63818 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 199 / Friday, October 14, 2011 / Rules and Regulations 

E. Riegle Community Development and 

Regulatory Improvement Act 

The final rule does not impose any 

new reporting or disclosure 

requirements on insured depository 

institutions under the Riegle 

Community Development and 

Regulatory Improvement Act. 

List of Subjects in 12 CFR Parts 309 and 

310 

Banks, banking, Freedom of 

information, Privacy, Savings 

associations. 

For the reasons stated above, the 

Board of Directors of the Federal 

Deposit Insurance Corporation adopts 

the interim final rule published June 21, 

2011, at 76 FR 35963, as final with the 

following change: 

PART 309—DISCLOSURE OF 

INFORMATION 

■ 1. The authority citation for part 309 

continues to read as follows: 

Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552; 12 U.S.C. 1819 

‘‘Seventh’’ and ‘‘Tenth.’’ 

§ 309.5 [Amended] 

■ 2. In § 309.5, in paragraph (b)(1)(ii), 

remove the fax number ‘‘(703) 562– 

7977: and add in its place the fax 

number ‘‘(703) 562–2797’’ 

By order of the Board of Directors. 

Dated at Washington, DC this 11th day of 

October 2011. 

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. 

Robert E. Feldman, 

Executive Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2011–26635 Filed 10–13–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6714–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 25 

[Docket No. FAA–2011–1106; Special 

Conditions No. 25–448–SC] 

Special Conditions: Boeing Model 767– 

400ER Series Airplanes; Seats With 

Inflatable Lapbelts 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final special conditions; request 

for comments. 

SUMMARY: These special conditions are 

issued for the Boeing Model 767–400ER 

series airplane. These airplanes, as 

modified by Continental Airlines, will 

have a novel or unusual design feature 

associated with seats with inflatable 

lapbelts. The applicable airworthiness 

regulations do not contain adequate or 

appropriate safety standards for this 

design feature. These 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. 

DATES: The effective date of these 

special conditions is October 6, 2011. 

We must receive your comments by 

November 28, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified 

by docket number FAA–2011–1106 

using any of the following methods: 

• Federal eRegulations Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov and follow 

the online instructions for sending your 

comments electronically. 

• Mail: Send comments to Docket 

Operations, M–30, U.S. Department of 

Transportation (DOT), 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue, SE., Room W12–140, West 

Building Ground Floor, Washington, DC 

20590–0001. 

• Hand Delivery of Courier: Take 

comments to Docket Operations in 

Room W12–140 of the West Building 

Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue, SE., Washington, DC, between 

8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through 

Friday, except Federal holidays. 

• Fax: Fax comments to Docket 

Operations at 202–493–2251. 

Privacy: The FAA will post all 

comments it receives, without change, 

to http://www.regulations.gov/, 

including any personal information the 

commenter provides. Using the search 

function of the docket Web site, anyone 

can find and read the electronic form of 

all comments received into any FAA 

docket, including the name of the 

individual sending the comment (or 

signing the comment for an association, 

business, labor union, etc.). DOT’s 

complete Privacy Act Statement can be 

found in the Federal Register published 

on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477–19478), 

as well as at http://DocketsInfo.dot.gov. 

Docket: Background documents or 

comments received may be read at 

http://www.regulations.gov at any time. 

Follow the online instructions for 

accessing the docket or go to the Docket 

Operations in Room W12–140 of the 

West Building Ground Floor at 1200 

New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, 

DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday 

through Friday, except Federal holidays. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John 

Shelden, FAA, Airframe and Cabin 

Safety Branch, ANM–115, Transport 

Airplane Directorate, Aircraft 

Certification Service, 1601 Lind 

Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 

98057–3356; telephone 425–227–2785; 

facsimile 425–227–1149. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA 

has determined that notice of, and 

opportunity for prior public comment 

on, these special conditions are 

impracticable because these procedures 

would significantly delay issuance of 

the design approval and thus delivery of 

the affected aircraft. In addition, the 

substance of these special conditions 

has been subject to the public comment 

process in several prior instances with 

no substantive comments received. The 

FAA therefore finds that good cause 

exists for making these special 

conditions effective upon issuance. 

