Special Conditions, Ballistic Recovery Systems, Modified for Small General Aviation Airplanes

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

14 CFR Parts 21 and 23

[Docket No. 118CE, Notice No. 23-ACE-76]

Special Conditions, Ballistic Recovery Systems, Modified for

Small General Aviation Airplanes

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed special conditions.

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SUMMARY: This notice proposes special conditions for the supplementary

type certification of the Ballistic Recovery Systems, Inc., parachute

recovery system installed in small general aviation airplanes. This

system is referred to as the GARD. Modifications to airplanes using

this system will incorporate novel or unusual design features

associated with a parachute recovery system for which the applicable

airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety

standards. This notice contains the proposed safety standards that the

administrator finds necessary to establish a level of safety equivalent

to the original certification basis for these airplanes

DATES: Comments must be received on or before March 21, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Comment on this proposal may be mailed in duplicate to:

Federal Aviation Administration, Office of the Regional Counsel, ACE-7,

Attention: Rules Docket Clerk, Docket No. 118CE, room No. 1558, 601

East 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64106. All comments must be

marked: Docket No. 118CE. Comments may be inspected in the Rules Docket

weekdays, except Federal holidays, between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

J. Lowell Foster, Aerospace Engineer, Standards Office (ACE-110), Small

Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service; Central Region,

Federal Aviation Administration, 601 East 12th Street, Kansas City, MO

64106; telephone (816) 426-5688.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

Interested persons are invited to participate in the making of

these special conditions by submitting such written data, views, or

arguments as they may desire. Communications should identify the

regulatory docket or notice number and be submitted in duplicate to the

address specified above. All communications received on or before the

closing date for comments specified in this notice will be considered

by the Administrator before taking action on these proposals. The

proposals contained in this notice may change in light of the comments

received. All comments submitted will be available in the Rules Docket

for examination by interested parties both before and after the closing

date for submission of comments. A report summarizing each substantive

public contact with FAA personnel concerned with this rulemaking will

be filed in the docket.

Background

On January 12, 1987, Ballistic Recovery Systems, Inc. (BRS), 9242

Hudson Boulevard, Lake Elmo, Minnesota 55042, filed an application for

a supplemental type certificate (STC) to install the GARD-150 parachute

recovery system on Cessna 150/A150 Series and 152/A152 Model Airplanes.

Subsequently they received the STC under Special Condition 23-ACE-33,

dated November 17, 1987. The parachute recovery system is intended to

recover an airplane in emergency situations such as mid-air collision,

loss of engine power, loss of airplane control, severe structural

failure, pilot disorientation, or pilot incapacitation with a passenger

on board. The GARD-150 system, which is only used as a last resort, is

intended to prevent serious injuries to the airplane occupants by

parachuting the airplane to the ground.

BRS followed their STC on the Cessna 150/A150 and 152/A152 Series

with a request for special conditions on a GARD system that would be

applicable to most general aviation airplanes. The nature of the

parachute recovery system applies to most general aviation airplanes

instead of each airplane model needing separate special conditions.

Parachute recovery systems typically consist of a parachute packed

in a canister mounted on the airframe. A solid propellant rocket motor

or compressed air may deploy the canopy and is usually located on the

side of the canister. A door positioned above the canister seals the

canister, parachute canopy, and rocket motor from the elements and

provides free exit when the canopy is deployed. These systems are

deployed by a mechanical pull handle mounted so that the pilot and

passenger can reach it. At least two separate and independent actions

are required to deploy the system.

A four-cable bridle attaches the canopy bridle to the airplane

primary structure. The cable lengths are designed to provide the best

airplane touchdown attitude. The cables are routed externally and

covered with small frangible fairings from the fuselage exit holes to

the attach points.

The applicants must supplement the FAA-approved Flight Manual as

part of the STC. The supplement will describe the system, define the

operating envelope with appropriate warnings, and define required

system maintenance and inspection information. A separate FAA approved

Operating Manual describing the previous items will be provided for

those airplanes that do not have an FAA-approved Flight Manual.

Recommended placards should be located near the pull handle in

clear view of the pilot to identify the system and operating envelope,

state deployment actions, and provide appropriate warnings. A warning

placard should also be located on the canister near the rocket motor.

Discussion

The installation of parachute recovery systems in part 23 airplanes

was not envisioned when the certification basis for these airplanes was

established. In addition, the Administrator has determined that current

parts 21 and 23 do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards

for a parachute recovery system; therefore, this system is considered a

novel and unusual design feature.

Special conditions may be issued and amended, as necessary, as part

of the type certification basis if the Administrator finds that the

airworthiness standards designated in accordance with Sec. 21.101(b)(2)

do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards because of the

novel and unusual design features of the airplane modification. Special

conditions, as appropriate, are issued in accordance with Sec. 11.49

after public notice, as required by Secs. 11.28 and 11.29(b), effective

October 14, 1980, and become part of the type certification basis, as

provided by Sec. 21.17(a)(2).

Special conditions are proposed for flight test demonstrations.

These requirements would ensure that the parachute recovery system will

perform its intended function without exceeding its strength

capabilities. These requirements would also require that demonstrations

be made to show that the parachute will deploy in various specified

flight conditions.

Special conditions are proposed for the occupant restraint

provisions where applicable. These requirements ensure that airplanes

modified with a parachute recovery system are equipped with a restraint

system designed to protect the occupants from injury during parachute

deployment and ground impact.

