Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 189 / Wednesday, September 30, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 58593 

to the airplane or its occupants, or meets 

the requirement of § 25.1309(b). 

8. The inflatable lap belt must be 

shown to not impede rapid egress of 

occupants 10 seconds after its 

deployment. 

9. The inflatable lap-belt system must 

be protected from lightning and HIRF. 

The threats specified in existing 

regulations regarding lightning, 

§ 25.1316, and HIRF, § 25.1317, are 

incorporated by reference for the 

purpose of measuring lightning and 

HIRF protection. For the purposes of 

complying with HIRF requirements, the 

inflatable lap-belt system is considered 

a ‘‘critical system’’ if its deployment 

could have a hazardous effect on the 

airplane; otherwise it is considered an 

‘‘essential’’ system. 

10. The inflatable lap belt 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 lap belt does not 

have to be considered. 

11. The inflatable lap belt must be 

shown to not release hazardous 

quantities of gas or particulate matter 

into the cabin. 

12. The inflatable lap-belt installation 

must be protected from the effects of fire 

such that no hazard to occupants will 

result. 

13. A means must be available for a 

crewmember to verify the integrity of 

the inflatable-lap-belt-activation system 

prior to each flight, or it must be 

demonstrated to reliably operate 

between inspection intervals. 

14. The inflatable material may not 

have an average burn rate of greater than 

2.5 inches per minute when tested using 

the horizontal-flammability test as 

defined in 14 CFR part 25, Appendix F, 

Part I(b)(5). 

15. The airbag system in the lap belt, 

once deployed, must not adversely 

affect the emergency-lighting system 

(i.e., block floor-proximity lights to the 

extent that the lights no longer meet 

their intended function). 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on 

September 2, 2015. 

Jeffrey E. Duven 

Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2015–24726 Filed 9–29–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 25 

[Docket No. FAA–2015–2392; Special 

Conditions No. 25–589–SC] 

Special Conditions: Boeing Model 747– 

8 Airplanes; Seats With Inflatable Lap 

Belts 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final special conditions; request 

for comments. 

SUMMARY: These special conditions are 

issued for Boeing Model 747–8 

airplanes. These airplanes will have a 

novel or unusual design feature 

associated with seats with inflatable lap 

belts. 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 September 30, 

2015. We must receive your comments 

by November 16, 2015. 

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified 

by docket number FAA–2015–2392 

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 or 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 9 

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 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: 

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: 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 airplane. 

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 February 3, 2014, the Boeing 

Company applied for an amendment to 

Type Certificate no. A20WE to allow 

installation of inflatable lap belts for 

head-injury protection on certain seats 

in Boeing Model 747–8 airplanes. 

The Model 747–8 airplane, a 

derivative of the Model 747–400 

airplane, is a bi-level, wide-body 

airplane powered by four wing-mounted 

General Electric GEnx-2B engines. The 

airplane will have a maximum seating 

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58594 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 189 / Wednesday, September 30, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 

capacity of 605 passengers and two crew 

members, and a maximum takeoff 

weight of 987,000 pounds. 

The Boeing Company requested 

special conditions to allow inflatable 

lap belts on Boeing Model 747–8 series 

airplanes, similar to Special Conditions 

no. 25–386–SC for Boeing Model 737 

series airplanes; 25–187A–SC for Boeing 

Model 777 series airplanes; 25–148–SC 

for Boeing Model 767 series airplanes; 

and 25–431–SC for Boeing Model 787 

series airplanes. These special 

conditions will allow installation of 

inflatable lap belts for head-injury 

protection on certain seats in Boeing 

Model 747–8 airplanes. Section 

121.311(j) of 14 CFR requires that no 

person may operate a transport-category 

airplane type-certificated after January 

1, 1958, and manufactured on or after 

October 27, 2009, in passenger-carrying 

operations after October 27, 2009, 

unless all passenger and flight-attendant 

seats on the airplane, operated under 

part 121 rules, meet the requirements of 

§ 25.562 in effect on or after June 16, 

1988. 

The Boeing Model 747–8 airplane, 

operated under part 121, must meet all 

of the requirement of § 25.562 for 

passenger and flight-attendant seats. 

Therefore, it is in the interest of 

installers to show full compliance to 

§ 25.562, so that an operator under part 

121 may be able to use the airplane 

without having to conduct additional 

certification work. The FAA also notes 

that some foreign civil airworthiness 

authorities have invoked these same 

operator requirements in the form of 

airworthiness directives. 