Comments Invited 

We invite interested people to take 

part in this rulemaking by sending 

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 will consider all comments we 

receive by the closing date for 

comments. We may change these special 

conditions based on the comments we 

receive. 

Background 

On March 3, 2011, Continental 

Airlines applied for a supplemental type 

certificate to install inflatable lapbelts 

for head injury protection on passenger 

seats on Boeing Model 767–400ER series 

airplanes (hereafter referred to as ‘‘767– 

400ER’’), similar to Special Condition 

Numbers 25–431–SC for Boeing Model 

787 series airplanes, 25–386–SC for 

Boeing Model 737 series airplanes, 25– 

187A–SC for Boeing Model 777 series 

airplanes, and 25–148–SC for Boeing 

Model 767–300 series airplanes. These 

special conditions are to allow 

installation of inflatable lapbelts for 

head injury protection on certain seats 

in Boeing Model 767–400ER series 

airplanes. 

The inflatable lapbelt is designed to 

limit occupant forward excursion in the 

event of an accident. This will reduce 

the potential for head injury, thereby 

reducing the Head Injury Criteria (HIC) 

measurement. The inflatable lapbelt 

behaves similarly to an automotive 

inflatable airbag, but in this case the 

airbag is integrated into the lapbelt and 

inflates away from the seated occupant. 

While inflatable airbags are now 

standard in the automotive industry, the 

use of an inflatable lapbelt is novel for 

commercial aviation. 

Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations 

(14 CFR) 25.785 requires that occupants 

be protected from head injury by either 

the elimination of any injurious object 

within the striking radius of the head, 


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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 199 / Friday, October 14, 2011 / Rules and Regulations 63819 

or by padding. Traditionally, this has 

required a setback of 35 inches from any 

bulkhead or other rigid interior feature 

or, where not practical, specified types 

of padding. The relative effectiveness of 

these means of injury protection was not 

quantified. With the adoption of 

Amendment 25–64 to part 25, 

specifically § 25.562, a new standard 

that quantifies required head injury 

protection was created. 

Section 25.562 specifies that each seat 

type design approved for crew or 

passenger occupancy during takeoff and 

landing must successfully complete 

dynamic tests or be shown to be 

compliant by rational analysis based on 

dynamic tests of a similar type seat. In 

particular, the regulations require that 

persons not suffer serious head injury 

under the conditions specified in the 

tests, and that protection must be 

provided or the seat be designed so that 

the head impact does not exceed an HIC 

of 1000 units. While the test conditions 

described for HIC are detailed and 

specific, it is the intent of the 

requirement that an adequate level of 

head injury protection be provided for 

passengers in a severe crash. 

Because §§ 25.562 and 25.785 and 

associated guidance do not adequately 

address seats with inflatable lapbelts, 

the Federal Aviation Administration 

(FAA) recognizes that appropriate pass/ 

fail criteria need to be developed that do 

fully address the safety concerns 

specific to occupants of these seats. 

The inflatable lapbelt has two 

potential advantages over other means 

of head impact protection. First, it can 

provide significantly greater protection 

than would be expected with energyabsorbing pads, and second, it can 

provide essentially equivalent 

protection for occupants of all stature. 

These are significant advantages from a 

safety standpoint, since such devices 

will likely provide a level of safety that 

exceeds the minimum standards of the 

federal aviation regulations. Conversely, 

inflatable lapbelts in general are active 

systems and must be relied upon to 

activate properly when needed, as 

opposed to an energy-absorbing pad or 

upper torso restraint that is passive, and 

always available. Therefore, the 

potential advantages must be balanced 

against this and other potential 

disadvantages in order to develop 

standards for this design feature. 

The FAA has considered the 

installation of inflatable lapbelts to have 

two primary safety concerns: first, that 

they perform properly under foreseeable 

operating conditions, and second, that 

they do not perform in a manner or at 

such times as would constitute a hazard 

to the airplane or occupants. This latter 

point has the potential to be the more 

rigorous of the requirements, owing to 

the active nature of the system. 

