U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circular Subject Flight Test Guide For Certification Of Transport Category Airplanes Date: 10/16/12 Initiated by: ANM-110 AC No: 25-7C Change:
This advisory circular (AC) provides guidance for the flight test evaluation of transport category airplanes. This AC includes flight test methods and procedures to show compliance with the regulations contained in subpart B of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 25, which address airplane performance and handling characteristics. This revision, AC 25-7C, is a complete revision to reduce the number of differences from the European Aviation Safety Agency’s Flight Test Guide, provide acceptable means of compliance for the regulatory changes associated with amendments 107, 109, 113, 115, 119, and 123 to part 25, respond to National Transportation Safety Board recommendations, and to provide a general update to reflect current FAA and industry practices and policies.
John Piccola Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate Aircraft Certification Service
i Table of Contents
Paragraph Page No.
Introduction _________________________________________________________________ 1
1. Purpose. _____________________________________________________________ 1
2. Applicability. ________________________________________________________ 1
3. Cancellation. _________________________________________________________ 1
4. Background. _________________________________________________________ 1
5. Related Publications ___________________________________________________ 2 Chapter 1 - General ___________________________________________________________ 3
1. Applicability - § 25.1. [Reserved] ________________________________________ 3
2. Special Retroactive Requirements - § 25.2. [Reserved] _______________________ 3 Chapter 2 - Flight _____________________________________________________________ 4 Section 1. General _________________________________________________________ 4
3. Proof of Compliance - § 25.21. ___________________________________________ 4
4. Load Distribution Limits - § 25.23. [Reserved] _____________________________ 17
5. Weight Limits and Center of Gravity Limits - §§ 25.25 and 25.27. [Reserved] ____ 17
6. Empty Weight and Corresponding Center of Gravity - § 25.29. [Reserved] ______ 17
7. Removable Ballast - § 25.31. ___________________________________________ 17
8. Propeller Speed and Pitch Limits - § 25.33. ________________________________ 18 Section 2. Performance ____________________________________________________ 19
9. General - § 25.101. ___________________________________________________ 19
10. Takeoff and Takeoff Speeds - §§ 25.105 and 25.107. ______________________ 21
11. Accelerate-Stop Distance - § 25.109. ___________________________________ 31
12. Takeoff Path - § 25.111. _____________________________________________ 58
13. Takeoff Distance and Takeoff Run - § 25.113. ___________________________ 65
14. Takeoff Flight Path - § 25.115. ________________________________________ 69
15. Climb: General - § 25.117. 71
ii Table of Contents (continued)
Paragraph Page No.
16. Landing Climb: All-Engines-Operating - § 25.119. _______________________ 72
17. Climb: One-Engine-Inoperative - § 25.121. _____________________________ 73
18. En Route Flight Paths - § 25.123. ______________________________________ 76
19. Landing - § 25.125. _________________________________________________ 76 Section 3. Controllability and Maneuverability ________________________________ 86
20. General - § 25.143. _________________________________________________ 86
21. Longitudinal Control - § 25.145. ______________________________________ 99
22. Directional and Lateral Control - § 25.147. _____________________________ 104
23. Minimum Control Speed - § 25.149. __________________________________ 107 Section 4. Trim __________________________________________________________ 114
24. Trim - § 25.161. __________________________________________________ 114 Section 5. Stability _______________________________________________________ 115
25. General - § 25.171. [Reserved] ______________________________________ 115
26. Static Longitudinal Stability and Demonstration of Static Longitudinal Stability - §§ 25.173 and 25.175. ____________________________________________________ 115
27. Static Directional and Lateral Stability - § 25.177. _______________________ 119
28. Dynamic Stability - § 25.181. ________________________________________ 124 Section 6. Stalls __________________________________________________________ 126
29. Stall Testing. _____________________________________________________ 126 Section 7. Ground and Water Handling Characteristics ________________________ 140
30. General. _________________________________________________________ 140 Section 8. Miscellaneous Flight Requirements ________________________________ 144
31. Vibration and Buffeting - § 25.251. 144
iii Table of Contents (continued)
Paragraph Page No.
