SPECIAL CONDITION Doc.

No: SC-VTOL-01
Issue: 1 (proposed)
Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) Date: 15 October 2018
Aircraft

Proposed Special Condition for small-category VTOL aircraft

Introductory note

The following Special Condition has been classified as an important Special Condition and as such shall
be subject to public consultation, in accordance with EASA Management Board decision 12/2007
dated 11 September 2007, Article 3 (2.) of which states:

"2. Deviations from the applicable airworthiness codes, environmental protection certification
specifications and/or acceptable means of compliance with Part 21, as well as important special
conditions and equivalent safety findings, shall be submitted to the panel of experts and be subject to
a public consultation of at least 3 weeks, except if they have been previously agreed and published in
the Official Publication of the Agency. The final decision shall be published in the Official Publication
of the Agency."

Statement of Issue

The Agency has received a number of requests for the type certification of vertical take-off and landing
(VTOL) aircraft, which differ from conventional rotorcraft or fixed-wing aircraft. In the absence of
certification specifications for the type certification of this type of product, a complete set of dedicated
technical specifications in the form of a special condition for VTOL aircraft has been developed. This
special condition addresses the unique characteristics of these products and prescribes airworthiness
standards for the issuance of the type certificate, and changes to this type certificate, for a person-
carrying VTOL aircraft in the small category, with lift/thrust units used to generate powered lift and
control.

Background/Scope

The special condition has been established to prescribe the technical specifications for the type
certification of a person-carrying vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft in the small category,
with lift/thrust units used to generate powered lift and control. The Agency considers that the current
airworthiness standards for aeroplanes or rotorcraft are not adequate to prescribe the standard
means to demonstrate compliance of such products with the essential requirements of the Basic
Regulation. Therefore there is a need to develop a dedicated full set of technical specifications in the
form of a special condition that can be used to establish the certification basis.

The unique features of a VTOL aircraft that significantly differentiate them from traditional rotorcraft
or aeroplanes and therefore necessitate this dedicated special condition include the fact that:

• Distributed lift/thrust units are used to generate powered lift and control.
• Although hover flight may be possible, the aircraft may not be able to perform an autorotation
or a controlled glide in the event of a loss of lift/thrust.
 SPECIAL CONDITION Doc. No: SC-VTOL-01
Issue: 1 (proposed)
Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) Date: 15 October 2018
Aircraft

The special condition has been established in the spirit of recent CS amendments, such as CS-23 Amdt.
5, namely prescribing performance/objective based technical specifications. CS-23 Amdt. 5 is
considered to be the state of the art in terms of safety objective based provisions and for this reason
it was selected as the basis for this special condition.

The Agency may develop acceptable means of compliance to meet the safety objectives, and those
may be subject to subsequent public consultation.

Once the Agency has gained more experience with this type of product, the Agency will strive to
transpose the special condition into a certification specification dedicated to these products.

Focus of the consultation

For ease of interpretation, grey shading has been used in the following special conditions to indicate
where additions or substitutions have been made to text that is already existing in CS-23 Amdt 5. The
term “Reserved” has been used to indicate where existing text in CS-23 Amdt 5 has not been found
appropriate for this special condition. Commenters are invited to focus their comments to these
additions/omissions rather than on the source CS-23 Amdt 5 text unless an inconsistency is identified.
 Doc. No: SC-VTOL-01
Issue: 1 (proposed)
Date: 15 October 2018

SUBPART A – GENERAL

VTOL.2000 Applicability and definitions

(a) This Special Condition prescribes airworthiness standards for the issuance of the type certificate, and
changes to this type certificate, for a person-carrying VTOL aircraft in the small category, with lift/thrust
units used to generate powered lift and control. Aircraft subject to this Special Condition are not
pressurized.
(b) For the purposes of this Special Condition, the following definition applies:
(1) ‘continued safe flight and landing’ means an aircraft is capable of continued controlled flight and
landing at an operating site, possibly using emergency procedures, without requiring exceptional
piloting skill or strength;
(2) ‘congested area’ means in relation to a city, town or settlement, any area which is substantially
used for residential, commercial or recreational purposes;
(3) ‘commercial air transport (CAT) operation’ means an aircraft operation to transport passengers,
cargo or mail for remuneration or other valuable consideration.
(c) This Special Condition can apply to aircraft with pilot onboard, remotely piloted or with various degrees
of autonomy; flight crew references therefore should be considered “as applicable”.

VTOL.2005 Certification of small-category VTOL aircraft

(a) Certification with this small category Special Condition applies to an aircraft with a passenger seating
configuration of 5 or less and a maximum certified take-off mass of 2 000 kg or less.
(b) The aircraft must be certified in one or both of the following categories:
(1) Category Enhanced: the aircraft is capable of continued safe flight and landing after critical
malfunction of thrust/lift. Aircraft intended for operations over congested areas or for Commercial
Air Transport (CAT) operations of passengers must be certified in this category;
(2) Category Basic: the aircraft is capable of a controlled emergency landing after critical malfunction
of thrust/lift.

VTOL.2010 Accepted means of compliance

(a) An applicant must comply with this Special Condition using an acceptable means of compliance (AMC)
issued by EASA, or another means of compliance which may include consensus standards, when
specifically accepted by EASA at project level.
(b) An applicant requesting EASA to accept a means of compliance must provide the means of compliance to
EASA in an acceptable form and manner.
 Doc. No: SC-VTOL-01
Issue: 1 (proposed)
Date: 15 October 2018

SUBPART B - FLIGHT

VTOL.2100 Mass and centre of gravity

(a) The applicant must determine limits for mass and centre of gravity that provide for the safe operation of
the aircraft.
(b) The applicant’s design must comply with each requirement of this Subpart at critical combinations of mass
and centre of gravity within the aircraft’s range of loading conditions using acceptable tolerances.
(c) The condition of the aircraft at the time of determining its empty mass and centre of gravity must be well
defined and easily repeatable.