The inflatable lapbelt will rely on 

electronic sensors for signaling and a 

stored gas canister for inflation. These 

same devices could be susceptible to 

inadvertent activation, causing 

deployment in a potentially unsafe 

manner. The consequences of 

inadvertent deployment, as well as 

failure to deploy, must be considered in 

establishing the reliability of the system. 

Continental Airlines must substantiate 

that the effects of an inadvertent 

deployment in flight either would not 

cause injuries to occupants, or that such 

deployment(s) meet the requirement of 

§ 25.1309(b). The effect of an 

inadvertent deployment on a passenger 

or crewmember that might be positioned 

close to the inflatable lapbelt should 

also be considered. The person could be 

either standing or sitting. A minimum 

reliability level will have to be 

established for this case, depending 

upon the consequences, even if the 

effect on the airplane is negligible. 

The potential for an inadvertent 

deployment could be increased as a 

result of conditions in service. The 

installation must take into account wear 

and tear so that the likelihood of an 

inadvertent deployment is not increased 

to an unacceptable level. In this context, 

an appropriate inspection interval and 

self-test capability are considered 

necessary. Other outside influences are 

lightning and high intensity radiated 

fields (HIRF). Existing regulations 

regarding lightning, § 25.1316, and 

existing HIRF special conditions for the 

Boeing Model 767–400ER series aircraft, 

Special Conditions No. 25–152–SC, are 

applicable. Finally, the inflatable lapbelt 

installation should be protected from 

the effects of fire, so that an additional 

hazard is not created by, for example, a 

rupture of the pyrotechnic squib. 

In order to be an effective safety 

system, the inflatable lapbelt must 

function properly and must not 

introduce any additional hazards to 

occupants as a result of its functioning. 

There are several areas where the 

inflatable lapbelt differs from traditional 

occupant protection systems, and 

requires special conditions to ensure 

adequate performance. 

Because the inflatable lapbelt is 

essentially a single use device, there is 

the potential that it could deploy under 

crash conditions that are not sufficiently 

severe as to require head injury 

protection from the inflatable lapbelt. 

Since an actual crash is frequently 

composed of a series of impacts before 

the airplane comes to rest, this could 

render the inflatable lapbelt useless if a 

larger impact follows the initial impact. 

This situation does not exist with 

energy absorbing pads or upper torso 

restraints, which tend to provide 

continuous protection regardless of 

severity or number of impacts in a crash 

event. Therefore, the inflatable lapbelt 

installation should provide protection, 

when it is required, by not expending its 

protection during a less severe impact. 

Also, it is possible to have several large 

impact events during the course of a 

crash, but there is no requirement for 

the inflatable lapbelt to provide 

protection for multiple impacts. 

Since each occupant’s restraint 

system provides protection for that 

occupant only, the installation must 

address seats that are unoccupied. It 

will be necessary to show that the 

required protection is provided for each 

occupant regardless of the number of 

occupied seats, and considering that 

unoccupied seats may have lapbelts that 

are active. 

The inflatable lapbelt should be 

effective for a wide range of occupants. 

The FAA has historically considered the 

range from the fifth percentile female to 

the ninety-fifth percentile male as the 

range of occupants that must be taken 

into account. In this case, the FAA is 

proposing consideration of a broader 

range of occupants, due to the nature of 

the lapbelt installation and its close 

proximity to the occupant. In a similar 

vein, these persons could have assumed 

the brace position, for those accidents 

where an impact is anticipated. Test 

data indicate that occupants in the brace 

position do not require supplemental 

protection, and so it would not be 

necessary to show that the inflatable 

lapbelt will enhance the brace position. 

However, the inflatable lapbelt must not 

introduce a hazard in the case of 

deploying into the seated, braced 

occupant. 

Another area of concern is the use of 

seats, so equipped, by children whether 

lap-held, in approved child safety seats, 

or occupying the seat directly. 

Similarly, if the seat is occupied by a 

pregnant woman, the installation should 

address such usage, either by 

demonstrating that it will function 

properly, or by adding appropriate 

limitation on usage. 

Since the inflatable lapbelt will be 

electrically powered, there is the 

possibility that the system could fail 

due to a separation in the fuselage. 