32. High Speed Characteristics - § 25.253. _________________________________ 148
33. Out-Of-Trim Characteristics - § 25.255. ________________________________ 153 Chapter 3 - Structure ________________________________________________________ 158 Chapter 4 - Design and Construction ___________________________________________ 159 Section 1. General [Reserved] ______________________________________________ 159 Section 2. Control Surfaces [Reserved] ______________________________________ 159 Section 3. Control Systems ________________________________________________ 159
34. General - § 25.671. ________________________________________________ 159
35. - 45. [Reserved] _____________________________________________________ 159
46. Flap and Slat Interconnections - § 25.701. ______________________________ 159
47. Takeoff Warning System - § 25.703. [Reserved] ________________________ 160 Section 4. Landing Gear __________________________________________________ 160
48. - 51. [Reserved] _____________________________________________________ 160
52. Retracting Mechanism - § 25.729. ____________________________________ 160
53. Wheels - § 25.731. ________________________________________________ 161
54. Tires - § 25.733. [Reserved] _________________________________________ 163
55. Brakes - § 25.735. _________________________________________________ 163
56. Skis - § 25.737. [Reserved] __________________________________________ 176 Section 5. Floats and Hulls ________________________________________________ 176
57. - 59. [Reserved] _____________________________________________________ 176 Section 6. Personnel and Cargo Accommodations _____________________________ 176
60. - 61. [Reserved] _____________________________________________________ 176
62. Pilot Compartment View - § 25.773. __________________________________ 176
63. - 72. [Reserved] _____________________________________________________ 176
iv Table of Contents (continued)
Paragraph Page No.
Section 7. Emergency Provisions ___________________________________________ 176
73. Ditching - § 25.801. _______________________________________________ 176
74. Emergency Egress Assist Means and Escape Routes - § 25.810. _____________ 176
75. - 83. [Reserved] _____________________________________________________ 177 Section 8. Ventilation and Heating __________________________________________ 177
84. Ventilation - § 25.831. _____________________________________________ 177
85. Cabin Ozone Concentration - § 25.832. [Reserved] ______________________ 178
86. Combustion Heating Systems - § 25.833. [Reserved] _____________________ 178 Section 9. Pressurization __________________________________________________ 178
87. Pressurized Cabins - § 25.841. _______________________________________ 178
88. Tests For Pressurized Cabins - § 25.843. _______________________________ 180 Section 10. Fire Protection [Reserved] ______________________________________ 182 Section 11. Miscellaneous [Reserved] _______________________________________ 182 Chapter 5 - Powerplant ______________________________________________________ 183 Section 1. General _______________________________________________________ 183
89. Installation - § 25.901. [Reserved] ____________________________________ 183
90. Engines - § 25.903. ________________________________________________ 183
91. Automatic Takeoff Thrust Control System (ATTCS) - § 25.904. ____________ 187
92. Propellers - § 25.905. [Reserved] ____________________________________ 188
93. Propeller Vibration and Fatigue - 25.907. [Reserved] ____________________ 188
94. Propeller Clearance - § 25.925. [Reserved] _____________________________ 188
95. Propeller Deicing - § 25.929. ________________________________________ 189
96. Reversing Systems - § 25.933. _______________________________________ 189
97. Turbojet Engine Thrust Reverser System Tests - § 25.934. [Reserved] 192
v Table of Contents (continued)
Paragraph Page No.
98. Turbopropeller-Drag Limiting Systems - § 25.937. _______________________ 192
99. Turbine Engine Operating Characteristics - § 25.939. _____________________ 194
100. Inlet, Engine, and Exhaust Compatibility - § 25.941. [Reserved] ____________ 194
101. Negative Acceleration - § 25.943. ____________________________________ 194
102. Thrust or Power Augmentation System § 25.945. [Reserved] ______________ 195 Section 2. Fuel System ____________________________________________________ 195 [103. - 108.] [Reserved] _________________________________________________ 195
109. Unusable Fuel Supply - § 25.959. _____________________________________ 195
110. Fuel System Hot Weather Operation - § 25.961. _________________________ 197 [111. - 116.] [Reserved] _________________________________________________ 200
117. Fuel Tank Vents and Carburetor Vapor Vents - § 25.975. __________________ 200 [118. - 120.] [Reserved] _________________________________________________ 201 Section 3. Fuel System Components _________________________________________ 201 [121. - 126.] [Reserved] _________________________________________________ 201
127. Fuel Jettisoning System - § 25.1001. __________________________________ 201 Section 4. Oil System [Reserved] ___________________________________________ 204 Section 5. Cooling ________________________________________________________ 204 [128. - 129.] [Reserved] _________________________________________________ 204
130. Cooling Test Procedures - § 25.1045. __________________________________ 204 Section 6. Induction System _______________________________________________ 210
131. Air Induction - § 25.1091.___________________________________________ 210
132. Induction System Icing Protection - § 25.1093. __________________________ 212 [133. - 136.] [Reserved] _________________________________________________ 215 Section 7. Exhaust System _________________________________________________ 215
vi Table of Contents (continued)
Paragraph Page No.
