[Federal Register: October 26, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 207)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 62551-62552]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26oc06-1]
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Rules and Regulations
Federal Register
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[[Page 62551]]
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 25
[Docket No. NM346; Special Conditions No. 25-335-SC]
Special Conditions: Airbus Model A380-800 Airplane, Reinforced
Flightdeck Bulkhead
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Final special conditions.
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SUMMARY: These special conditions are issued for the Airbus A380-800
airplane. This airplane will have novel or unusual design features when
compared to the state of technology envisioned in the airworthiness
standards for transport category airplanes. Many of these novel or
unusual design features are associated with the complex systems and the
configuration of the airplane, including its full-length double deck.
For these design features, the applicable airworthiness regulations
do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards regarding a
reinforced flightdeck bulkhead. These special conditions contain the
additional safety standards that the Administrator considers necessary
to establish an appropriate level of safety for a reinforced flightdeck
bulkhead and are equivalent to the standards established by existing
airworthiness regulations for the flightdeck door. Additional special
conditions will be issued for other novel or unusual design features of
the Airbus Model A380-800 airplane.
Effective Date: The effective date of these special conditions is
October 18, 2006.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Holly Thorson, FAA, International
Branch, ANM-116, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356;
telephone (425) 227-1357; facsimile (425) 227-1149.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Airbus applied for FAA certification/validation of the
provisionally designated Model A3XX-100 in its letter AI/L 810.0223/98,
dated August 12, 1998, to the FAA. Application for certification by the
Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA) of Europe had been made on January 16,
1998, reference AI/L 810.0019/98. In its letter to the FAA, Airbus
requested an extension to the 5-year period for type certification in
accordance with 14 CFR 21.17(c).
The request was for an extension to a 7-year period, using the date
of the initial application letter to the JAA as the reference date. The
reason given by Airbus for the request for extension is related to the
technical challenges, complexity, and the number of new and novel
features on the airplane. On November 12, 1998, the Manager, Aircraft
Engineering Division, AIR-100, granted Airbus' request for the 7-year
period, based on the date of application to the JAA.
In its letter AI/LE-A 828.0040/99 Issue 3, dated July 20, 2001,
Airbus stated that its target date for type certification of the Model
A380-800 had been moved from May 2005, to January 2006, to match the
delivery date of the first production airplane. In a subsequent letter
(AI/L 810.0223/98 issue 3, dated January 27, 2006), Airbus stated that
its target date for type certification is October 2, 2006. In
accordance with 14 CFR 21.17(d)(2), Airbus chose a new application date
of December 20, 1999, and requested that the 7-year certification
period which had already been approved be continued. The FAA has
reviewed the part 25 certification basis for the Model A380-800
airplane, and no changes are required based on the new application
date.
The Model A380-800 airplane will be an all-new, four-engine jet
transport airplane with a full double-deck, two-aisle cabin. The
maximum takeoff weight will be 1.235 million pounds with a typical
three-class layout of 555 passengers.
Type Certification Basis
Under the provisions of 14 CFR 21.17, Airbus must show that the
Model A380-800 airplane meets the applicable provisions of 14 CFR part
25, as amended by Amendments 25-1 through 25-98. If the Administrator
finds that the applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain
adequate or appropriate safety standards for the Airbus A380-800
airplane because of novel or unusual design features, special
conditions are prescribed under the provisions of 14 CFR 21.16.
In addition to the applicable airworthiness regulations and special
conditions, the Airbus Model A380-800 airplane must comply with the
fuel vent and exhaust emission requirements of 14 CFR part 34 and the
noise certification requirements of 14 CFR part 36. In addition, the
FAA must issue a finding of regulatory adequacy pursuant to section 611
of Public Law 93-574, the ``Noise Control Act of 1972.''
Special conditions, as defined in 14 CFR 11.19, are issued in
accordance with 14 CFR 11.38 and become part of the type certification
basis in accordance with 14 CFR 21.17(a)(2).
Special conditions are initially applicable to the model for which
they are issued. Should the type certificate for that model be amended
later to include any other model that incorporates the same novel or
unusual design feature, the special conditions would also apply to the
other model under the provisions of 14 CFR 21.101.
Discussion of Novel or Unusual Design Features
The A380 will have a flightdeck bulkhead which is reinforced to
resist intrusion and ballistic penetration. On January 15, 2002, the
FAA promulgated 14 CFR 25.795(a), which specifies that the flightdeck
door installation be designed to resist forcible intrusion by
unauthorized persons or penetration by small arms fire and
fragmentation devices. The regulation was limited to the flightdeck
door to expedite a rapid retrofit of existing airplanes which are
required by operating rules to have a flightdeck door.