VTOL.2105 Performance data

(a) Unless otherwise prescribed, an aircraft must meet the performance requirements of this Subpart in:
(1) still air and standard atmospheric conditions at sea level for all aircraft; and
(2) ambient atmospheric conditions within the operational flight envelope for:
(i) reserved.

(ii) Category Enhanced.

(b) Unless otherwise prescribed, the applicant must develop the performance data required by this Subpart
for the following conditions:
(1) operating site altitudes from sea level to the maximum certified altitude; and
(2) temperatures above and below standard day temperature that are within the range of operating
limitations if those temperatures could have a negative effect on performance.
(c) The procedures used for determining take-off and landing area must be executable consistently by flight
crew of average skill in atmospheric conditions expected to be encountered in service.
(d) Performance data determined in accordance with SC VTOL.2105(b) must account for losses due to
atmospheric conditions, cooling needs, installation, downwash considerations, and other demands on
power sources.

VTOL.2110 Flight Envelopes

The applicant must determine the normal, operational and limit flight envelope for each flight configuration
used in operations, including take-off, climb, cruise, descent, approach, hover, if applicable, and landing. The
limit flight envelope determination must account for the most adverse conditions for each flight configuration.

VTOL.2115 Take-off performance

(a) The applicant must determine take-off performance accounting for:

(1) operational flight envelope;
(2) reserved; and
 Doc. No: SC-VTOL-01
Issue: 1 (proposed)
Date: 15 October 2018

(3) obstacle safety margins.

(b) Reserved.
(c) For Category Enhanced, take-off performance must be determined taking into account critical
malfunction of thrust/lift.

VTOL.2120 Climb requirements

The design must comply with minimum climb performance out of ground effect:

(a) in the normal flight envelope.

(b) for Category Enhanced:
(1) in the operational envelope; and
(2) after critical malfunction of thrust/lift.
(c) reserved.

VTOL.2125 Climb information

(a) The applicant must determine, as applicable, climb and/or descent performance:
(1) in the normal flight envelope.
(2) for Category Enhanced, in the operational envelope.
(3) reserved.
(b) The VTOL ceiling in and out of ground effect, if applicable, must be determined within the operational
flight envelope.

VTOL.2130 Landing

The applicant must determine the following, at critical combinations of flight parameters and altitude within the
operational limits:
(a) the area required to land and come to a stop, assuming approach paths applicable to the aircraft; and
(b) the approach and landing speeds, configurations, and procedures, which allow a flight crew of average
skill to land within the published landing area consistently and without causing damage or injury, and
which allow for a safe transition to the balked-landing conditions.

VTOL.2135 Controllability

(a) The aircraft must be controllable and manoeuvrable, without requiring exceptional piloting skills,
alertness, or strength, within the operational flight envelope and must be controllable and manoeuvrable
within the limit flight envelope:
(1) at all loading conditions for which certification is requested;
(2) during all phases of ground or flight operations;
 Doc. No: SC-VTOL-01
Issue: 1 (proposed)
Date: 15 October 2018

(3) with likely flight control or thrust/lift system malfunction;

(4) during configuration changes;
(5) in all degraded electronic flight control system operating modes; and
(6) the applicant must demonstrate controllability in wind velocities from zero to a wind limit
appropriate for the aircraft type, from all azimuths.
(b) Reserved.
(c) Reserved.
(d) It must be possible to make a smooth transition from one flight condition to another without danger of
exceeding the limit flight envelope.

VTOL.2140 Control forces

(a) Reserved.
(b) Reserved.
(c) Residual control forces must not fatigue or distract the flight crew during normal operations of the aircraft
and likely abnormal or emergency operations, including critical malfunction of thrust/lift. The trim control
may not introduce any undesirable discontinuities in control force gradients.

VTOL.2145 Flying qualities

(a) Within its flight envelopes, the aircraft must show suitable stability and control feel, in all axis.
(b) Within its flight envelopes, no aircraft may exhibit any divergent stability characteristic, so as to increase
the flight crew’s workload to an unacceptable level or otherwise endanger the aircraft and its occupants.

VTOL.2150 Stall characteristics and stall warning

(a) If part of the lift is generated by a wing, the aircraft must have controllable stall characteristics in straight
flight, turning flight, and accelerated turning flight with a clear and distinctive stall warning that provides
sufficient margin to prevent inadvertent stalling.
(b) Reserved.
(c) Reserved.
(d) Reserved.
(e) Reserved.

VTOL.2155 Ground- and water-handling characteristics

(a) The aircraft must have controllable handling characteristics during taxi, take-off, and landing for the
anticipated operation.
 Doc. No: SC-VTOL-01
Issue: 1 (proposed)
Date: 15 October 2018

VTOL.2160 Vibration

(a) Each part of the aircraft must be free from excessive vibration throughout the limit flight envelope.
(b) Reserved.
(c) Reserved.
(d) Reserved.

