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contains regulatory documents having general

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are keyed to and codified in the Code of

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Rules and Regulations Federal Register

72555 

Vol. 80, No. 224 

Friday, November 20, 2015 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 25 

[Docket No. FAA–2015–3369; Special 

Conditions No. 25–606–SC] 

Special Conditions: Associated Air 

Center, Boeing Model 747–8 Airplane; 

Shoulder-Belt Airbags for Side-Facing 

Seats 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final special conditions; request 

for comments. 

SUMMARY: These special conditions are 

issued for the Boeing Model 747–8 

airplane. This airplane, as modified by 

Associated Air Center, will have novel 

or unusual design features associated 

with side-facing seats and airbagequipped shoulder belts for these sidefacing seats. The applicable 

airworthiness regulations do not contain 

adequate or appropriate safety standards 

for these design features. 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 November 20, 

2015. We must receive your comments 

by January 4, 2016. 

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified 

by docket number FAA–2015–3369 

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, Airframe and Cabin Safety, 

ANM–115, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification 

Service, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., 

Renton, Washington 98057–3356; 

telephone 425–227–2194; 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 

publication in the Federal Register. 

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 1, 2013, Associated Air 

Center applied for a supplemental type 

certificate, project no. AAC–12–04– 

ODA, for side-facing seats with airbagequipped shoulder belts to be installed 

in Boeing Model 747–8 airplanes. 

The Boeing Model 747–8 airplane, as 

modified by Associated Air Center, 

includes a head-of-state interior with a 

maximum passenger-seating capacity of 

112. Twelve of the passenger-seating 

positions will be single-passenger, sidefacing seats, each of which will be 

outfitted with an airbag system in the 

shoulder belts. 

Type Certification Basis 

Under the provisions of Title 14, Code 

of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) 21.101, 

Associated Air Center must show that 

the Boeing Model 747–8 airplane, as 

changed, continues to meet the 

applicable provisions of the regulations 

incorporated by reference in type 

certificate no. A20WE 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. A20WE are as follows: 

The certification basis for areas 

changed or affected by the Associated 

Air Center STC is 14 CFR part 25, as 

amended by Amendment 25–1 through 

Amendment 25–120, with exceptions 

permitted by § 21.101. The certification 

basis includes special conditions and 

exemptions that are not relevant to these 

proposed 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 


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for the Boeing Model 747–8 airplane, as 

modified by Associated Air Center, 

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 or similar 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 

airplane, as modified by Associated Air 

Center, must comply with the fuel-vent 

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 

The Boeing Model 747–8 airplane, as 

modified by Associated Air Center, will 

incorporate the following novel or 

unusual design features: 

These airplanes will have interior 

configurations with multiple-place sidefacing seats and single-place side-facing 

seats that include airbag systems in the 

shoulder belts. Side-facing seats are 

considered a novel or unusual design 

for transport-category airplanes that 

include Amendment 25–64 in their 

certification basis, and were not 

anticipated when those airworthiness 

standards were issued. Therefore, the 

existing regulations do not provide 

adequate or appropriate safety standards 

for occupants of side-facing seats. The 

airbag systems in the shoulder belts on 

side-facing seats are designed to limit 

occupant forward excursion in the event 

of an accident. These airbag systems are 

novel or unusual for commercial 

aviation. 

Discussion 

The FAA has been conducting 

research to develop an acceptable 

method of compliance with § 25.785(b) 

for side-facing seat installations. That 

research has identified additional injury 

considerations and evaluation criteria. 

See published report DOT/FAA/AR–09/ 

41, July 2011. 

Before this research, the FAA had 

been granting exemptions for the 

multiple-place side-facing seat 

installations because an adequate 

method of compliance was not available 

to produce an equivalent level of safety 

to that level of safety provided for the 

forward- and aft-facing seats. These 

exemptions were subject to many 

conditions that reflected the injuryevaluation criteria and mitigation 

strategies available at the time of the 

exemption issuance. The FAA has 

developed a methodology to address all 

fully side-facing seats (i.e., seats 

oriented in the airplane with the 

occupant facing 90 degrees to the 

direction of airplane travel) and is 

documenting those requirements in 

these special conditions. Some of the 

previous conditions issued for 

exemptions are still relevant and are 

included in these new special 

conditions. However, many of the 

conditions for exemption have been 

replaced by different criteria that reflect 

current research findings. 

The FAA had been issuing special 

conditions to address single-place sidefacing seats; however, application of the 

current research findings has allowed 

issuing special conditions that are 

applicable to all fully side-facing seats, 

both multiple-place and single-place. 

