### UNITED STATES OF AMERICA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION RENTON, WASHINGTON 98057-3356

In the matter ofthe petition of 

### Exemption No. 17058

VT DRB Aviation Consultants Regulatory Docket No. FAA-2015-8751 for an exemption from§ 25.817 ofTitle 14, Code ofFederal Regulations



### GRANT OF EXEMPTION By letter dated October 23, 2015, Mr. Darryl Seow, Vice President-Certification, VT DRB Aviation Consultants, 27326 US Highway 281 North, San Antonio, Texas, 78260, petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for an exemption from the requirements of§ 25.817 of Title 14, Code ofFederal Regulations (14 CFR). This exemption, ifgranted, would permit four seats abreast on one side ofthe aisle in a dining room as part ofan executive (VIP) interior installation on a Boeing Model 777-200 airplane. 

### The petitioner requests relieffrom the following regulation: Section 25.817

- On airplanes having only one passenger aisle, no more than three seats abreast may be placed on each side ofthe aisle in any one row. 

### The petitioner supports its request with the following information: This section quotes the relevant information from the petitioner's request with minor edits for clarity. The complete petition is available at the Department ofTransportation's Federal Docket Management System, on the Internet at http ://regulations.gov, in Docket No. FAA-2015-8751. 

### Aisle with Four Seats Abreast The owner /operator ofthe aircraft desires to have a dining room with a dining table that seats four on each side, which equates to an aisle with four seats abreast. The petitioner proposes that the four seats abreast are placed on only one side ofthe aisle (emergency exit path) ofthe row, which leaves fewer seats abreast along that row than a passenger plane with three seats abreast on each side ofthe aisle on any one row. Thus, themodification does not impact the passengers' ability to egress; there are no seats or monuments directly in front ofthe said seats to impede passengers from gaining access to the aisle leading to emergency exits
. Airplane Model This petition is submitted in support ofthe installation ofa VIP interior on a Boeing Model 777-200 (reference single-use Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) Project Number ST1935DRB-T). The applicable type certificate data sheet is TOOOOlSE, revision 37, with a certification basis ofpart 25, effective February 1, 1965, as amended by Amendments 25-1 through 25-82. International Operations The operator ofthis U.S.-registered aircraft, who has contracted with VT DRB Aviation Consultants for the installation ofa VIP interior, routinely flies to Europe, Eastern Europe, etc. The dining table that seats four on each side is expected to remain a part of this aircraft interior in the same geographic regions. Therefore, in accordance with 14 CFR 11.83, VT DRB Aviation Consultants requests that this exemption apply to both domestic and international operations. Extent ofReliefand Safety VT DRB Aviation Consultants proposes relieffrom 14 CFR 25.817 (an aisle with three seats abreast) in lieu ofan aisle with four seats abreast on only one side ofthe aisle. Itis shown that this modification does not impact the passengers' ability to egress. There are no seats or monuments directly in front ofthe said seats to impede passengers from gaining access to the escape path. Safety is the primary concern ofthe VIP interior installation. Safety requirements ofthe original type certification ofthe aircraft will be complied with, as defined by the aircraft type certificate data sheet (TOOOO 1SE). Public Benefit Granting this petition for exemption is clearly in the interest oftransport category airplane modifiers given the proliferation oftransport category VIP interior configurations such as this one. Approval ofthis exemption will enable manufacturers who employ workers in the U
.S
.A. to effectively compete in this expanding market that has a preference for longer dining tables. Additionally, sales ofVIP configured interiors outside ofthe traditional airline market will serve to increase manufacturers' profitability and that of their suppliers/vendors, which equates to improved financial performance in the U.S
.A. and the U.S.A. ' s partners abroad. VT DRB Aviation Consultants respectfully requests that this petition be granted.

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### Federal Register publication Although the petitioner requested that action on its petition not be delayed for publication in the Federal Register, the FAA found that the petition, ifgranted, would set a precedent. Therefore, to allow an opportunity for the public to comment on the petition, a summary ofit was published in the Federal Register on April 27, 2016 (81 FR 24930). No comments were received. 

### The FAA's Analysis The FAA agrees that granting an exemption would be in the public interest for the reasons stated by the petitioner. As more transport category airplanes have been configured (or reconfigured) for private use, the FAA has given considerable attention to the issue ofappropriate regulation of such airplanes. Some ofthe current regulations governing design certification oftransport category airplanes are not compatible with private use ofsuch airplanes. Because ofthis, we have received a number ofpetitions for exemption from certain regulations. We have granted such exemptions when we find that to do so is in the public interest and when it does not adversely affect the level ofsafety provided by the regulations. Low passenger density (i.e., VIP) airplane interiors were not considered when promulgating § 25.817. According to the petitioner's certification plan, the airplane will have a maximum of 52 passengers and 7 crewmembers, and will be operated as private use, not for hire, and not for common carriage. The passengers will have a greater familiarity with the airplane interior configuration than passengers on standard commercial flights. For these reasons, the overall evacuation capability is improved, compared to a high passenger density airline configuration that could be several hundred passengers. The proposed dining room configuration, with opposed four abreast seating on one side ofthe aisle and no seating on the other side ofthe aisle, provides an acceptable level ofsafety. 

### The FAA's decision In consideration ofthe foregoing, I find that a grant ofexemption is in the public interest. Therefore, pursuant to the authority contained in 49 U.S.C. 40113 and 44701 delegated to me by the Administrator, I grant VT DRB Aviation Consultants an exemption from 14 CFR 25.817 to the extent necessary to allow the installation ofa dining room that seats four on each side ofa dining table, all ofwhich is located on one side ofthe aisle. This exemption is subject to the following operating limitation and conditions. Operating limitation 1must be documented in the limitations section ofthe airplane flight manual. 1. The airplane must not be operated for hire or offered for common carriage. This provision does not preclude the operator from receiving remuneration to the extent consistent with 14 CFRparts 125 and 91, subpart F, as applicable. The total maximum occupancy ofthe airplane is limited to 59 persons, including flight crewmembers.

32. No seats or monuments may be installed directly in front ofthe dining room seats that impede passengers from gaining access to the escape path
. 3. Only one instance is allowed ofa configuration with four seats abreast on the forward and aft sides ofthe dining table on one side ofthe aisle. No seats are allowed on the other side ofthe aisle from this seat configuration.
Issued in Renton, Washington, on 

### AUG OB 2016

Michael Kaszycki Assistant Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate Aircraft Certification Service

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