Occupants must be protected from 

head injury, as required by § 25.785, 

either by eliminating any injurious 

object within the striking radius of the 

head, or by installing padding. 

Traditionally, this has required either a 

setback of 35 inches from any bulkhead 

or other rigid interior feature or, where 

not practical, the installation of 

specified types of padding. The relative 

effectiveness of these established means 

of injury protection was not quantified. 

With the adoption of Amendment 25–64 

to part 25, specifically § 25.562, a new 

standard was created that quantifies 

required head-injury protection. 

Each seat-type design approved for 

crew or passenger occupancy during 

takeoff and landing, as required by 

§ 25.562, must successfully complete 

dynamic tests or be demonstrated 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 head impact 

does not exceed a HIC value of 1,000 

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 lap belts, 

the FAA recognizes that appropriate 

pass/fail criteria need to be developed 

that fully address the safety concerns 

specific to occupants of these seats. 

Type Certification Basis 

Under the provisions of 14 CFR 

21.101, Boeing must show that the 

Model 747–8 airplane meets the 

applicable provisions of the regulations 

listed in Type Certificate no. A20WE, or 

the applicable regulations in effect on 

the date of application for the change, 

except for earlier amendments as agreed 

upon by the FAA. The regulations listed 

in the type certificate are commonly 

referred to as the ‘‘original type 

certification basis.’’ The regulations 

incorporated by reference in Type 

Certificate no. A20WE are as follows: 

14 CFR part 25, Amendments 25–1 

through 25–120, with exceptions 

permitted by § 21.101. In addition, the 

certification basis includes certain 

special conditions, exemptions, or later 

amended sections of the applicable part 

that are not relevant to these special 

conditions. 

If the Administrator finds that the 

applicable airworthiness regulations 

(i.e., 14 CFR part 25) do not contain 

adequate or appropriate safety standards 

for Boeing Model 747–8 airplanes 

because of a novel or unusual design 

feature, special conditions are 

prescribed under § 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 that 

incorporates the same novel or unusual 

design feature, or should any other 

model already included on the same 

type certificate be modified to 

incorporate the same novel or unusual 

design feature, these special conditions 

would also apply to the other model 

under § 21.101. 

In addition to the applicable 

airworthiness regulations and special 

conditions, the Boeing Model 747–8 

airplanes must comply with the fuelvent and exhaust-emission requirements 

of 14 CFR part 34, and the noisecertification 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 

Boeing Model 747–8 airplanes will 

incorporate the following novel or 

unusual design feature: Seats with 

inflatable lap belts. The inflatable lap 

belt 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 Criterion (HIC) 

measurement as required by Title 14, 

Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR), 

25.562(c)(5). The inflatable lap belt 

functions 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 lap belt is novel for 

commercial aviation. 

Discussion 

The inflatable lap belt 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, because such devices 

will likely provide a level of safety that 

exceeds the minimum standards of part 

25. Conversely, inflatable lap belts in 

general are active systems and must be 

relied upon to activate properly when 

needed, as opposed to an energyabsorbing pad or upper torso restraint 

that is passive and always available. 

Therefore, the potential advantages 

must be balanced against this and other 

potential disadvantages to develop 

standards for this design feature. 

The FAA has considered the 

installation of inflatable lap belts 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 lap belt will rely on 

electronic sensors for signaling, and will 

employ an automatic inflation 

mechanism for activation, so that it is 

available when needed. These same 

devices could be susceptible to 

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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 189 / Wednesday, September 30, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 58595 

inadvertent activation, causing 

deployment in a potentially unsafe 

manner. The consequences of such 

deployment must be considered in 

establishing the reliability of the system. 

Boeing must substantiate that the effects 

of an inadvertent deployment in flight 

are either not a hazard to the airplane, 

or that such deployment is an extremely 

improbable occurrence (less than 10¥9

per flight hour). The effect of an 

inadvertent deployment on a passenger 

or crewmember that might be positioned 

close to the inflatable lap belt 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 

HIRF, § 25.1317, are applicable. For 

compliance with those conditions, if 

inadvertent deployment could cause a 

hazard to the airplane, the inflatable lap 

belt is considered a critical system; if 

inadvertent deployment could cause 

injuries to persons, the inflatable lap 

belt should be considered an essential 

system. Finally, the inflatable lap-belt 

installation should be protected from 

the effects of fire, so that an additional 

hazard is not created by, for example, a 

rupture of a pyrotechnic squib. 