The FAA intends that the flightdeck bulkhead--and any other
accessible barrier separating the flightcrew compartment from occupied
areas--also be designed to resist intrusion or
[[Page 62552]]
penetration. We are in the process of rulemaking to amend Sec.
25.795(a) to make that and other changes pertaining to security.
Meanwhile, the FAA is issuing special conditions for the Airbus
Model A380-800 regarding design of the reinforced flightdeck bulkhead
separating the flightcrew compartment from occupied areas. These
special conditions require that the flightdeck bulkhead meet the same
standards as those specified in Sec. 25.795(a) for flightdeck doors.
For the A380, the bulkhead may be comprised of components, such as
lavatory and crew rest walls; these components are covered by these
special conditions.
Discussion of Comments
A notice of proposed special conditions (NPSC), pertaining to a
reinforced flightdeck bulkhead for the Airbus Model A380-800 airplane,
was published in the Federal Register on April 11, 2006. (The Docket
No. was NM317, and the Notice No. was 25-05-12-SC. Subsequently, a
``Notice of proposed special conditions, correction'' was published in
the Federal Register to correct the docket no. and the notice no.,
because they had previously been used for a different NPSC. The
corrected NPSC has Docket No. NM346 and Notice No. 25-06-05-SC.)
The Boeing Company was the only commenter. Since the comments
addressed security matters as well as technical matters, Boeing asked
that they not be made public ``until it can be determined if they
contain `sensitive security information.''' Accordingly, the discussion
which follows does not contain information about the reinforced
flightdeck bulkhead which may constitute ``sensitive security
information.''
The most significant comment asked that the FAA either withdraw the
special conditions or provide a better justification for them. The
Boeing Company said that the special conditions do not clearly define
``* * *what about the A380 makes its bulkhead novel and unusual with
respect to any other airplane that has been type certificated to
date.''
The FAA does not agree with this comment. We did not propose
special conditions because of the size or the double-deck configuration
of the A380 airplane. We proposed them because the Airbus A380-800
airplane will have a flightdeck bulkhead which is reinforced to resist
intrusion and ballistic penetration. A reinforced flightdeck bulkhead
is a novel or unusual design feature. Accordingly, we proposed special
conditions to provide performance standards that would maintain the
integrity of the bulkhead and ensure that the bulkhead continues to
meet those standards if it is modified in the future.
Other comments of the Boeing Company dealt with terminology and
technical aspects of the special conditions. These comments pertained
to the following:
Use of existing guidance material,
Whether the standards proposed for the reinforced
flightdeck bulkhead are the ``same'' as those for the reinforced
flightdeck door or simply ``equivalent'' to them,
What constitutes an accessible handhold,
Use of the term ``passenger accessible compartments''
rather than ``occupied areas,'' because the latter term doesn't make a
distinction between areas occupied by passengers and those occupied by
crew, and
Which bulkhead components require protection from
intrusion and which require protection from ballistic penetration.
These are all valid matters to be considered as part of the
certification process, but the answers will be specific to the design
of the Airbus A380-800 airplane and do not require revision of the
terms of the proposed special conditions. Accordingly, the FAA has made
no change to the special conditions, as proposed.
Applicability
As discussed above, these special conditions are applicable to the
Airbus A380-800 airplane. Should Airbus apply at a later date for a
change to the type certificate to include another model incorporating
the same novel or unusual design features, these special conditions
would apply to that model as well under the provisions of Sec. 21.101.
Conclusion
This action affects only certain novel or unusual design features
of the Airbus A380-800 airplane. It is not a rule of general
applicability.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 25
Aircraft, Aviation safety, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements.
0
The authority citation for these special conditions is as follows:
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701, 44702, 44704.
The Special Conditions
0
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 Airbus A380-800 airplane.
In addition to the requirements of 14 CFR 25.795(a) governing
protection of the flightdeck door, the following special conditions
apply:
The bulkhead--including components that comprise the bulkhead and
separate the flightcrew compartment from occupied areas--must be
designed to meet the following standards:
It must resist forcible intrusion by unauthorized persons
and be capable of withstanding impacts of 300 Joules (221.3 foot-
pounds) at critical locations as well as a 1113 Newton (250 pound)
constant tensile load on accessible handholds, including the doorknob
or handle.
It must resist penetration by small arms fire and
fragmentation devices to a level equivalent to level IIIa of the
National Institute of Justice Standard (NIJ) 0101.04.
Issued in Renton, Washington, on October 18, 2006.
Jeffrey Duven,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. E6-17902 Filed 10-25-06; 8:45 am]
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