[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