### March**09th, 2012** **GCF-0173/2012 AACB** 

### EMBRAER**Embraer S.A.** **Av. Brigadeiro** **Faria Lima,** **2.170 12227-901** **S.J. dos** **Campos SP** **Brasil Fone:** **(12) 3927-6481** **Fax: (12)** **3927-1184 PC:179** **US Department** **of Transportation** **1200 New** **Jersey Avenue,** **SE West** **Building Ground** **Floor Room** **W12-140 Washington,** **DC 20590** **Subject: EMB-550** **FAA Type** **Validation Petition** **to the** **Exemption from** **14 CFR** **25.809 (a)** **Amdt. 25-116** **Please find** **enclosed Embraer** **Petition to** **the Exemption** **from 14** **CFR 25.809** **(a) Amdt.** **25-116. Sincerely,** 

### Ai**oJ/iana d&Carvalho** **C.c: ANAC** **Willian Yoshinori** **Tanji (PCM** **EMB-550) 14** **CFR 11.81** **(a) Contact** **Information: Sergio** **Augusto Viana** **de Carvalho** **Embraer Airworthiness** **Manager Av.** **Brigadeiro Faria** **Lima, 2170-** **PC 179** **12227-901 Sao** **Jose dos** **Campos, SP** **Brazil Phone: 55-12-3927-3543** **Fax: 55-12-3927-1184** **14 CFR** **11.81 (b)** **Specific Section** **from Which** **Exemption is** **required 25.809** **Emergency exit** **arrangement: (a)** **Each emergency** **exit, including** **each flightcrew** **emergency exit,** **must be** **moveable door** **or hatch** **in the** **external walls** **of the** **fuselage, allowing** **an unobstructed** **opening to** **the outside.** **In addition,** **each emergency** **exit must** **have means** **to permit** **viewing of** **the conditions** **outside the** **exit when** **the exit** **is closed.** **The viewing** **means may** **be on** **or adjacent** **to the** **exit provided** **no obstructions** **exist between** **the exit** **and the** **viewing means.** **Means must** **also be** **provided to** **permit viewing** **of the** **likely areas** **of evacuee** **ground contact.** **The likely** **areas of** **evacuee ground** **contact must** **be viewable** **during all** **lighting conditions** **with the** **landing gear** **extended as well** **as in** **all conditions** **of landing** **gear collapse.** **14 CFR** **11.81 (c)** **Extent of** **Relief and** **Reason for** **Seeking Relief** **Petition and** **General Information:** **Under the** **provisions set** **forth in** **Title 14** **Code of** **Federal Regulations** **(14 CFR)** **11.81, Embraer** **is seeking** **an exemption** **to allow** **partial relief** **from 25.809(a)** **at Amendment** **25-116 for** **the Type** **III overwing** **exit on** **the EMB-550** **airplane. The** **overwing hatch** **is located** **inside the** **lavatory and** **has window** **that provides** **an**

### effective**means to** **assess external** **conditions prior** **to exit** **opening. This** **includes viewing** **of the** **wing surface** **where the** **evacuees would** **make their** **initial contact** **up to** **the end** **of the** **scape route** **on the** **wing considering** **all lighting** **conditions with** **the**

### landing**gear extended** **as well** **as in** **all conditions** **of landing** **gear collpase.** **Partial relief** 

### is**being sought** **from the** **requirement since** **this outside** **viewing means** **does not** **permit viewing** **of the** **likely area** **of evacuee** **ground contact** **prior to** **exit opening** **during all** **lighting conditions** **with the** **landing gear** **extended as** **well as** **in all** **conditions of** **landing gear** **collapse.**

### Relief**is necessary** **since literal** **compliance with** **the rule** **would require** **extensive design** 

### changes**to the** **airplane (exit** **relocation) to** **permit viewing** **of the** **likely areas** **of evacuee** **ground contact** **during all** **lighting conditions** **and with** **the landing** **gear extended** **and in** **conditions of** **landing gear** **collapse. Making** **this type** **of design** **change would** **not**

### enhance**the level** **safety provided** **for the** **occupants and** **it would** **impact introduction** **of the** **EMB-550 airplane.** **Background: In** **an emergency** **situation it** **is generally** **accepted that** **an exit** **should not** **be opened** **if opening** **it would** **create more** **hazardous situation for** **the occupants** **of the** **airplane. With** **Amendment 25-116** **14 CFR** **25.809(a) now** **includes the** **requirement that** **an outside** **viewing means** **at emergency** **exits permit** **viewing of** **the likely** **area of** **evacuee ground** **contact and** **that the** **likely area** **of evacuee** **contact be** **viewable during** **all lighting** **conditions with** **the landing** **gear extended** **as well** **as in** **all conditions** **of landing** **gear collapse.** **The EMB-550** **airplane is** **an executive** **jet with** **maximum occupancy** **of 12** **passengers and** **is provided** **with Type** **III overwing** **exit hatch** **located inside** **the lavatory.** **The hatch** **window provides** **an effective** **means to** **assess external** **conditions when** **deciding whether** **or not** **to open** **the exit.** **This includes** **viewing of** **the wing** **surface where** **the evacuees** **would make** **their initial** **contact up** **to the** **end of** **the scape** **route on** **the wing** **considering all** **lighting conditions** **with the** **landing gear** **extended as** **well as** **in all** **conditions of** **landing gear** **collpase. This** **also includes** **viewing of** **the ground** **near where** **the evacuees** **would normally** **be expected** **to make** **their initial** **contact. In** **addition, an** **emergency lighting** **system is** **provided according** **14 CFR** **25.812 (g)(1)** **and an escape** **route is** **provided according** **14 CFR** **25.810 (c).** **Since the** **end of** **the escape** **route on** 

