other model that incorporates the same
novel or unusual design feature, or should any other model already
included on the same type certificate be modified to incorporate the
same novel or unusual design feature, the special conditions would also
apply to the other model under the provisions of Sec. 21.101(a)(1).
Discussion
There is no specific regulation that addresses protection
requirements for electrical and electronic systems from high-intensity
radiated fields (HIRF). Increased power levels from ground-based radio
transmitters, and the growing use of sensitive electrical and
electronic systems to command and control airplanes, have made it
necessary to provide adequate protection.
To ensure that a level of safety is achieved equivalent to that
intended by the regulations incorporated by reference, special
conditions are needed for the CL-215-6B11 (CL-415 variant) that would
require the EFIS and LCD's be designed and installed to preclude
component damage and interruption of function due to the effects of
HIRF.
High-Intensity Radiated Fields (HIRF)
With the trend toward increased power levels from ground-based
transmitters, plus the advent of space and satellite communications,
coupled with electronic command and control of the airplane, the
immunity of critical digital avionics systems, such as the EFIS and
LCD's, to HIRF must be established.
It is not possible to precisely define the HIRF to which the
airplane will be exposed in service. There is also uncertainty
concerning the effectiveness of airframe shielding for HIRF.
Furthermore, coupling to cockpit-installed equipment through the
cockpit window apertures is undefined. Based on surveys and analyses of
existing HIRF emitters, an adequate level of protection exists when
compliance with the HIRF protection special condition is shown with
either paragraphs 1 or 2 below:
1. A minimum threat of 100 volts per meter peak electric field
strength from 10 KHz to 18 GHz.
a. The threat must be applied to the system elements and their
associated wiring harnesses without the benefit of airframe shielding.
b. Demonstration of this level of protection is established through
system tests and analysis.
2. A threat external to the airframe of the following field
strengths for the frequency ranges indicated.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Peak (V/ Average
Frequency M) (V/M)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 KHz-100 KHz...................................... 50 50
100 KHz-500 KHz..................................... 60 60
500 KHz-2000 KHz.................................... 70 70
2 MHz-30 MHz........................................ 200 200
30 MHz-70 MHz....................................... 30 30
70 MHz-100 MHz...................................... 30 30
100 MHz-200 MHz..................................... 150 33
200 MHz-400 MHz..................................... 70 70
400 MHz-700 MHz..................................... 4,020 935
700 MHz-1000 MHz.................................... 1,700 170
1 GHz-2 GHz......................................... 5,000 990
2 GHz-4 GHz......................................... 6,680 840
4 GHz-6 GHz......................................... 6,850 310
6 GHz-8 GHz......................................... 3,600 670
8 GHz-12 GHz........................................ 3,500 1,270
12 GHz-18 GHz....................................... 3,500 360
18 GHz-40 GHz....................................... 2,100 750
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The envelope given in paragraph 2 above is a revision to the
envelope used in previously issued special conditions in other
certification projects. It is based on new data and SAE AE4R
subcommittee recommendations. This revised envelope includes data from
Western Europe and the U.S.
As discussed above, these special conditions are applicable to CL-
215-6B11 (CL-415 variant) airplanes manufactured by Canadair, Inc., of
Montreal, Canada. Should Canadair apply at a later date for a change to
the type certificate to include another model incorporating the same
novel or unusual design feature, the special conditions would apply to
that model as well, under the provisions of Sec. 21.101(a)(1).
Conclusion
This action affects only certain unusual or novel design features
on CL-215-6B11 (CL-415 variant) airplanes. It is not a rule of general
applicability and affects only the manufacturer who applied to the FAA
for approval of these features on the airplane.
The substance of the special conditions for these airplanes has
been subjected to the notice and comment procedure 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. For
this reason, and because a delay would significantly affect the
certification of the airplane, which is imminent, the FAA has
determined that prior public notice and comment are unnecessary and
impracticable, and good cause exists for adopting these special
conditions immediately. Therefore, these special conditions are being
made effective upon issuance. 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. app. 1344, 1348(c), 1352, 1354(a), 1355,
1421 through 1431, 1502, 1651(b)(2), 42 U.S.C. 1857f-10, 4321 et
seq.; E.O. 11514; and 49 U.S.C. 106(g).
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
Canadair Model CL-215-6B11 (CL-415 variant) airplanes:
1. Protection from Unwanted Effects of High-Intensity Radiated
Fields (HIRF). Each electrical and electronic system that performs
critical functions must be designed and installed to ensure that the
operation and operational capability of these systems to perform
critical functions are not adversely affected when the airplane is
exposed to high-intensity radiated fields external to the airplane.
2. The following definition applies with respect to this special
condition: Critical Function. Functions whose failure would
contribute to or cause a failure condition that would prevent the
continued safe flight and landing of the airplane.
Issued in Renton, Washington, on July 14, 1994.
Stewart R. Miller,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 94-18831 Filed 8-2-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M
