G/TBT/N/USA/2028  
7 August 2023  
(23-5372) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED STATES OF AMERICA  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:   
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of Transportation (DOT) [2059]  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   
Please submit comments to: USA WTO TBT Enquiry Point, Email: usatbtep@nist.gov  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [  ], 2.10.1 [  ], 5.6.2 [  ], 5.7.1 [  ], 3.2 [  ], 7.2 [  ], 
other  [X]: This document is the result of a safety recommendation, precipitated by an 
event where a passenger cell phone was crushed in the mechanism of a first class cabin 
seat on an airplane that caused smoke and fire. A pilot declared an emergency landing 
due to the fire. The crew used four Bromochlorodifluoromethane (BCF) and two water fire 
extinguishers to extinguish the cell phone fire. The FAA accepts SAE AS6960, 
"Performance Standards for Sea t Furnishings", section 3.2.3 as an acceptable means of 
compliance with Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 25 §§ 25.601 and 
25.1301(a)(4) for preventing hazards from object entrapment in seat furnishings. The 
FAA is notifying the public by publishi ng the acceptance of this consensus standard in the 
Federal Register (FR). The means of compliance accepted by this document is one means, 
but not the only means, of complying with §§ 25.601 and 25.1301(a)(4) with regard to 
design of seat furnishings. Appl icants who desire to use means of compliance reflected by 
other revisions to SAE standards not previously accepted may seek guidance and possible 
acceptance from the FAA for the use of those means of compliance on a case -by-case 
basis. Applicants may also propose alternative means of compliance for FAA review and 
possible acceptance.  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Transport 
airplane passenger s eat furnishings; Air transport (ICS code(s): 03.220.50); Protection 
against fire (ICS code(s): 13.220); Passenger and cabin equipment (ICS code(s): 49.095)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Accepted Means 
of Compliance; A irworthiness Standards: Transport Category Airplanes, Regarding 
Objects Becoming Entrapped Within Seat Furnishings; (1 page(s), in English)  
6. Description of content:  Notification of availability - This document announces SAE 
International (SAE) aerospace  standard (AS) for use as a means of compliance to the 
applicable airworthiness standards for transport category airplanes. The FAA accepts SAE 
Designation AS6960 "Performance Standards for Seat Furnishings", section 3.2.3 as a 
means of compliance with reg ard to the design of seat furnishings.  G/TBT/N/USA/2028  
 
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  7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  Protection of human health or safety  
8. Relevant documents:   
88 Federal Register (FR) 51695, 4 August 2023; Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations 
(CFR) Part 25 : 
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2023-08-04/html/2023 -16094.htm  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2023-08-04/pdf/2023 -16094.pdf  
This notification of availability is identified by Docket Number FAA -2023-1442. The Docket 
Folder is available from Regulations.gov  at https://www.regulations.gov/document/FAA -
2023-1442-0001 or by searching the docket number on Regulations.gov.  
SAE AS6960, "Performance Standards for Seat Furnishings in Transport Category Aircraft" 
is available for purchase at https://www.sae.org/standards  or by contacting SAE at 
telephone number (877) 606 –7323 or through email at https://store.sae.org . To inquire 
about consensus standard content, contact Nicole Mattern, Ai rcraft Seat Committee, 
(724) 772 –4039 at Nicole.Mattern@sae.org . 
9. Proposed date of adoption:  4 August 2023  
Proposed date of entry into force:  4 August 2023  
10. Final date for comments:  Not Applicable  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2023-08-04/html/2023 -16094.htm  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2023-08-04/pdf/2023 -16094.pdf  
https://members. wto.org/crnattachments/2023/TBT/USA/23_11559_00_e.pdf