Neck-injury evaluation methods 

applicable to the most common sidefacing seat configurations were 

identified during recent FAA research. 

The scope of that research, however, did 

not include deriving specific injury 

criteria for all possible loading scenarios 

that could occur to occupants of fully 

side-facing seats. To limit the injury risk 

in those cases, these special conditions 

provide conservative injury-evaluation 

means that are derived from past 

practice and applicable scientific 

literature. 

Serious leg injuries, such as femur 

fractures, can occur in aviation sidefacing seats that could threaten the 

occupants’ lives directly or reduce their 

ability to evacuate. Limiting upper-leg 

axial rotation to a conservative limit of 

35 degrees (approximately the 50 

percentile range of motion) should also 

limit the risk of serious leg injuries. It 

is believed that the angle of rotation can 

be determined by observing lower-leg 

flailing in typical high-speed video of 

the dynamic tests. This requirement 

complies with the intent of the § 25.562 

(b)(6) injury criteria in preventing 

serious leg injury. 

The requirement to provide support 

for the pelvis, upper arm, chest, and 

head contained in previous special 

conditions for single-place side-facing 

seats has been replaced in the new 

special conditions applicable to all fully 

side-facing seats with requirements for 

neck-injury evaluation, leg-flail limits, 

pelvis-excursion limits, head-excursion 

limits, and torso lateral-bending limits 

that directly assess the effectiveness of 

the support provided by the seat and 

restraint system. 

To protect occupants in aft-facing 

seats, those seats must have sufficient 

height and stiffness to support 

occupants’ heads and spines. Providing 

this support is intended to reduce spinal 

injuries when occupant inertial forces 

cause their heads and spines to load 

against the seat backs. If, during a sidefacing-seat dynamic test, the flailing of 

the occupants causes their heads to 

translate beyond the planes of the seat 

backs, then this lack of support would 

not comply with the intent of the 

requirement to prevent spine injuries, 

and would not provide the same level 

of safety afforded occupants of forwardand aft-facing seats. 

Results from tests that produced 

lateral flailing over an armrest indicate 

that serious injuries, including spinal 

fractures, would likely occur. While no 

criteria currently relates the amount of 

lateral flail to a specific risk of injury, 

if lateral flexion is limited to the normal 

static range of motion, then the risk of 

injury should be low. This range of 

motion is approximately 40 degrees 

from the upright position. Ensuring that 

lateral flexion does not create a 

significant injury risk is consistent with 

the goal of providing an equivalent level 

of safety to that provided by forward- or 

aft-facing seats, because that type of 

articulation of those seats does not 

occur during forward impacts. 

Section 25.562 requires that the 

restraints remain on the shoulders and 

pelvises of the occupants during impact. 

Advisory Circular (AC) 25.562–1B, 

‘‘Dynamic Evaluation of Seat Restraint 

Systems and Occupant Protection on 

Transport Airplanes,’’ dated January 10, 

2006, clarifies this requirement by 

stating that restraints must remain on 

the shoulders and pelvises when loaded 

by the occupants. This criterion is 

necessary to protect the occupants from 

serious injuries that could be caused by 

lap-belt contact forces applied to soft 

tissue, or by ineffectively restraining the 

upper torsos in the event the uppertorso restraints slide off the shoulders. 

In forward-facing seats (the type 

specifically addressed in that AC), 

occupant motion during rebound, and 

any subsequent re-loading of the belts, 

is limited by interaction with the seat 

backs. However, in side-facing seats 

subjected to a forward impact, the 

restraint systems may be the only means 

of limiting the occupants’ rearward 

(rebound) motion. Likewise, to limit 

abdominal-injury risk in side-facing 

seats, the lap belts must remain on the 


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pelvis throughout the impact event, 

including rebound. 

During side-facing-seat dynamic tests, 

the risk for head injury is assessed with 

only one occupant size (the 50th 

percentile male as represented by the 

ES–2re, as defined in 49 CFR part 572, 

supbart U). However, protection for a 

range of occupant statures can be 

provided if the impacted surface is 

homogenous in the area contactable by 

that range of occupants. 

The FAA has issued special 

conditions in the past for airbag systems 

on lap belts for some forward-facing 

seats. These special conditions for the 

airbag systems in the shoulder belts are 

based on the previous special 

conditions for airbag systems on lap 

belts, with some changes to address the 

specific issues of side-facing seats. The 

special conditions are not an 

installation approval. Therefore, while 

the 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. 