To function as an effective safety 

system, the inflatable lap belt must 

function properly and must not 

introduce any additional hazards to 

occupants as a result of its functioning. 

The inflatable lap belt differs variously 

from traditional occupant-protection 

systems and requires special conditions 

to ensure adequate performance. 

Because the inflatable lap belt is 

essentially a single-use device, it could 

potentially deploy under crash 

conditions that are not sufficiently 

severe as to require head-injury 

protection from the inflatable lap belt. 

And because an actual crash is 

frequently composed of a series of 

impacts before the airplane comes to 

rest, this could render the inflatable lap 

belt 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 lap-belt installation should be 

such that the inflatable lap belt will 

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 

will be no requirement for the inflatable 

lap belt to provide protection for 

multiple impacts. 

Given that each occupant’s restraint 

system provides protection for that 

occupant only, the installation must 

address unoccupied seats. It will be 

necessary to show that the required 

protection is provided for each occupant 

regardless of the number of occupied 

seats, and that unoccupied seats may 

have lap belts that are active. 

The inflatable lap belt should be 

effective for a wide range of occupants. 

The FAA has historically considered the 

range from the 5th percentile female to 

the 95th 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 lap-belt 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, so it would not be necessary 

to show that the inflatable lap belt will 

enhance the brace position. However, 

the inflatable lap belt must not 

introduce a hazard when it is deployed 

into a seated, braced occupant. 

Another area of concern is the use of 

seats so equipped by children, whether 

they are lap-held, sitting in approved 

child-safety seats, or occupying the seat 

directly. Although specifically 

prohibited by FAA operating 

regulations, the use of the 

supplementary loop belt (‘‘belly belt’’) 

may be required by other civil aviation 

authorities, and should also be 

considered with the end goal of meeting 

those regulations. Similarly, if the seat 

is occupied by a pregnant woman, the 

installation needs to address such usage, 

either by demonstrating that it will 

function properly, or by adding 

appropriate limitation on usage. 

The inflatable lap belt will be 

electrically powered. Likewise, the 

system could possibly fail due to a 

separation in the fuselage. Because this 

system is intended as crash/post-crash 

protection means, failure due to fuselage 

separation is not acceptable. As with 

emergency lighting, the restraint system 

should function properly if such a 

separation occurs at any point in the 

fuselage. 

Because the inflatable lap belt is 

likely to have a large volume 

displacement, the inflated bag could 

potentially impede egress of passengers. 

However, the lap-belt bag deflates to 

absorb energy, so it is likely that an 

inflatable lap belt would be deflated by 

the time passengers begin to leave their 

seats. Nonetheless, it is appropriate to 

specify a time interval after which the 

inflatable lap belt may not impede rapid 

egress. The maximum time allowed for 

an exit to open fully after actuation is 

10 seconds, according to § 25.809(b)(2). 

Therefore, the FAA has established 10 

seconds as the time interval that the 

inflatable lap belt must not impede 

rapid egress from the seat after it is 

deployed. In actuality, it is unlikely that 

a flight attendant would prepare an exit 

this quickly in an accident severe 

enough to warrant deployment of the 

inflatable lap belt. The inflatable lap 

belt will likely deflate much more 

quickly than 10 seconds. 

This potential impediment to rapid 

egress is even more critical at the seats 

installed in the emergency-exit rows. 

Installation of inflatable restraints at the 

Type III exit rows presents different 

egress concerns as compared with frontrow seats. However, the need to address 

egress is already part of the special 

conditions, so there is no change to the 

special conditions at this time. As noted 

below, the method of compliance with 

the special conditions may involve 

specific considerations when an 

inflatable restraint is installed at Type 

III exits. Section 25.813 clearly requires 

access to the exit from the main aisle in 

the form of an unobstructed 

passageway, and no interference in 

opening the exit. The restraint system 

must not create an impediment to the 

access to, and the opening of, the exit. 

These lap belts should be evaluated in 

the exit row under existing regulations 

(§§ 25.809 and 25.813) and guidance 

material. The inflatable lap belts must 

also be evaluated in post-crash 

conditions, and should be evaluated 

using representative restraint systems in 

the bag-deployed condition. 