VTOL.2165 Flight in icing conditions

(a) An applicant who requests certification for flight in icing conditions must:
(1) demonstrate that the aircraft can be safely operated in the icing conditions for which certification
is requested . An analysis must be performed to establish, on the basis of the aircraft’s operational
needs, the adequacy of the ice protection system for the various components of the aircraft.
(2) show by test the effectiveness of the ice protection system and its components.
(b) The applicant must provide a means to detect any icing conditions for which the aircraft is not certified to
operate and demonstrate the aircraft’s ability to avoid or exit those conditions.
(c) The applicant must develop an operating limitation to prohibit intentional flight, including take-off and
landing, into icing conditions for which the aircraft is not certified to operate.

FLIGHT INFORMATION

VTOL.2170 Operating Limitations

(a) The following flight information must be established:

(1) operating limitations, procedures and instructions necessary for the safe operation of the aircraft;
and
(2) essential speeds and performance information.
 Doc. No: SC-VTOL-01
Issue: 1 (proposed)
Date: 15 October 2018

SUBPART C -STRUCTURES

VTOL.2200 Structural design envelope

The applicant must determine the structural design envelope, which describes the range and limits of aircraft
design and operational parameters for which the applicant will show compliance with the requirements of this
Subpart. The applicant must account for all aircraft design and operational parameters that affect structural
loads, strength, durability, and aeroelasticity, including:
(a) structural design parameters to be considered when determining the corresponding manoeuvring and
gust loads must:
(1) if part of the lift is generated by a wing, be sufficiently greater than the stalling speed of the aircraft
to safeguard against loss of control in turbulent air; and
(2) provide sufficient margin for the establishment of practical flight envelopes.
(b) flight load conditions to be expected in service;
(c) mass variations and distributions over the applicable mass and centre of gravity envelope, within the
operating limitations;
(d) loads in response to all designed control inputs; and
(e) redistribution of loads if deflections under load would significantly change the distribution of external or
internal loads.

VTOL.2205 Interaction of systems and structures

For aircraft equipped with systems that affect structural performance, either directly or as a result of failure or
malfunction, the applicant must account for the influence and failure conditions of these systems when showing
compliance with the requirements of this Subpart.

STRUCTURAL LOADS

VTOL.2210 Structural design loads

(a) The applicant must:

(1) determine structural design loads resulting from likely externally or internally applied pressure,
force or moment which may occur in flight, ground and water operations, ground- and water-
handling, and while the aircraft is parked or moored;
(2) determine the loads required by SC VTOL.2210(a)(1) at all critical combinations of parameters, on
and within the boundaries of the structural design envelope; and
(3) the magnitude and distribution of these loads must be based on established physical principles
within the structural design envelope.
 Doc. No: SC-VTOL-01
Issue: 1 (proposed)
Date: 15 October 2018

VTOL.2215 Flight load conditions

(a) Critical flight loads must be established for symmetrical and asymmetrical loading from all combinations
of flight parameters and load factors at and within the boundaries of the manoeuvre and gust envelope:
(1) at each altitude within the operating limitations, where the effects of compressibility are taken into
account when significant;
(2) at each mass from the design minimum mass to the design maximum mass; and
(3) at any practical but conservative distribution of disposable load within the operating limitations for
each altitude and weight.
(b) Vibration and buffeting must not result in structural damage
(1) up to dive speed.
(2) within the limit flight envelope.
(c) Flight loads resulting from a likely failure of an aircraft system, component, or thrust/lift unit must be
determined.

VTOL.2220 Ground and water load conditions

The applicant must determine the structural design loads resulting from taxi, take-off, landing, and handling
conditions on the applicable surface in normal and adverse attitudes and configurations.

VTOL.2225 Component loading conditions

(a) The applicant must determine the loads acting upon all relevant structural components, in response to:
(1) interaction of systems and structures.
(2) structural design loads.
(3) flight load conditions; and
(4) ground and water load conditions
(b) Reserved.
(c) The applicant must determine the structural design loads acting on rotor assemblies, considering loads
resulting from flight and ground conditions, as well as limit input torque at any rotor rotational speed.

VTOL.2230 Limit and ultimate loads

(a) Unless special or other factors of safety are necessary to meet the requirements of this Subpart, the
applicant must determine:
(1) the limit loads, which are equal to the structural design loads;
(2) the ultimate loads, which are equal to the limit loads multiplied by a 1.5 factor of safety, unless
otherwise provided.
(b) Some strength specifications are specified in terms of ultimate loads only, when permanent detrimental
deformation is acceptable.
 Doc. No: SC-VTOL-01
Issue: 1 (proposed)
Date: 15 October 2018

STRUCTURAL PERFORMANCE

VTOL.2235 Structural strength

The structure must support

(a) limit loads without:
(1) interference with the safe operation of the aircraft; and
(2) detrimental permanent deformation.
(b) ultimate loads.

VTOL.2240 Structural Durability

(a) The applicant must develop and implement inspections or other procedures to prevent structural failures
due to foreseeable causes of strength degradation, which could result in serious or fatal injuries, or
extended periods of operation with reduced safety margins. Each of the inspections or other procedures
developed under SC VTOL.2240 must be included in the Airworthiness Limitations Section of Instructions
for Continued Airworthiness required by SC VTOL.2625.
(b) For Category Enhanced, the procedures developed for compliance with SC VTOL.2240(a) must be capable
of detecting structural damage before the damage could result in structural failure.
(c) Reserved.
(d) The aircraft must be designed to minimise hazards to the aircraft due to structural damage caused by
high-energy fragments from an uncontained thrust/lift unit or rotating-machinery failure.
(e) For Category Enhanced, adequate in-service monitoring of parts having an important bearing on safety in
operations must be established.