Since this system is intended as crash/ 

post-crash protection means, failure to 

deploy due to fuselage separation is not 

acceptable. As with emergency lighting, 

the system should function properly if 

such a separation occurs at any point in 

the fuselage. 


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63820 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 199 / Friday, October 14, 2011 / Rules and Regulations 

Since the inflatable lapbelt is likely to 

have a large volume displacement, the 

inflated bag could potentially impede 

egress of passengers. Since the bag 

deflates to absorb energy, it is likely that 

an inflatable lapbelt would be deflated 

at the time that persons would be trying 

to leave their seats. Nonetheless, it is 

considered appropriate to specify a time 

interval after which the inflatable 

lapbelt may not impede rapid egress. 

Ten seconds has been chosen as a 

reasonable time, since this corresponds 

to the maximum time allowed for an 

exit to be openable (§ 25.809). In 

actuality, it is unlikely that an exit 

would be prepared by a flight attendant 

this quickly in an accident severe 

enough to warrant deployment of the 

inflatable lapbelt, and the inflatable 

lapbelt is expected to deflate much 

quicker than ten seconds. 

The current special conditions for the 

Boeing Model 777 series airplanes, 

Special Conditions No. 25–187A–SC, 

were amended to address flammability 

of the airbag material. During the 

development of the inflatable lapbelt, 

the manufacturer was unable to develop 

a fabric that would meet the inflation 

requirements for the bag and the 

flammability requirements of part 

I(a)(1)(ii) of Appendix F to part 25. The 

fabrics that were developed that met the 

flammability requirement, did not 

produce acceptable deployment 

characteristics. However, the 

manufacturer was able to develop a 

fabric that meets the less stringent 

flammability requirements of part 

I(a)(1)(iv) of Appendix F to part 25 and 

has acceptable deployment 

characteristics. 

Part I of Appendix F to part 25 

specifies the flammability requirements 

for interior materials and components. 

There is no reference to inflatable 

restraint systems in Appendix F, 

because such devices did not exist at the 

time the flammability requirements 

were written. The existing requirements 

are based on both material types, as well 

as use, and have been specified in light 

of the state-of-the-art of materials 

available to perform a given function. In 

the absence of a specific reference, the 

default requirement would be for the 

type of material used to construct the 

inflatable restraint, which is a fabric in 

this case. However, in writing a special 

condition, the FAA must also consider 

the use of the material, and whether the 

default requirement is appropriate. In 

this case, the specialized function of the 

inflatable restraint means that highly 

specialized materials are needed. The 

standard normally applied to fabrics is 

a 12-second vertical ignition test. 

However, materials that meet this 

standard do not perform adequately as 

inflatable restraints. Since the safety 

benefit of the inflatable restraint is 

significant, the flammability standard 

appropriate for these devices should not 

screen out suitable materials, thereby 

effectively eliminating use of inflatable 

restraints. The FAA will need to 

establish a balance between the safety 

benefit of the inflatable restraint, and its 

flammability performance. At this time, 

the 2.5-inch per minute horizontal test 

is considered to provide that balance. 

As the technology in materials 

progresses (which is expected), the FAA 

may change this standard in subsequent 

special conditions to account for 

improved materials. 

Finally, it should be noted that the 

special conditions are applicable to the 

inflatable lapbelt system as installed. 

These special conditions are not an 

installation approval. Therefore, while 

these special conditions relate to each 

such system installed, the overall 

installation approval is a separate 

finding and must consider the combined 

effects of all such systems installed. 

Type Certification Basis 

Under the provisions of Title 14 Code 

of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) 21.101, 

Continental Airlines must show that the 

767–400ER, as changed, continues to 

meet the applicable provisions of the 

regulations incorporated by reference in 

Type Certificate No. A1NM or the 

applicable regulations in effect on the 

date of application for the change. The 

regulations incorporated by reference in 

the type certificate are commonly 

referred to as the ‘‘original type 

certification basis.’’ The regulations 

incorporated by reference in Type 

Certificate No. A1NM are as follows: 

Amendments 25–1 through 25–89 with 

exceptions. The U.S. type certification 

basis for the Model 767–400ER is 

established in accordance with 14 CFR 

21.29 and 21.17 and the type 

certification application date. The U.S. 

type certification basis is listed in Type 

Certification Data Sheet No. A1NM. 

