[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 53 (Friday, March 18, 2011)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 14819-14820]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-6340]
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Proposed Rules
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 53 / Friday, March 18, 2011 /
Proposed Rules
[[Page 14819]]
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 25
[Docket No. NM450; Special Conditions No. 25-11-08-SC]
Special Conditions: Boeing Model 747-8 Series Airplanes; Stairway
Between the Main Deck and Upper Deck
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed special conditions.
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SUMMARY: This notice proposes special conditions for the Boeing Model
747-8 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. These design
features include a stairway between the main deck and upper deck. These
proposed special conditions contain the additional safety standards
that the Administrator considers necessary to establish a level of
safety equivalent to that established by the existing airworthiness
standards. Additional special conditions will be issued for other novel
or unusual design features of the Boeing 747-8 airplanes.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before May 2, 2011.
ADDRESSES: Comments on this proposal may be mailed in duplicate to:
Federal Aviation Administration, Transport Airplane Directorate,
Attention: Rules Docket (ANM-113), Docket No. NM450, 1601 Lind Avenue,
SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; or delivered in duplicate to the
Transport Airplane Directorate at the above address. All comments must
be marked Docket No. NMXX. 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: Jayson Claar, FAA, Airframe and Cabin
Safety Branch, ANM-115, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft
Certification Service, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98057-
3356; telephone (425) 227-2194; facsimile (425) 227-1232.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
The FAA invites interested persons to participate in this
rulemaking by submitting written comments, data, or views. The most
helpful comments reference a specific portion of the special
conditions, explain the reason for any recommended change, and include
supporting data. We ask that you send us two copies of written
comments.
We will file in the docket all comments we receive as well as a
report summarizing each substantive public contact with FAA personnel
concerning these proposed special conditions. The docket is available
for public inspection before and after the comment closing date. If you
wish to review the docket in person, go to the address in the ADDRESSES
section of this notice between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through
Friday, except Federal holidays.
We will consider all comments we receive on or before the closing
date for comments. We will consider comments filed late if it is
possible to do so without incurring expense or delay. We may change the
proposed special conditions based on comments we receive.
If you want the FAA to acknowledge receipt of your comments on this
proposal, include with your comments a pre-addressed, stamped postcard
on which the docket number appears. We will stamp the date on the
postcard and mail it back to you.
Background
On November 4, 2005, The Boeing Company, PO Box 3707, Seattle, WA,
98124, applied for an amendment to Type Certificate Number A20WE to
include the new Model 747-8 series passenger airplane. The Model 747-8
is a derivative of the 747-400. The Model 747-8 is a four-engine jet
transport airplane that will have a maximum takeoff weight of 975,000
pounds, new General Electric GEnx -2B67 engines, and the capacity to
carry 605 passengers.
Type Certification Basis
Under the provisions of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14
CFR) 21.101, Boeing must show that the Model 747-8 (hereafter referred
as 747-8) meets the applicable provisions of part 25, Amendments 25-1
through 25-120, plus amendment 25-127 for Sec. 25.795(a), except for
earlier amendments as agreed upon by the FAA. These regulations will be
incorporated into Type Certificate No. A20WE after type certification
approval of the 747-8.
In addition, the certification basis includes other regulations,
special conditions and exemptions that are not relevant to these
proposed special conditions. Type Certificate No. A20WE will be updated
to include a complete description of the certification basis for these
airplanes.
If the Administrator finds that the applicable airworthiness
regulations (i.e., 14 CFR part 25) do not contain adequate or
appropriate safety standards for the 747-8 because of a novel or
unusual design feature, special conditions are prescribed under the
provisions of Sec. 21.16.
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 or series that incorporates the same
or similar novel or unusual design feature, or should any other model
or series already included on the same type certificate be modified to
incorporate the same or similar novel or unusual design feature, the
special conditions would also apply to the other model or series under
Sec. 21.101.
In addition to the applicable airworthiness regulations and special
conditions, the 747-8 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.
Special conditions, as defined in Sec. 11.19, are issued under
Sec. 11.38, and become part of the type certification basis under
Sec. 21.101.
New or Unusual Design Features
The Boeing Model 747-8 will incorporate the following novel or
unusual design features: The 747-8 design offers seating capacity on
two separate decks: The main deck with a maximum passenger capacity of
495 and the upper deck with a maximum
[[Page 14820]]
passenger capacity of 110. Occupants can move between decks via a
staircase located near door 2 on the main deck of the airplane in the
forward part of the cabin. With large seating capacities on the main
deck and upper deck of the 747-8, the stairway must be designed to
support evacuation between decks of the airplane in an in-flight
emergency.