VTOL.2245 Aeroelasticity

(a) The aircraft must be free from flutter, control reversal, and divergence:
(1) at all speeds within and sufficiently beyond the structural design envelope;
(2) for any configuration and condition of operation;
(3) accounting for critical degrees of freedom; and
(4) accounting for any critical malfunctions or malfunctions.
(b) The applicants' design must account for tolerances for all quantities that affect flutter.

VTOL.2250 Design and construction principles

(a) Each part, article, and assembly must be designed for the expected operating conditions of the aircraft.
(b) Design data must adequately define the part, article, or assembly configuration, its design features, and
any materials and processes used.
 Doc. No: SC-VTOL-01
Issue: 1 (proposed)
Date: 15 October 2018

(c) The suitability of each design detail and part having an important bearing on safety in operations must be
determined. Failure of a part with critical characteristics must not have a catastrophic effect upon the
aircraft.
(d) The flight control system must be free from jamming, excessive friction, and excessive deflection when
the aircraft is subjected to expected limit air loads.
(e) Doors, canopies, and exits must be protected against inadvertent opening in flight, unless shown to create
no hazard, when opened in flight.

VTOL.2255 Protection of structure

(a) Each part of the aircraft, including small parts such as fasteners, must be protected against deterioration
or loss of strength due to any cause likely to occur in the expected operational environment.
(b) Each part of the aircraft must have adequate provisions for ventilation and drainage.
(c) For each part that requires maintenance, preventive maintenance, or servicing, the applicant must
incorporate a means into the aircraft design to allow such actions to be accomplished.

VTOL.2260 Materials and processes

(a) The applicant must determine the suitability and durability of materials used for parts, articles, and
assemblies, the failure of which could prevent a controlled emergency landing , accounting for the effects
of likely environmental conditions expected in service
(b) The methods and processes of fabrication and assembly used must produce consistently sound structures.
If a fabrication process requires close control to reach this objective, the applicant must define the process
with an approved process specification as part of the design data.
(c) Except as provided for in SC VTOL.2260(f) and (g), the applicant must select design values that ensure
material strength with probabilities that account for the criticality of the structural element. Design values
must account for the probability of structural failure due to material variability.
(d) If material strength properties are required, a determination of those properties must be based on
sufficient tests of material meeting specifications to establish design values on a statistical basis.
(e) If environmental effects are significant on a critical component or structure under normal operating
conditions, the applicant must determine those effects.
(f) Design values, greater than the minimums specified by SC VTOL.2260, may be used, where only
guaranteed minimum values are normally allowed, if a specimen of each individual item is tested before
use to determine that the actual strength properties of that particular item will equal or exceed those
used in the design.
(g) An applicant may use other material design values if specifically approved by EASA.

VTOL.2265 Special factors of safety

(a) The applicant must determine a special factor of safety for each critical design value for each part, article,
or assembly for which that critical design value is uncertain, and for each part, article, or assembly that is:
 Doc. No: SC-VTOL-01
Issue: 1 (proposed)
Date: 15 October 2018

(1) likely to deteriorate in service before normal replacement; or

(2) subject to appreciable variability because of uncertainties in manufacturing processes or inspection
methods.
(b) The applicant must determine a special factor of safety using quality controls and specifications that
account for each:
(1) type of application;
(2) inspection method;
(3) structural test requirement;
(4) sampling percentage; and
(5) process and material control.
(c) The applicant must multiply the highest pertinent special factor of safety in the design for each part of
the structure by each limit load and ultimate load, or ultimate load only, if there is no corresponding limit
load, such as occurs with emergency condition loading.

STRUCTURAL OCCUPANT PROTECTION

VTOL.2270 Emergency conditions

(a) The aircraft, even when damaged in an emergency landing, must protect each occupant against injury
that would preclude egress when:
(1) properly using safety equipment and features provided for in the design;
(2) the occupant experiences ultimate static inertia loads likely to occur in an emergency landing; and
(3) items of mass, including thrust/lift unit or auxiliary power units (APUs), within or aft of the cabin,
that could injure an occupant, experience ultimate static inertia loads likely to occur in an
emergency landing.
(b) The emergency landing conditions specified in SC VTOL.2270(a) must:
(1) include dynamic conditions that are likely to occur in an emergency landing; and
(2) not generate loads experienced by the occupants, which exceed established human-injury criteria
for human tolerance due to restraint or contact with objects in the aircraft.
(c) The aircraft must provide protection for all occupants, accounting for likely flight, ground, and emergency
landing conditions.
(d) Each occupant protection system must perform its intended function and not create a hazard that could
cause a secondary injury to an occupant. The occupant protection system must not prevent occupant
egress or interfere with the operation of the aircraft when not in use.
(e) Each baggage and cargo compartment must:
(1) be designed for its maximum loading and for the critical load distributions at the maximum load
factors corresponding to the flight and ground load conditions determined under this Special
Condition;
 Doc. No: SC-VTOL-01
Issue: 1 (proposed)
Date: 15 October 2018

(2) have a means to prevent the contents of the compartment from becoming a hazard by impacting
occupants or shifting; and
(3) protect controls, wiring, lines, equipment, or accessories whose damage or failure would prevent a
controlled emergency landing.
(4) be designed so that a fire does not preclude a controlled emergency landing.
 Doc. No: SC-VTOL-01
Issue: 1 (proposed)
Date: 15 October 2018

SUBPART D –DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION

VTOL.2300 Flight control systems

(a) The flight control systems must be designed to:

(1) operate easily, smoothly, and positively enough to allow proper performance of their functions;
(2) protect against likely hazards.
(b) Trim systems, if installed, must be designed to:
(1) protect against inadvertent, incorrect, or abrupt trim operation;
(2) provide information that is required for safe operation.