The FAA has considered the 

installation of airbag systems in the 

shoulder belts to have two primary 

safety concerns: First, that the systems 

perform properly under foreseeable 

operating conditions, and second, that 

the systems do not perform in a manner 

or at such times as would constitute a 

hazard to the occupants. This latter 

point has the potential to be the more 

rigorous of the requirements, owing to 

the active nature of the system. 

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 

As discussed above, these special 

conditions are applicable to the Boeing 

Model 747–8 airplane as modified by 

Associated Air Center. Should the 

applicant apply at a later date for a 

supplemental type certificate to modify 

any other model included on type 

certificate no. A20WE 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 one model 

of airplane. 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, the FAA 

has determined that prior public notice 

and comment are unnecessary and 

impracticable, and good cause exists for 

adopting these special conditions upon 

publication in the Federal Register. 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 747–8 airplanes 

as modified by Associated Air Center. 

In addition to the requirements of 

§§ 25.562 and 25.785, the following 

special condition numbers 1 and 2 are 

part of the type certification basis of the 

Boeing Model 747–8 airplane with sidefacing-seat installations, as modified by 

Associated Air Center. For seat places 

equipped with airbag systems in the 

shoulder belts, additional special 

condition numbers 3 through 16 are part 

of the type certification basis. 

1. Additional requirements applicable 

to tests or rational analysis conducted to 

show compliance with §§ 25.562 and 

25.785 for side-facing seats: 

(a) The longitudinal test(s) conducted 

in accordance with § 25.562(b)(2) to 

show compliance with the seat-strength 

requirements of § 25.562(c)(7) and (8) 

and these special conditions must have 

an ES–2re anthropomorphic test dummy 

(ATD) (49 CFR part 572, subpart U) or 

equivalent, or a Hybrid-II ATD (49 CFR 

part 572, subpart B, as specified in 

§ 25.562) or equivalent occupying each 

seat position and including all items 

contactable by the occupant (e.g., 

armrest, interior wall, or furnishing) if 

those items are necessary to restrain the 

occupant. If included, the floor 

representation and contactable items 

must be located such that their relative 

position, with respect to the center of 

the nearest seat place, is the same at the 

start of the test as before floor 

misalignment is applied. For example, if 

floor misalignment rotates the centerline 

of the seat place nearest the contactable 

item 8 degrees clockwise about the 

airplane x-axis, then the item and floor 

representations must be rotated by 8 

degrees clockwise also to maintain the 

same relative position to the seat place, 

as shown in Figure 1 of these special 

conditions. Each ATD’s relative position 

to the seat after application of floor 

misalignment must be the same as 

before misalignment is applied. To 

ensure proper occupant loading of the 

seat, the ATD pelvis must remain 

supported by the seat pan, and the 

restraint system must remain on the 

pelvis and shoulder of the ATD until 

rebound begins. No injury-criteria 

evaluation is necessary for tests 

conducted only to assess seat-strength 

requirements. 


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(b) The longitudinal test(s) conducted 

in accordance with § 25.562(b)(2), to 

show compliance with the injury 

assessments required by § 25.562(c) and 

these special conditions, may be 

conducted separately from the test(s) to 

show structural integrity. In this case, 

structural-assessment tests must be 

conducted as specified in paragraph 1(a) 

of these special conditions, and the 

injury-assessment test must be 

conducted without yaw or floor 

misalignment. Injury assessments may 

be accomplished by testing with ES–2re 

ATD (49 CFR part 572, subpart U) or 

equivalent at all places. Alternatively, 

these assessments may be accomplished 

by multiple tests that use an ES–2re at 

the seat place being evaluated and a 

Hybrid-II ATD (49 CFR part 572, subpart 

B, as specified in § 25.562) or equivalent 

used in all seat places forward of the 

one being assessed to evaluate occupant 

interaction. In this case, seat places aft 

of the one being assessed may be 

unoccupied. If a seat installation 

includes adjacent items that are 

contactable by the occupant, the injury 

potential of that contact must be 

assessed. To make this assessment, tests 

may be conducted that include the 

actual item located and attached in a 

representative fashion. Alternatively, 

the injury potential may be assessed by 

a combination of tests with items having 

the same geometry as the actual item but 

having stiffness characteristics that 

would create the worst case for injury 

(injuries due to both contact with the 

item and lack of support from the item). 

(c) If a seat is installed aft of a 

structure (e.g., an interior wall or 

furnishing) that does not have a 

homogeneous surface contactable by the 

occupant, additional analysis and/or 

test(s) may be required to demonstrate 

that the injury criteria are met for the 

area which an occupant could contact. 

For example, different yaw angles could 

result in different injury considerations 

and may require additional analysis or 

separate test(s) to evaluate. 