Discussion
The regulations governing the certification of the 747-8 do not
adequately address the certification requirements for a two-deck
passenger airplane. The Airbus A380-800 and all of the earlier Boeing
747 passenger airplane models were certified with seating capacity on
two separate decks. When the seating capacity of the upper deck of the
Boeing 747 exceeded 24 passengers, the FAA issued Special Condition No.
25-61-NW-1 for a maximum seat capacity of 32 passengers on the upper
deck for take-off and landing. A second set of special conditions,
Special Condition No. 25-71-NW-3, was issued to include airplanes up to
a maximum seating capacity of 45 passengers on the upper deck for take-
off and landing. The second set of special conditions was modified to
address airplanes with a maximum seating capacity of 110 passengers on
the upper deck for take-off and landing. Special Conditions No. 25-326-
SC for the Airbus A380-800 allowed a seating capacity on two separate
decks: The main deck with a maximum passenger capacity of 542 and the
upper deck with a maximum passenger capacity of 308. Although these
previously issued special conditions for the A380-800 provided a
starting point for developing the 747-8 special conditions, the
proposed 747-8 special conditions are specific to the unique aspects of
this airplane's design.
The regulations do not adequately address a passenger airplane with
separate decks for passenger occupancy, thus the FAA considers this to
be a novel design. Therefore, the FAA is proposing that special
conditions, in addition to the requirements of Sec. Sec. 25.803 and
25.811 through 25.813, are required to address the proposed design.
Applicability
As discussed above, these proposed special conditions are
applicable to Boeing Model 747-8 airplanes. Should Boeing 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
proposed 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 Boeing Model 747-8 airplane. It is not a rule of general
applicability.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 25
Aircraft, Aviation safety, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements.
The authority citation for these Special Conditions is as follows:
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701, 44702, 44704.
The Proposed Special Conditions
Accordingly, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposes the
following special conditions as part of the type certification basis
for the Boeing 747-8 airplanes.
1. The stairway must have essentially straight route segments with
a landing at each significant change in segment direction.
2. The stairway must have essentially rectangular treads.
3. With the airplane in level attitude and in each attitude
resulting from the collapse of one or more legs of the landing gear,
the stairway must have entrance, exit, and gradient characteristics
that allow the upper deck passengers, with assistance from a
crewmember, to merge with passengers on the main deck during an
emergency evacuation and exit the airplane through a main deck exit.
This must be shown by demonstration, tests, analysis, or any
combination thereof.
4. The stairway must accommodate the carriage of an incapacitated
occupant from the upper deck to the main deck. The crewmember
procedures for such carriage must be established and included in the
airplane flight manual.
5. The stairway must be located to provide occupants an adequate
descent rate under probable emergency conditions, including a condition
in which an occupant falls or is incapacitated while on the stairway.
6. The stairway must be designed and located to minimize damage to
its structure during an emergency landing or ditching.
7. General illumination must be provided so, when measured along
the center lines of each tread and landing, the illumination is not
less than 0.05 foot-candle. This is in lieu of compliance with Sec.
25.812(c), at Amendment 25-116.
8. Means must be provided to assist passengers in locating the
stairway in dense smoke conditions as part of compliance with Sec.
25.811(c), at Amendment 25-88.
9. An emergency exit sign meeting Sec. 25.812(b)(1)(i), at
Amendment 25-116, must be provided in the upper deck near the stairway
visible to passengers approaching along the main aisle as required by
Sec. 25.811(d)(1), at Amendment 25-88.
10. Floor proximity lighting required by Sec. 25.812(e), at
Amendment 25-120, must be provided along the stairs.
11. When passengers occupy the upper deck, at least one flight
attendant must also be present during taxi, take-off, and landing.
12. The stairway must have a handrail on at least one side to allow
occupants to steady themselves during foreseeable conditions, including
but not limited to, gear collapse on the ground and moderate turbulence
in flight. The handrail(s) must be constructed so there is no
obstruction on them that will cause the user to release his/her grip or
hinder the continuous movement of the hands along the handrail.
Handrail(s) must be terminated in a manner that will not interfere with
occupants walking by or create a hazard (such as catching clothing).
Boeing must demonstrate that the design can accommodate the stature of
a fifth percentile female and a ninety-fifth percentile male.
13. The public address system must be intelligible in the stairway
during all flight phases.
14. ``No smoking'' and ``return to seat'' signs must be installed
and visible in the stairway both going up and down and at the stairway
entrances.
Issued in Renton, Washington, on March 9, 2011.
K.C. Yanamura,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-6340 Filed 3-17-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P