VTOL.2305 Landing gear systems

(a) The landing gear must be designed to:

(1) provide stable support and control to the aircraft during surface operation; and
(2) account for likely system failures and likely operation environment (including anticipated limitation
exceedances and emergency procedures).
(b) The aircraft must have a reliable means of stopping the aircraft with sufficient kinetic energy absorption
to account for landing and take-off, in all approved conditions, and of holding the aircraft when parked.
(c) For aircraft that have a system that actuates the landing gear, there must be:
(1) a positive means to keep the landing gear in the landing position; and
(2) an alternative means available to bring the landing gear in the landing position when a non-
deployed system position would be a hazard.

VTOL.2310 Flotation

(a) If certification for intended operations on water is requested, the aircraft must:
(1) provide buoyancy of 80 % in excess of the buoyancy required to support the maximum weight of
the aircraft in fresh water; and
(2) have sufficient margin so that the aircraft will stay afloat at rest in calm water without capsizing in
case of a likely float or hull flooding.
(b) If certification for emergency flotation equipment is requested, the aircraft must :
(1) be equipped with an approved emergency flotation system.
(2) have flotation units of the emergency flotation system and their attachments to the aircraft capable
of withstanding the applicable water loads.
(3) be shown to resist capsize in the sea conditions selected by the applicant.
(c) If certification for ditching is requested, the aircraft must :
(1) be equipped with an approved auto deployable emergency flotation system.
 Doc. No: SC-VTOL-01
Issue: 1 (proposed)
Date: 15 October 2018

(2) withstand the applicable water loads.

(3) be shown to have a safe water entry and to resist capsize in the sea conditions selected by the
applicant.

OCCUPANT SYSTEM DESIGN PROTECTION

VTOL.2315 Means of egress and emergency exits

(a) The aircraft must be designed to:

(1) Facilitate rapid and safe evacuation of the aircraft in conditions likely to occur following an
emergency landing, including on water if emergency flotation equipment is included.
(2) Have means of egress (openings, exits or emergency exits) that can be readily located and opened
from the inside and outside. The means of opening must be simple and obvious. If certification for
ditching is requested, the means of egress must be shown to work after capsize.
(3) Have easy access to emergency exits when present.
(b) Reserved.

VTOL.2320 Occupant physical environment

(a) The aircraft must be designed to:

(1) allow clear communication between the flight crew and passengers;
(2) protect the occupants against serious injury due to hazards originating from high energy, associated
with systems and equipment, including while embarking and disembarking; and
(3) protect the occupants against serious injury due to breakage of windshields, windows, and
canopies.
(b) For Category Enhanced, occupants must be sufficiently protected from likely bird impact. In particular,
the flight crew must be able to perform their duties and the passengers must be protected from serious
injury.
(c) The aircraft must provide each occupant with air at a breathable pressure, free of hazardous
concentrations of gases, vapours and smoke during normal operations and likely failures.
(d) Reserved.
(e) Reserved.

FIRE AND HIGH ENERGY PROTECTION

VTOL.2325 Fire Protection

(a) The aircraft must be designed to minimise the risk of fire initiation due to:
(1) anticipated heat or energy dissipation or system failures or overheat that are expected to generate
heat sufficient to ignite a fire;
 Doc. No: SC-VTOL-01
Issue: 1 (proposed)
Date: 15 October 2018

(2) ignition of flammable fluids, gases or vapours; and

(3) fire-propagating or -initiating system characteristics (e.g. oxygen systems).
(4) a survivable emergency landing.
(b) The aircraft must be designed to minimise the risk of fire propagation by:
(1) providing adequate fire or smoke awareness and extinguishing means when practical;
(2) application of self-extinguishing, flame-resistant, or fireproof materials that are adequate to the
application, location and certification level; or
(3) specifying and designing designated fire zones that meet the specifications of SC VTOL.2330.

VTOL.2330 Fire Protection in designated fire zones

(a) Flight critical systems, thrust/lift unit mounting, and other structures within or adjacent to designated fire
zones must be capable of withstanding the effects of a fire.
(b) A fire or outgassing in a designated fire zone must not preclude a controlled emergency landing.
(c) Terminals, equipment, and electrical cables used during emergency procedures must be fire-resistant.

VTOL.2335 Lightning Protection

Unless it is shown that exposure to lightning is unlikely, the aircraft must be protected against catastrophic
effects of lightning.

VTOL.2340 Design and construction information

The following design and construction information must be established:

(a) operating limitations, procedures and instructions necessary for the safe operation of the aircraft;
(b) the need for instrument markings or placards;
(c) any additional information necessary for the safe operation of the aircraft; and
(d) inspections or maintenance to assure continued safe operation.
 Doc. No: SC-VTOL-01
Issue: 1 (proposed)
Date: 15 October 2018

SUBPART E –THRUST/LIFT SYSTEM INSTALLATION

VTOL.2400 Thrust/lift system installation

(a) For the purpose of this Subpart, the aircraft thrust/lift system installation must include each component
that is necessary for thrust/lift, affects thrust/lift safety, or provides auxiliary power to the aircraft.
(b) Each aircraft engine, propeller and auxiliary power unit (APU) must be type certified, or meet accepted
specifications.
(c) The applicant must construct and arrange each thrust/lift system installation to account for:
(1) all likely operating conditions, including foreign object threats;
(2) sufficient clearance of moving parts to other aircraft parts and their surroundings;
(3) likely hazards in operation, including hazards to ground personnel; and
(4) vibration and fatigue.
(d) Hazardous accumulations of fluids, vapours or gases must be isolated from the aircraft and personnel
compartments and must be safely contained or discharged.
(e) Installations of each thrust/lift system components that deviate from the component limitations or
installation instructions must be shown to be safe.
(f) For the purposes of this Subpart, ‘energy’ means any type of energy for the thrust/lift unit, including, for
example, fuels or any kind of electric current.