This evaluation would include 

reviewing the access to, and opening of, 

the exit, specifically for obstructions in 

the egress path; and any interferences in 

opening the exit. Each unique interior 

configuration must be considered, e.g., 

passageway width, single or dual 

passageways with outboard seat 

removed, etc. If the restraint creates any 

obstruction or interference, it is likely 

that it could impede rapid egress from 

the airplane. In some cases, the 

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58596 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 189 / Wednesday, September 30, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 

passenger is the one who will open the 

exit, such as a Type III over-wing hatch. 

Project-specific means-of-compliance 

guidance is likely necessary if these 

restraint systems are installed at the 

Type III exit rows. 

Note that the special conditions are 

applicable to the inflatable lap-belt 

system as installed. The special 

conditions are not an installation 

approval. Therefore, while the special 

conditions relate to each such system 

installed, the overall installation 

approval is separate, and must consider 

the combined effects of all such systems 

installed. 

Boeing will install inflatable lap belts, 

a novel design feature, on certain seats 

of Model 747–8 airplanes, to reduce the 

potential for head injury if an accident 

occurs. The inflatable lap belt works 

similar to an automotive inflatable air 

bag, except that the air bag in the Boeing 

design is integrated into the lap belt of 

the restraint system. 

The performance criteria for headinjury protection in objective terms is 

stated in § 25.562. However, none of 

these criteria are adequate to address the 

specific issues raised concerning seats 

with inflatable lap belts. The FAA has 

therefore determined that, in addition to 

the requirements of part 25, special 

conditions are needed to address 

requirements particular to the 

installation of seats with inflatable lap 

belts. 

Accordingly, in addition to the 

passenger-injury criteria specified in 

§ 25.785, these special conditions are 

proposed for the Boeing Model 747–8 

airplanes equipped with inflatable lap 

belts. Other conditions may be 

developed, as needed, based on further 

FAA review and discussions with the 

manufacturer and civil-aviation 

authorities. 

For a passenger-safety system, the 

inflatable lap belt is unique in that it is 

both an active and entirely autonomous 

device. While the automotive industry 

has good experience with inflatable air 

bags, the conditions of use and reliance 

on the inflatable lap belt as the sole 

means of injury protection are quite 

different. In automobile installations, 

the air bag is a supplemental system and 

works in conjunction with an uppertorso restraint. In addition, the crash 

event is more definable and typically of 

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 

unanticipated abuse conditions (due to 

galley loading, passenger baggage, etc.). 

Airplanes also operate where exposure 

to HIRF could affect the lap-belt 

activation system. 

The current special conditions for the 

Boeing Model 777 airplane were 

amended to address flammability of the 

airbag material. During the development 

of the inflatable lap belt, the 

manufacturer was unable to develop a 

fabric that would meet the inflation 

requirements for the bag and the 

flammability requirements of part 25, 

Appendix F, Part I(a)(1)(ii). The fabrics 

that were developed that meet the 

flammability requirement did not 

produce acceptable deployment 

characteristics. However, the 

manufacturer was able to develop a 

fabric that not only meets the 

flammability requirements of part 25, 

Appendix F, Part I(a)(1)(ii), but also 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 material types as well as 

use, and have been specified in light of 

state-of-the-art materials available to 

perform a given function. Without a 

specific reference, the default 

requirement would apply to the type of 

material used in making the inflatable 

restraint, which is a fabric in this case. 

However, in writing special conditions, 

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. Because the safety benefit of 

the inflatable restraint is significant, the 

flammability standard appropriate for 

these devices should not screen out 

suitable materials and thereby 

effectively eliminate the use of 

inflatable restraints. The FAA must 

establish a balance between the safety 

benefit of the inflatable restraint and its 

flammability performance. Presently, 

the 2.5-inch-per-minute horizontal test 

is considered to provide that balance. 

As the state-of-the-art in materials 

progresses (which is expected), the FAA 

may change this standard in subsequent 

special conditions to account for 

improved materials. 

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. 

Applicability 

These special conditions are 

applicable to the Boeing Model 747–8 

airplanes. Should Boeing apply at a later 

date for a change to the type certificates 

to include another model that 

incorporates the same novel or unusual 

design feature, or should any other 

model already included on the same 

type certificate be modified to 

incorporate the same novel or unusual 

design feature, these special conditions 

would apply to the other model as well. 

