Special Conditions Proposed for Dassault Falcon 7X

The FAA released a proposal on Monday and another today for a number of special conditions related to the certification of the Dassault Falcon 7X, which is expected in the second quarter. Special conditions are required to be approved any time a certification issue falls outside the parameter of the FARs. Special conditions are usual for new-technology airplanes that weren’t considered possible or applicable when the regs were originally written. In the case of the 7X, the proposals cover a number of issues, including the sidestick control, flight envelope protection, aircraft stability, sudden engine stoppage and pitch, roll and high-speed limits. Comments are being accepted through March 28 and 21, respectively. On Wednesday the FAA issued a final determination related to electrical system special conditions previously proposed for the 7X. Said Dassault, “The Falcon 7X is the first corporate airplane to use a fly-by-wire flight control system, as well as other new technologies, so this action from the FAA simply means they recognized and have addressed the new technologies involved.”