VTOL.2405 Thrust/lift control systems

Thrust/lift control systems are systems that intervene with the thrust/lift selection commanded by the power
settings.
(a) Thrust/lift control systems must be designed so no unsafe condition will result during normal operation
of the system.
(b) Any single failure or likely combination of failures of a thrust/lift unit control system must not prevent a
controlled emergency landing of the aircraft.
(c) Inadvertent operation of a thrust/lift control system by the flight crew must be prevented, or if not
prevented, must not result in an unsafe condition.
(d) Unless the failure of an automatic thrust/lift control system is ‘extremely improbable’, the system must:
(1) provide a means for the flight crew to verify that the system is in an operating condition;
(2) provide a means for the flight crew to override the automatic function if the hazard outweighs the
safety benefits; and
(3) prevent inadvertent deactivation of the system.
 Doc. No: SC-VTOL-01
Issue: 1 (proposed)
Date: 15 October 2018

VTOL.2410 Thrust/lift installation hazard assessment

The applicant must assess each installation separately and in relation to other aircraft systems and installations
to show that any hazard resulting from the likely failure of any system component or accessory will not:
(a) prevent a controlled emergency landing;
(b) cause serious injury that may be avoided; and
(c) require immediate action by crew members for continued operation of any remaining thrust/lift system.

VTOL.2415 Thrust/lift installation ice protection

(a) The aircraft design must prevent foreseeable accumulation or shedding of ice or snow that adversely
affect thrust/lift system operation.
(b) The thrust/lift system installation design must prevent any accumulation of ice or snow that adversely
affects thrust/lift operation in those icing conditions for which certification is requested.

VTOL.2420 (reserved)

VTOL.2425 Thrust/lift operational characteristics

(a) The installed thrust/lift system must operate without any hazardous characteristics during normal and
emergency operation within the range of operation limitations for the aircraft.
(b) If the safety benefits outweighs the hazard, the design must allow the shutdown and restart of a thrust/lift
unit in flight within an established envelope.

VTOL.2430 Thrust/lift system installation, energy storage and distribution systems

(a) Each system must:

(1) be designed to provide independence between multiple energy storage and supply systems so that
a failure, including fire, of any one component in one system will not result in the loss of energy
storage or supply of another system.
(2) be designed to prevent catastrophic events due to lightning strikes taking into account direct and
indirect effects for aircraft unless it is shown that exposure to lightning is unlikely.
(3) provide energy to the thrust/lift system installation with adequate margins to ensure safe
functioning under all permitted and likely operating conditions, and accounting for likely
component failures.
(4) provide the information established in SC VTOL.2445(a) to the flight crew and provide
uninterrupted supply of that energy when the system is correctly operated, accounting for likely
energy fluctuations.
(5) provide a means to safely remove or isolate the energy stored within the system.
(6) be designed to retain the energy under all likely operating conditions and minimise hazards to the
occupants and people on the ground during any survivable emergency landing. For Category
Enhanced, failure due to overload of the landing system must be taken into account.
 Doc. No: SC-VTOL-01
Issue: 1 (proposed)
Date: 15 October 2018

(7) prevent hazardous contamination of the energy supplied to each thrust/lift unit installation.
(b) Each storage system must:
(1) withstand the loads under likely operating conditions without failure, accounting for installation;
(2) be isolated from personnel compartments and protected from likely hazards;
(3) be designed to prevent significant loss of stored energy due to energy transfer or venting under
likely operating conditions;
(4) provide energy for a sufficient reserve based on a standard flight; and
(5) be capable of jettisoning energy safely if this functionality is provided.
(c) Each energy-storage-refilling or -recharging system must be designed to:
(1) prevent improper refilling or recharging;
(2) prevent contamination of the stored energy during likely operating conditions; and
(3) prevent the occurrence of any hazard to the aircraft or to persons during refilling or recharging.
(d) Likely errors during ground handling of the aircraft must not lead to a hazardous loss of stored energy.

VTOL.2435 Thrust/lift installation support systems

(a) Thrust/lift installation support systems are all systems whose direct purpose is to support any thrust/lift
unit or the energy storage device in its intended function as part of the thrust/lift system installation.
(b) Thrust/lift installation support systems that have a direct effect on the thrust/lift unit availability must be
considered in the thrust/lift system reliability.
(c) Thrust/lift installation support systems must be designed for the operating conditions applicable to the
location of installation.
(d) Systems must be capable of operating under the conditions likely to occur.
(e) System function and characteristics that have an effect on the thrust/lift installation system performance
must be established.
(f) Likely foreign object damage that would be hazardous to the thrust/lift unit must be prevented.
(g) The flight crew must be aware of the thrust/lift configuration and able to react accordingly.
(h) Any likely single failures of thrust/lift installation support systems that result in a critical malfunction of
thrust/lift must be mitigated.

VTOL.2440 Thrust/lift unit installation fire protection

There must be means to isolate and mitigate hazards to the aircraft in the event of a thrust/lift system fire or
overheat in operation.