137. General - § 25.1121. _______________________________________________ 215 [138. - 140.] [Reserved] _________________________________________________ 215 Section 8. Powerplant Controls and Accessories ______________________________ 215 [141. - 154.] [Reserved] _________________________________________________ 215 Section 9. Powerplant Fire Protection _______________________________________ 215 [155. - 158.] [Reserved] _________________________________________________ 215
159. Drainage and Ventilation Of Fire Zones - § 25.1187. _____________________ 215 [160. - 164.] [Reserved] _________________________________________________ 216
165. Fire Extinguishing Systems - § 25.1197. _______________________________ 216 [166. - 169.] [Reserved] _________________________________________________ 217 Chapter 6 - Equipment _______________________________________________________ 218 Section 1. General _______________________________________________________ 218
170. Equipment - Function and Installation - § 25.1301. _______________________ 218
171. Flight and Navigation Instruments - § 25.1303. __________________________ 251
172. Powerplant Instruments - § 25.1305. [Reserved]_________________________ 252
173. Miscellaneous Equipment - § 25.1307. [Reserved] _______________________ 252
174. Equipment, Systems, and Installations - § 25.1309. _______________________ 252 Section 2. Instruments: Installation ________________________________________ 253
175. Arrangement and Visibility - § 25.1321. [Reserved] ______________________ 253
176. Warning, Caution, and Advisory Lights - § 25.1322. [Reserved] ____________ 253
177. Airspeed Indicating System - § 25.1323. _______________________________ 253
178. Static Pressure Systems - § 25.1325(d) and (e). __________________________ 256
179. Pitot Heat Indication Systems - § 25.1326. [Reserved] ____________________ 257
180. Magnetic Direction Indicator - § 25.1327. [Reserved] 257
vii Table of Contents (continued)
Paragraph Page No.
181. Flight Guidance System - § 25.1329. __________________________________ 257 [182. - 185.] [Reserved] _________________________________________________ 281 Section 3. Electrical Systems and Equipment _________________________________ 281
186. General - § 25.1351. _______________________________________________ 281
187. Electrical Equipment and Installations - § 25.1353. _______________________ 284
188. Distribution System - § 25.1355. _____________________________________ 284
189. Circuit Protective Devices - § 25.1357. [Reserved] ______________________ 284
190. Electrical System Tests - § 25.1363. ___________________________________ 284 Section 4. Lights _________________________________________________________ 285
191. Instrument Lights - § 25.1381. _______________________________________ 285
192. Landing Lights - § 25.1383. _________________________________________ 285
193. Position Light System Installation - § 25.1385. __________________________ 285 [194. - 200.] [Reserved] _________________________________________________ 286
201. Anti-Collision Light System - § 25.1401. _______________________________ 286
202. Wing Icing Detection Lights - § 25.1403. ______________________________ 286 Section 5. Safety Equipment _______________________________________________ 287 [203. - 207.] [Reserved] _________________________________________________ 287 Section 6. Miscellaneous Equipment ________________________________________ 287
208. Electronic Equipment - § 25.1431. ____________________________________ 287 [209. - 215.] [Reserved] __________________________________________________ 288
216. Equipment Standards for Oxygen Dispensing Units - § 25.1447. ____________ 288 [217. - 223.] [Reserved] __________________________________________________ 289 Chapter 7 - Operating Limitations and Information. _______________________________ 290 Section 1. General. [Reserved] _____________________________________________ 290
viii Table of Contents (continued)
Paragraph Page No.
Section 2. Operating Limitations [Reserved] _________________________________ 290 Section 3. Markings and Placards [Reserved] ________________________________ 290 Section 4. Airplane Flight Manual __________________________________________ 290
224. General - § 25.1581. _______________________________________________ 290 [225. - 227.] [Reserved] _________________________________________________ 290 Chapter 8 - Airworthiness: Miscellaneous Items__________________________________ 291
228. Design and Function Of Artificial Stall Warning and Identification Systems. __ 291
229. Reduced and Derated Power or Thrust Takeoff Operations. ________________ 295
230. Runway Gradients Greater Than ± 2 Percent. ___________________________ 296
231. Criteria For Approval Of Steep Approach To Landing. ____________________ 297
232. Takeoff and Landing On Unpaved Runways. ____________________________ 300
233. Accounting for Performance Effects of Minor Design Changes and Configuration Deviation List (CDL) Items. _______________________________________________ 304
234. Configuration Deviation List. ________________________________________ 305
235. Spare Engine Pod. _________________________________________________ 307
236. Authorization For Ferry Flight With One Engine Inoperative - § 91.611. ______ 307
237. Instrument Landing System Weather Minima. ___________________________ 308
238. Takeoff Performance Credit for Alternate Forward Center Of Gravity Limits. __ 309
239. Airplane Backing Using Reverse Thrust. _______________________________ 311
ix Table of Contents (continued) Figures Figure Page No.