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 767–400ER series airplanes 

because of a novel or unusual design 

feature, special conditions are 

prescribed under the provisions of 

§ 21.16. 

Special conditions are initially 

applicable to the model for which they 

are issued. Should the applicant apply 

for a supplemental type certificate to 

modify any other model included on the 

same type certificate to incorporate the 

same novel or unusual design feature, 

the special conditions would also apply 

to the other model. 

In addition to the applicable 

airworthiness regulations and special 

conditions, the 767–400ER 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. 

The FAA issues special conditions, as 

defined in 14 CFR 11.19, in accordance 

with § 11.38, and they become part of 

the type certification basis under 

§ 21.101. 

Novel or Unusual Design Features 

The 767–400ER will incorporate the 

following novel or unusual design 

feature: Continental Airlines is 

proposing to install an inflatable lapbelt 

on certain seats of the 767–400ER series 

airplanes in order to reduce the 

potential for head injury in the event of 

an accident. The inflatable lapbelt 

works similar to an automotive airbag, 

except that the airbag is integrated with 

the lapbelt of the restraint system. 

The CFR states the performance 

criteria for head injury protection in 

objective terms. However, none of these 

criteria are adequate to address the 

specific issues raised concerning seats 

with inflatable lapbelts. The FAA has 

therefore determined that, in addition to 

the requirements of part 25, special 

conditions are needed to address 

requirements particular to installation of 

seats with inflatable lapbelts. 

Accordingly, in addition to the 

passenger injury criteria specified in 

§ 25.785, these special conditions are 

adopted for the 767–400ER series 

airplanes equipped with inflatable 

lapbelts. Other conditions may be 

developed, as needed, based on further 

FAA review and discussions with the 

manufacturer and civil aviation 

authorities. 

Discussion 

From the standpoint of a passenger 

safety system, the inflatable lapbelt is 

unique in that it is both an active and 

entirely autonomous device. While the 

automotive industry has good 

experience with airbags, the conditions 

of use and reliance on the inflatable 

lapbelt as the sole means of injury 

protection are quite different. In 

automobile installations, the airbag is a 

supplemental system and works in 

conjunction with an upper torso 

restraint. In addition, the crash event is 

more definable and of typically shorter 

duration, which can simplify the 

activation logic. The airplane operating 

environment is also quite different from 

automobiles and includes the potential 

for greater wear and tear, and 


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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 199 / Friday, October 14, 2011 / Rules and Regulations 63821 

unanticipated abuse conditions (due to 

galley loading, passenger baggage, etc.). 

Airplanes also operate where exposure 

to high intensity electromagnetic fields 

could affect the activation system. 

The following special conditions can 

be characterized as addressing either the 

safety performance of the system or the 

system’s integrity against inadvertent 

activation. Because a crash requiring use 

of the inflatable lapbelts is a relatively 

rare event, and because the 

consequences of an inadvertent 

activation are potentially quite severe, 

these latter requirements are probably 

the more rigorous from a design 

standpoint. 

Applicability 

As discussed above, these special 

conditions are applicable to the 

Continental Airlines 767–400ER series 

airplane. Should Continental Airlines 

apply at a later date for a supplemental 

type certificate to modify any other 

model included on Type Certificate No. 

A1NM to incorporate the same novel or 

unusual design feature, the special 

conditions would apply to that model as 

well. 

Conclusion 

This action affects only certain novel 

or unusual design features on 

Continental Airlines 767–400ER series 

of airplanes. It is not a rule of general 

applicability and affects only the 

applicant who applied to the FAA for 

approval of these features on the 

airplane. 

The substance of these special 

conditions has been subjected to the 

notice and comment period in several 

prior instances and has been derived 

without substantive change from those 

previously issued. It is unlikely that 

prior public comment would result in a 

significant change from the substance 

contained herein. Therefore, because a 

delay would significantly affect the 

certification of the airplane, which is 

imminent, the FAA has determined that 

prior public notice and comment are 

unnecessary and impracticable, and 

good cause exists for adopting these 

special conditions upon issuance. The 

FAA is requesting comments to allow 

interested persons to submit views that 

may not have been submitted in 

response to the prior opportunities for 

comment described above. 