VTOL.2445 Thrust/lift installation information

The following thrust/lift system installation information must be established:

 Doc. No: SC-VTOL-01
Issue: 1 (proposed)
Date: 15 October 2018

(a) Operating limitations, procedures and instructions necessary for the safe operation of the aircraft;
(b) the need for instrument markings or placards;
(c) any additional information necessary for the safe operation of the aircraft;
(d) inspections or maintenance to assure continued safe operation;
(e) information related to the thrust/lift configuration;
(f) techniques and associated limitations for thrust/lift starting and stopping; and
(g) energy level information to support energy management, including consideration of a likely component
failure within the system.
 Doc. No: SC-VTOL-01
Issue: 1 (proposed)
Date: 15 October 2018

SUBPART F –SYSTEMS AND EQUIPMENT

VTOL.2500 General requirements on systems and equipment function

(a) Requirements SC VTOL.2500, SC VTOL.2505 and SC VTOL.2510 are general requirements applicable to
systems and equipment installed in the aircraft, and should not be used to supersede any other specific
SC VTOL requirement.
(b) Equipment and systems required to comply with type certification requirements, airspace requirements
or operating rules, or whose improper functioning would lead to a hazard, must be designed and installed
so that they perform their intended function throughout the operating and environmental limits for which
the aircraft is certified.
(c) For Category Enhanced, failure conditions that would prevent continued safe flight and landing of the
aircraft are considered catastrophic.

VTOL.2505 General requirements on equipment installation

(a) Each item of installed equipment must be installed according to limitations specified for that equipment.
(b) Reserved.

VTOL.2510 Equipment, systems, and installations

(a) The equipment and systems identified in SC VTOL.2500, considered separately and in relation to other
systems, must be designed and installed such that:
(1) each catastrophic failure condition is extremely improbable and does not result from a single
failure; and
(2) each hazardous failure condition is extremely remote; and
(3) each major failure condition is remote.
(b) The operation of equipment and systems not covered by SC VTOL.2500 must not cause a hazard to the
aircraft or its occupants throughout the operating and environmental limits for which the aircraft is
certified.
(c) For Category Enhanced, adequate in-service monitoring of equipment and systems which failure may have
hazardous or catastrophic consequences must be established.

VTOL.2515 Electrical and electronic system lightning protection

Unless it is shown that exposure to lightning is unlikely:

(a) each electrical or electronic system that performs a function, the failure of which would prevent a
controlled emergency landing of the aircraft, must be designed and installed such that:
(1) the function at the aircraft level is not adversely affected during and after the time the aircraft is
exposed to lightning; and
 Doc. No: SC-VTOL-01
Issue: 1 (proposed)
Date: 15 October 2018

(2) the system recovers normal operation of that function in a timely manner after the aircraft is
exposed to lightning unless the system’s recovery conflicts with other operational or functional
requirements of the system;
(b) each electrical and electronic system that performs a function, the failure of which would significantly
reduce the capability of the aircraft or the ability of the flight crew to respond to an adverse operating
condition, must be designed and installed such that the system recovers normal operation of that function
in a timely manner after the aircraft is exposed to lightning.

VTOL.2520 High-intensity radiated fields (HIRF) protection

(a) Each electrical and electronic system that perform a function, the failure of which would prevent a
controlled emergency landing of the aircraft, must be designed and installed such that:
(1) the function at the aircraft level is not adversely affected during and after the time the aircraft is
exposed to the HIRF environment; and
(2) the system recovers normal operation of that function in a timely manner after the aircraft is
exposed to the HIRF environment, unless the system’s recovery conflicts with other operational or
functional requirements of the system.
(b) For aircraft approved for instrument flight rules (IFR) operations, each electrical and electronic system
that performs a function, the failure of which would reduce the capability of the aircraft or the ability of
the flight crew to respond to an adverse operating condition, must be designed and installed such that
the system recovers normal operation of that function in a timely manner after the aircraft is exposed to
the HIRF environment.

VTOL.2525 System power generation, storage, and distribution

The power generation, storage, and distribution for any system must be designed and installed to:
(a) supply the power required for operation of connected loads during all intended operating conditions;
(b) ensure no single failure or malfunction will prevent the system from supplying the essential loads required
for a controlled emergency landing; and
(c) reserved.

VTOL.2530 External and cockpit lighting

(a) All lights must be designed and installed to minimise any adverse effects on the performance of flight
crew duties.
(b) Any position and anti-collision lights, if required by operational rules, must have the intensities, flash rate,
colours, fields of coverage, and other characteristics to provide sufficient time for another aircraft to avoid
a collision.
(c) Any position lights, if required by operational rules, must include a red light on the left side of the aircraft,
a green light on the right side of the aircraft, spaced laterally as far apart as practicable, and a white light
facing aft, located on an aft portion of the aircraft fuselage or on the wing tips.
 Doc. No: SC-VTOL-01
Issue: 1 (proposed)
Date: 15 October 2018

(d) Taxi and landing lights, if required, must be designed and installed so they provide sufficient light for night
operations.
(e) If certification for intended operations on water is requested, riding lights must provide a white light
visible in clear atmospheric conditions.

VTOL.2535 Safety equipment

Safety and survival equipment, required by the operating rules, must be reliable, readily accessible, easily
identifiable, and clearly marked to identify its method of operation.

VTOL.2540 (reserved)

VTOL.2545 Pressurised systems elements

Pressurised systems must withstand appropriate proof and burst pressures.