Special conditions are proposed for the parachute performance. The

requirements would ensure the following: (a) The parachute complies

with the applicable section of TSO-C23c (SAE AS8015A) at the critical

airplane weights, (b) the parachute deployment loads do not exceed the

structural strength of the airplane, (c) the system will provide a

ground impact that does not result in serious injury of the passengers,

and (d) the system will operate in adverse weather conditions.

Special conditions are proposed for the functions and operations of

the parachute recovery system. These requirements would ensure the

following: (a) There is no fire hazard associated with the system, (b)

the system has adequate reliability, (c) the sequence of arming and

activating the system will prevent inadvertent deployment, (d) the

system can be activated from either the pilot's or the copilot's

position by various sized people, (e) the system will be labeled to

show its identification function and operating limitations, and (f) if

must be shown that the occupants will be protected from serious injury

after touchdown under various adverse weather conditions, including

high winds.

Special conditions are proposed for protection of the parachute

recovery system. These requirements would ensure that the system is

protected from deterioration due to weathering, corrosion, abrasion,

and other causes; and that provisions are made to the parachute

canister to provide adequate ventilation and drainage.

Special conditions are proposed for a system inspection provision.

These requirements would ensure that adequate means are available to

permit examination of the parachute recovery system components and that

instructions for continued airworthiness are provided.

Special conditions are proposed for the operating limitations of

the parachute recovery system. These requirements would ensure that the

system operating limitations are prescribed for inspecting, repacking,

and replacing the system's parachute and deployment mechanism at

approved intervals.

The FAA has considered the features proposed by Ballistic Recovery

Systems, Inc., for the GARD installation in the primary, normal,

utility, and acrobatic category airplanes and has concluded that

special conditions should be proposed for such systems to provide the

necessary level of safety.

List of Subjects

14 CFR Part 21

Aircraft, Aviation safety.

14 CFR Part 23

Aircraft, Aviation safety.

The authority citation for these special conditions is as follows:

Authority: Secs. 313(a), 601, and 603 of the Federal Aviation

Act of 1958; as amended (49 U.S.C. 1354(a), 1421, and 1423); 49

U.S.C. 106(g); 14 CFR 21.16 and 21.101(b)(2); and 14 CFR 11.28 and

11.29(b).

The Proposed Special Conditions

Accordingly, the Federal Aviation Administration proposes the

following special conditions as a part of the type certification basis

for primary, normal, utility, and acrobatic category airplanes modified

to incorporate parachute recovery systems.

1. Flight test demonstration. (a) The system must be demonstrated

in flight to satisfactorily perform its intended function, without

exceeding the system deployment limit load factors, for the critical

flight conditions.

(b) Satisfactory deployment of the parachute must be demonstrated,

at the most critical airplane weight and balance, for the following

flight conditions:

(i) For airplanes--(1) Power off stall with slow entry,

(2) Spin with deployment at one turn,

(3) Maneuvering speed with 0g normal load, and

(4) Never exceed speed with 1g normal load.

(ii) In addition, for acrobatic airplanes--during inverted flight.

2. Occupant restraint. Each seat in an airplane modified with the

parachute recovery system must be equipped with a restraint system,

consisting of a seat belt and shoulder harness, that will protect the

occupants from head and upper torso injuries during parachute

deployment and ground impact at the critical load conditions.

3. Parachute performance. (a) The parachute must comply with the

applicable requirements of TSO-C23c, or an approved equivalent, for the

critical airplane weights.

(b) The system limit load factor for deployment must not exceed 80

percent of the airplane ultimate load factor.

(c) It must be shown that, although the airplane structure may be

damaged, the airplane impact during touchdown will result in an

occupant environment in which serious injury to the occupants is

improbable.

(d) It must be shown that, with the parachute deployed, the

airplane can impact the ground in various adverse weather conditions,

including winds up to 15 knots, without endangering the airplane

occupants.

4. System function and operations. (a) It must be shown that there

is no fire hazard associated with activation of the system.

(b) The system must be shown to function reliably and to perform

its intended function.

(c) It must be shown that arming and activating the system can only

be accomplished in a sequence that makes inadvertent deployment

extremely improbable.

(d) It must be demonstrated that the system can be activated

without difficulty by various sized people, from a 10th percentile

female to a 90th percentile male, while sitting in the pilot or copilot

seat.

(e) The system must be labeled to show its identification,

function, and operating limitations.

(f) It must be shown that the occupants will be protected from

serious injury after touchdown under various adverse weather

conditions, including high winds.

5. System protection. (a) All components of the system must provide

protection against deterioration due to weathering, corrosion,

abrasion, and other causes.

(b) Adequate provisions must be made for ventilation and drainage

of the parachute canister and associated structure to ensure the sound

condition of the system.

6. System inspection provisions. (a) Instructions for continued

airworthiness must be prepared for the system that meet the

requirements of Sec. 23.1529.

(b) Adequate means must be provided to permit the close examination

of the parachute and other system components to ensure proper

functioning, alignment, lubrication, and adjustment during the required

inspection of the system.

7. Operating limitations. (a) Operating limitations must be

prescribed to ensure proper operation of the system within the approved

flight envelope of the airplane.

(b) Operating limitations must be prescribed for inspecting,

repacking, and replacing the parachute and deployment mechanism at

approved intervals.

Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on January 3, 1994.

Henry A. Armstrong,

Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 94-1206 Filed 1-18-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-13-M