Conclusion 

This action affects only certain novel 

or unusual design features on the 

Boeing Model 747–8 airplanes. It is not 

a rule of general applicability, and it 

affects only Boeing Model 747–8 

airplanes listed on amended Type 

Certificate no. A20WE. 

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 

747–8 airplanes with inflatable lap belts 

installed. 

1. The inflatable lap belt must be 

shown to 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 95th 

percentile male. The inflatable lap belt 

must provide a consistent approach to 

energy absorption throughout that range 

of occupants. In addition, the following 

situations must be considered. 

The seat occupant is: 

• Holding an infant 

• a child in a child-restraint device 

• a child not using a child-restraint 

device 

• a pregnant woman 

2. The inflatable lap belt must provide 

adequate protection for each occupant 

regardless of the number of occupants of 

the seat assembly, considering that 

unoccupied seats may have an active 

airbag system in the lap belt. 

3. The design must prevent the 

inflatable lap belt from being either 

incorrectly buckled or incorrectly 

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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 189 / Wednesday, September 30, 2015 / Rules and Regulations 58597 

installed such that the inflatable lap belt 

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. The inflatable lap-belt system must 

be shown not to be susceptible to 

inadvertent deployment as a result of 

wear and tear, or inertial loads resulting 

from in-flight or ground maneuvers 

(including gusts and hard landings), 

likely to be experienced in service. 

5. Deployment of the inflatable lap 

belt must not introduce injury 

mechanisms to the seated occupant, nor 

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 inflatable lap belt is 

loosely fastened. 

6. An inadvertent deployment that 

could cause injury to a standing or 

sitting person must be shown to be 

improbable. 

7. It must be shown that inadvertent 

deployment of the airbag system in the 

lap belt, during the most critical part of 

the flight, either will not cause a hazard 

to the airplane or its occupants, or meets 

the requirement of § 25.1309(b). 

8. The inflatable lap belt must be 

shown to not impede rapid egress of 

occupants 10 seconds after its 

deployment. 

9. The inflatable lap-belt system must 

be protected from lightning and HIRF. 

The threats specified in existing 

regulations regarding lightning, 

§ 25.1316, and HIRF, § 25.1317, are 

incorporated by reference for the 

purpose of measuring lightning and 

HIRF protection. For the purposes of 

complying with HIRF requirements, the 

inflatable lap-belt system is considered 

a ‘‘critical system’’ if its deployment 

could have a hazardous effect on the 

airplane; otherwise it is considered an 

‘‘essential’’ system. 

10. The inflatable lap belt 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 lap belt does not 

have to be considered. 

11. The inflatable lap belt must be 

shown to not release hazardous 

quantities of gas or particulate matter 

into the cabin. 

12. The inflatable lap-belt installation 

must be protected from the effects of fire 

such that no hazard to occupants will 

result. 

13. A means must be available for a 

crewmember to verify the integrity of 

the inflatable-lap-belt-activation system 

prior to each flight, or it must be 

demonstrated to reliably operate 

between inspection intervals. 

14. The inflatable material may not 

have an average burn rate of greater than 

2.5 inches per minute when tested using 

the horizontal-flammability test as 

defined in 14 CFR part 25, Appendix F, 

Part I(b)(5). 

15. The airbag system in the lap belt, 

once deployed, must not adversely 

affect the emergency-lighting system 

(i.e., block floor-proximity lights to the 

extent that the lights no longer meet 

their intended function). 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on 

September 1, 2015. 

Jeffrey E. Duven, 

Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, 

Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2015–24725 Filed 9–29–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 25 

[Docket No. FAA–2015–3367; Special 

Conditions No. 25–596–SC] 

Special Conditions: Flight Structures, 

Inc., Boeing Model 777–200 Dynamic 

Test Requirements for SingleOccupant, Oblique (Side-Facing) Seats 

With Airbag Devices 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final special conditions; request 

for comments. 

SUMMARY: These special conditions are 

issued for Boeing Model 777–200 

airplanes. This airplane, as modified by 

Flight Structures, Inc., will have novel 

or unusual design features associated 

with oblique-angled, single-occupant 

seats equipped with airbag systems. The 

applicable airworthiness regulations do 

not contain adequate or appropriate 

safety standards for these design 

features. These special conditions 

contain the additional safety standards 

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 September 30, 

2015. We must receive your comments 

by November 16, 2015. 

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified 

by docket number FAA–2015–3367 

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 or 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 9 

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 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, Airframe and Cabin Safety, 

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 airplane. 

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. 

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