VTOL.2550 (reserved)

VTOL.2555 Installation of recorders (e.g. cockpit voice recorders and flight data recorders)

Unless operating rules mandate higher requirements, the aircraft must be equipped with a recorder or
recorders that:

(a) is installed so as to ensure accurate and intelligible recording and appropriate safeguarding of the data
supportive for accident investigation, considering conditions encountered during crash, water immersion
or fire;
(b) is powered by the most reliable power source and remains powered for as long as possible without
jeopardising service to essential or emergency loads and emergency operation of the aircraft;
(c) includes features to facilitate the localisation of a memory medium after an accident; and
(d) is installed so that it automatically records when the aircraft is capable of moving under its own power.
(e) records in an accepted format.
(f) alternatively the data may be transmitted and recorded remotely.
 Doc. No: SC-VTOL-01
Issue: 1 (proposed)
Date: 15 October 2018

SUBPART G –FLIGHT CREW INTERFACE AND OTHER INFORMATION

VTOL.2600 Flight crew compartment

(a) The flight crew compartment arrangement, including flight crew view, and its equipment must allow the
flight crew to perform their duties within the flight envelopes of the aircraft.
(b) The applicant must install flight, navigation, surveillance, and thrust/lift system controls and displays so
that a qualified flight crew can monitor and perform defined tasks associated with the intended functions
of systems and equipment. The system and equipment design must account for flight crew errors, which
could result in additional hazards.
(c) For Category Enhanced, the flight crew interface design must allow for a controlled emergency landing
after the loss of vision through any one of the windshield panels.

VTOL.2605 Installation and operation information

(a) Each item of installed equipment related to the flight crew interface must be labelled, if applicable, as for
its identification, function, or operating limitations, or any combination of these factors.
(b) There must be a discernible means of providing system operating parameters required to operate the
aircraft including warnings, cautions, and normal indications, to the responsible crew member.
(c) Information concerning an unsafe system operating condition must be provided in a timely manner to the
crew member responsible for taking corrective action. The information must be clear enough to avoid
likely crew member errors.
(d) Information related to safety equipment must be easily identifiable and its method of operation must be
clearly marked.

VTOL.2610 Instrument markings, control markings and placards

(a) Each aircraft must display in a conspicuous manner any placard and instrument marking necessary for
operation.
(b) The design must clearly indicate the function of each cockpit control, other than primary flight controls.
(c) The applicant must include instrument marking and placard information in the Aircraft Flight Manual.

VTOL.2615 Flight, navigation, and thrust/lift instruments

(a) Installed systems must provide the flight crew member who sets or monitors parameters for the flight,
navigation, and thrust/lift system the information necessary to do so during each phase of flight. This
information must:
(1) be presented in a manner that the crew members can monitor the parameters and trends, as
needed to operate the aircraft; and
(2) include limitations, unless the limitation cannot be exceeded in all intended operations.
 Doc. No: SC-VTOL-01
Issue: 1 (proposed)
Date: 15 October 2018

(b) Indication systems that integrate the display of flight or thrust/lift system parameters required to safely
operate the aircraft, or required by the operating rules, must:
(1) not inhibit the primary display of flight or thrust/lift system parameters needed by any flight crew
member in any normal mode of operation; and
(2) in combination with other systems, be designed and installed so information essential for a
controlled emergency landing will be available to the flight crew in a timely manner after any single
failure or probable combination of failures.

VTOL.2620 Aircraft Flight Manual

The applicant must provide an aircraft flight manual that must be delivered with each aircraft and contains the
following information:
(a) operating limitations and procedures;
(b) performance information;
(c) loading information;
(d) instrument marking and placard information; and
(e) any other information necessary for the safe operation of the aircraft.

VTOL.2625 Instructions for Continued Airworthiness

(a) The applicant must prepare Instructions for Continued Airworthiness that are appropriate for the
certification level and performance level of the aircraft.
(b) If Instructions for Continued Airworthiness are not supplied by the manufacturer of an appliance or
product installed in the aircraft, the Instructions for Continued Airworthiness for the aircraft must include
the information essential to the continued airworthiness of the aircraft.
(c) The Instructions for Continued Airworthiness must contain a Section titled ‘Airworthiness limitations’ that
is segregated and clearly distinguishable from the rest of the document. This Section must set forth each
mandatory maintenance action required for type certification. This Section must contain a legible
statement in a prominent location that reads: ‘The Airworthiness limitations Section is approved and
variations must also be approved’.
(d) The applicant must develop and implement procedures to prevent structural failures due to foreseeable
causes of strength degradation, which could result in serious or fatal injuries, loss of the aircraft, or
extended periods of operation with reduced safety margins. The Instructions for Continued Airworthiness
must include procedures developed under SC VTOL.2255.
 Doc. No: SC-VTOL-01
Issue: 1 (proposed)
Date: 15 October 2018

AMC VTOL.2510 Equipment, systems, and installations

The table below provides the relationship between failure condition classifications and quantitative safety
objectives/Function Development Assurance Levels (FDAL) for an aircraft with flight crew onboard.

Failure Condition Classifications

Maximum
Passenger Seating Minor Major Hazardous Catastrophic
Configuration
Category ≤ 10-3 ≤ 10-5 ≤ 10-7 ≤ 10-9
-
Enhanced FDAL D FDAL C FDAL B FDAL A
Category ≤ 10-3 ≤ 10-5 ≤ 10-7 ≤ 10-8
4 to 5 passengers
Basic FDAL D FDAL C FDAL C FDAL B
-3
≤ 10 ≤ 10-5 ≤ 10-6 ≤ 10-7
2 to 3 passengers
FDAL D FDAL C FDAL C FDAL C
≤ 10-3 ≤ 10-4 ≤ 10-5 ≤ 10-6
0 to 1 passenger
FDAL D FDAL D FDAL D FDAL C
[Quantitative safety objectives are expressed per flight hour]