Figure 3-1. Weight Tolerance Limits _____________________________________________ 7 Figure 3-2. Equivalent Weight Extrapolation ______________________________________ 9 Figure 3-3. Test Parameters That Normally Can Be Corrected _______________________ 10 Figure 3-4. Wind Profile Variation _____________________________________________ 11 Figure 11-1. Accelerate-Stop Time Delays _______________________________________ 38 Figure 11-2. Accelerate-Stop Speed vs. Distance __________________________________ 40 Figure 11-3. Anti-Skid System Response Characteristics ____________________________ 45 Figure 11-4. Anti-Skid System Response Characteristics ____________________________ 46 Figure 11-5. Anti-Skid System Response Characteristics ____________________________ 48 Figure 11-6. Instantaneous Brake Force and Peak Brake Force _____________________ 51 Figure 11-7. Anti-Skid Efficiency – Wheel Slip Relationship ________________________ 53 Figure 11-8. Substantiation of The Optimal Slip Value _____________________________ 54 Figure 13-1. Takeoff Distance On a Dry Runway __________________________________ 66 Figure 13-2. Takeoff Distance _________________________________________________ 66 Figure 13-3. Takeoff Distance On A Wet Runway _________________________________ 67 Figure 13-4. Takeoff Run _____________________________________________________ 68 Figure 13-5. Takeoff Run _____________________________________________________ 68 Figure 13-6. Clearway Profiles 69
x Table of Contents (continued) Figures Figure Page No.
Figure 14-1. Takeoff Segments & Nomenclature __________________________________ 70 Figure 14-2. Net Takeoff Flight Path ___________________________________________ 71 Figure 19-1. Landing Time Delays _____________________________________________ 83 Figure 20-1. Sample Pitch Tracking Task ________________________________________ 94 Figure 20-2. PIO Rating Criteria and Comparison To MIL Standard _________________ 95 Figure 20-3. Example of Acceptable HQ Rating For PIO Tendencies _________________ 96 Figure 26-1. Longitudinal Static Stability _______________________________________ 118 Figure 26-2. Local Reversal __________________________________________________ 119 Figure 29-1. Thrust Effect On Stall Speed ______________________________________ 129 Figure 29-2. CLMAX and Load Factor ___________________________________________ 131 Figure 29-3. CLMAX vs Weight and Flap Setting __________________________________ 132 Figure 29-4. Stall Speed vs Weight and Flap Setting ______________________________ 133 Figure 31-1. Maneuvering Characteristics at Speeds up to VMO/MMO _________________ 148 Figure 33-1. Mistrimmed Maneuvering Characteristics ____________________________ 156 Figure 181-1 Altitude Loss Versus Altitude At Go-Around Mode Initiation ____________ 269 Figure 181-2 Deviation Profile Method _________________________________________ 278 Figure 181-3 Height Loss Method _____________________________________________ 279
xi Table of Contents (continued) Tables Table Page No.
Table 170-1 Radio Line-of-Sight Distance vs. Flight Level or Altitude ________________ 221 Table 170-2 Marker Beacon System ___________________________________________ 227 Table 170-3 Classification of LF/MF Radio Beacons in U.S. National Service _________ 228 Table 170-4 Types of Aural Warnings __________________________________________ 245 Appendices Appendix Page No.
Appendix 1 _______________________________________________________________ A1-1 Acronyms, Abbreviations, Symbols, and Definitions __________________________ A1-1 Appendix 2 _______________________________________________________________ A2-1 Function and Reliability Tests - § 21.35(b)(2). ________________________________ A2-1 Appendix 3 _______________________________________________________________ A3-1 Historical Development of Accelerate-Stop Time Delays _______________________ A3-1 Figure 1. Accelerate-Stop Time Delays _________________________________ A3-2 Figure 2. Accelerate-Stop Time Delays _________________________________ A3-3 Appendix 4 _______________________________________________________________ A4-1 History Of Jet Transport Performance Standards ____________________________ A4-1 Special Civil Air Regulation No. SR-422 ____________________________________ A4-2 Performance A4-5