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 Special Conditions 

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 Boeing Model 

767–400ER series airplanes modified by 

Continental Airlines. 

1. Seats with Inflatable Lapbelts. It 

must be shown that the inflatable 

lapbelt will deploy and provide 

protection under crash conditions 

where it is necessary to prevent serious 

head injury. The means of protection 

must take into consideration a range of 

stature from a two-year-old child to a 

ninety-fifth percentile male. The 

inflatable lapbelt must provide a 

consistent approach to energy 

absorption throughout that range of 

occupants. In addition, the following 

situations must be considered: 

a. The seat occupant is holding an 

infant. 

b. The seat occupant is a child in a 

child restraint device. 

c. The seat occupant is a child not 

using a child restraint device. 

d. The seat occupant is a pregnant 

woman. 

2. The inflatable lapbelt must provide 

adequate protection for each occupant 

regardless of the number of occupants of 

the seat assembly, considering that 

unoccupied seats may have active 

lapbelts. 

3. The design must prevent the 

inflatable lapbelt from being either 

incorrectly buckled or incorrectly 

installed such that the inflatable lapbelt 

would not properly deploy. 

Alternatively, it must be shown that 

such deployment is not hazardous to the 

occupant and will provide the required 

head injury protection. 

4. It must be shown that the inflatable 

lapbelt system is not susceptible to 

inadvertent deployment as a result of 

wear and tear, inertial loads resulting 

from in-flight or ground maneuvers 

(including gusts and hard landings), or 

other operating and environmental 

conditions (vibrations, moisture, etc.) 

likely to be experienced in service. 

5. Deployment of the inflatable lapbelt 

must not introduce injury mechanisms 

to the seated occupant or result in 

injuries that could impede rapid egress. 

This assessment should include an 

occupant who is in the brace position 

when it deploys and an occupant whose 

belt is loosely fastened. 

6. It must be shown that inadvertent 

deployment of the inflatable lapbelt, 

during the most critical part of the 

flight, will either not cause a hazard to 

the airplane or its occupants, or it meets 

the requirement of § 25.1309(b). 

7. It must be shown that the inflatable 

lapbelt will not impede rapid egress of 

occupants 10 seconds after its 

deployment. 

8. The system must be protected from 

lightning and HIRF. The threats 

specified in existing regulations 

regarding lightning, § 25.1316 and 

existing HIRF special conditions for the 

Boeing Model 767–400ER series aircraft, 

Special Condition No. 25–152–SC, are 

incorporated by reference for the 

purpose of measuring lightning and 

HIRF protection. 

9. Inflatable lapbelts, once deployed, 

must not adversely effect the emergency 

lighting system (i.e., block proximity 

lights to the extent that the lights no 

longer meet their intended function). 

10. The inflatable lapbelt must 

function properly after loss of normal 

airplane electrical power and after a 

transverse separation of the fuselage at 

the most critical location. A separation 

at the location of the lapbelt does not 

have to be considered. 

11. It must be shown that the 

inflatable lapbelt will not release 

hazardous quantities of gas or 

particulate matter into the cabin. 

12. The inflatable lapbelt installation 

must be protected from the effects of fire 

such that no hazard to occupants will 

result. 

13. There must be a means for a 

crewmember to verify the integrity of 

the inflatable lapbelt activation system 

prior to each flight, or it must be 

demonstrated to reliably operate 

between inspection intervals. The FAA 

considers the loss of the airbag system 

deployment function alone (i.e., 

independent of the conditional event 

that requires the airbag system 

deployment) to be a major failure 

condition. 

14. The inflatable material may not 

have an average burn rate of greater than 

2.5 inches/minute when tested using the 

horizontal flammability test as defined 

in 14 CFR part 25, appendix F, part I, 

paragraph (b)(5). 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on October 

6, 2011. 

Ali Bahrami, 

Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service, ANM–100. 

[FR Doc. 2011–26554 Filed 10–13–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 


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