### the**wing terminates** **in height** **distance from** **the ground** **of less** **than feet** **there is** **no emergency** **egress assist** **means installed.** **Once the** **evacuees step** **on the** **wing and** **reach the** **end of** **the escape** **route on** **the wing** **they will** **be able** **to see** **the ground** **contact area** **considering all** **lighting conditions** **and under** **all conditions** **of landing** **gear collapse.** **Therefore, they** **will get** **good sense** **of whether** **or not** **there is** **significant hazard** **on the** **ground. While** **the overwing** **exit window** **provide an** **excellent means** **for assessing** **the outside** **conditions, this** **does not** **allow direct** **viewing of** **the ground** **where**

### the**evacuees would** **normally be** **expected to** **make their** **initial ground** **contact. This** **is due** **to the** **relative distance** **of the** **exit location** **and the** **ground contact** **area. Partial** **relief from** **25.809(a) at** **Amendment 25-116** **is necessary** **because design** **of the** **EMB-550 airplane** **is complete** **and it** **would require** **extensive design** **changes for** **the**

### overwing**exit to** **comply with** **the outside** **viewing requirements** **with no** **material difference** **in the** **level of** **safety.**

### 14**CFR 11.81** **(d) Reason** **Why Granting** **Relief Would** **be In** **Public Interest** **Public Interest:** 

### Granting**this petition** **is in the** **public's interest** **because the** **outside viewing** **means**

### provided**for the** **EMB-550 overwing** **exit provide** **the level** **of safety** **the FAA** **intended to** **promulgate with** **the new** **rule.**

### Not**granting the** **exemption would** **lead to** **an extensive** **unplanned design** **and**

### manufacturing**effort (exit** **relocation to** **the passenger** **cabin). In** **addition, the** **level of** 

### comfort**of the** **passengers would** **be compromised** **due to** **consequent changes** **of moving** **the exit:** **seat movements** **restrictions to** **allow assess** **and openability** **of the** **exit, noise** **increase and** **temperature variations** **in the** **passenger seating/rest** **area.**

### Incorporating**this type** **of design** **change would** **not enhance** **the level** **safety provided** **for the** **occupants and** **it would** **impact introduction** **of the** **EMB-550 airplane** **to the** **operators.Therefore, granting** **the exemption** **is in** **the public** **interest. 14** **CFR 11.81** **(e) Reasons** **Why Exemption** **would Not** **Adversely Affect** **Safety Justification:** **During an** **airplane emergency** **evacuation, there** **is the** **potential for** **an external** **hazard that** **could pose** **an immediate** **threat to** **the occupants** **of the** **airplane if** **an exit** **was opened.** **While fire** **is the** **principle external** **hazard, there** **are other** **types of** **hazards such** **as water** **or large** **obstructions that** **could make** **not opening** **an exit** **the preferred** **course of** **action. However,** **due to** **the viewing** **area provided** **by the** **overwing hatch** **window during** **all lighting** **conditions and** **with the** **landing gear** **extended and** **in any** **conditions of** **landing gear** **collapse, it** **is very** **likely that** **any severe** **external hazard** **that could** **create an** **immediate hazard** **to the** **occupants could** **be detected** **prior to** **deciding**

### whether**or not** **to open** **the overwing** **exit. Therefore,** **there is** **no appreciable** **difference between** **the level** **of safety** **provided by** **the outside** **viewing means** **provided for** **the EMB-550** **overwing exit** **and that** **intended by** **the new** **regulation. 14** **CFR 11.81** **(f) Summary** **For Publication** **In Federal** **Register**

### Embraer**requests an** **Exemption from 14** **CFR 25.809(a)** **Amdt. 25-116** **for the** **Type III** **overwing exit** **on the** **EMB-550 airplane.** **14 CFR** **11.81 (g)** **Additional Information** **to Support** **Request Conclusions:** 

### For**the EMB-550** **airplane the** **overwing hatch** **window provides** **an effective** **means to** 

### assess**external conditions** **when deciding** **whether or** **not to** **open the** **overwing hatch.** **This includes** **viewing of** **the wing** **area where** **the evacuees** **would make** **their initial** **contact after** **opening the** **exit considering** **all lighting** **conditions with** **the landing** **gear extended** **as well** **as in** **all conditions** **of landing** **gear collapse.** **This also** **includes viewing** 

### of**the ground** **near where** **the evacuees** **would normally** **be expected** **to make** **their initial** **contact. The** **overwing hatch** **window provides** **an external** **viewing means** **equivalent to** 

### that**intended by** **the new** **regulation, which** **Embraer believes** **was the** **FAA's stated** **intent when** **codifying the** **requirement for** **an outside** **viewing means** **at the** **emergency**

### exits.**Passenger and** **crew safety** **will not** **be degraded** **by grant** **of this** **exemption petition.**