(d) To accommodate a range of 

occupant heights (5th percentile female 

to 95th percentile male), the surface of 

items contactable by the occupant must 

be homogenous 7.3 inches (185 mm) 

above and 7.9 inches (200 mm) below 

the point (center of area) that is 

contacted by the 50th percentile male 

size ATD’s head during the longitudinal 

test(s) conducted in accordance with 

paragraphs 1(a), 1(b), and 1(c) of these 

special conditions. Otherwise, 

additional head-injury criteria (HIC) 

assessment tests may be necessary. Any 

surface (inflatable or otherwise) that 

provides support for the occupant of 

any seat place must provide that 


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support in a consistent manner 

regardless of occupant stature. For 

example, if an inflatable shoulder belt is 

used to mitigate injury risk, then it must 

be demonstrated by inspection to bear 

against the range of occupants in a 

similar manner before and after 

inflation. Likewise, the means of 

limiting lower-leg flail must be 

demonstrated by inspection to provide 

protection for the range of occupants in 

a similar manner. 

(e) For longitudinal test(s) conducted 

in accordance with § 25.562(b)(2) and 

these special conditions, the ATDs must 

be positioned, clothed, and have lateral 

instrumentation configured as follows: 

(1) ATD positioning: 

(i) Lower the ATD vertically into the 

seat while simultaneously (see Figure 2 

of these special conditions): 

(A) Aligning the midsagittal plane (a 

vertical plane through the midline of the 

body; dividing the body into right and 

left halves) with approximately the 

middle of the seat place. 

(B) Applying a horizontal x-axis 

direction (in the ATD coordinate 

system) force of about 20 pounds (lbs) 

(89 Newtons [N]) to the torso at 

approximately the intersection of the 

midsagittal plane and the bottom rib of 

the ES–2re or lower sternum of the 

Hybrid-II at the midsagittal plane, to 

compress the seat back cushion. 

(C) Keeping the upper legs nearly 

horizontal by supporting them just 

behind the knees. 

(ii) Once all lifting devices have been 

removed from the ATD: 

(A) Rock it slightly to settle it in the 

seat. 

(B) Separate the knees by about 4 

inches (100 mm). 

(C) Set the ES–2re’s head at 

approximately the midpoint of the 

available range of z-axis rotation (to 

align the head and torso midsagittal 

planes). 

(D) Position the ES–2re’s arms at the 

joint’s mechanical detent that puts them 

at approximately a 40-degree angle with 

respect to the torso. Position the HybridII ATD hands on top of its upper legs. 

(E) Position the feet such that the 

centerlines of the lower legs are 

approximately parallel to a lateral 

vertical plane (in the airplane 

coordinate system). 

(2) ATD clothing: Clothe each ATD in 

form-fitting, mid-calf-length (minimum) 

pants and shoes (size 11E) weighing 

about 2.5 lb (1.1 kg) total. The color of 

the clothing should be in contrast to the 

color of the restraint system. The ES–2re 

jacket is sufficient for torso clothing, 

although a form-fitting shirt may be 

used in addition if desired. 

(3) ES–2re ATD lateral 

instrumentation: The rib-module linear 

slides are directional, i.e., deflection 

occurs in either a positive or negative 

ATD y-axis direction. The modules must 

be installed such that the moving end of 

the rib module is toward the front of the 

airplane. The three abdominal-force 

sensors must be installed such that they 


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are on the side of the ATD toward the 

front of the airplane. 

(f) The combined horizontal/vertical 

test, required by § 25.562(b)(1) and these 

special conditions, must be conducted 

with a Hybrid II ATD (49 CFR part 572, 

subpart B, as specified in § 25.562), or 

equivalent, occupying each seat 

position. 

(g) Restraint systems: 

(1) If inflatable restraint systems are 

used, they must be active during all 

dynamic tests conducted to show 

compliance with § 25.562. 

(2) The design and installation of seatbelt buckles must prevent unbuckling 

due to applied inertial forces or impact 

of the hands/arms of the occupant 

during an emergency landing. 

2. Additional performance measures 

applicable to tests and rational analysis 

conducted to show compliance with 

§§ 25.562 and 25.785 for side-facing 

seats: 

(a) Body-to-body contact: Contact 

between the head, pelvis, torso, or 

shoulder area of one ATD with the 

adjacent-seated ATD’s head, pelvis, 

torso, or shoulder area is not allowed. 

Contact during rebound is allowed. 

(b) Thoracic: The deflection of any of 

the ES–2re ATD upper, middle, and 

lower ribs must not exceed 1.73 inches 

(44 mm). Data must be processed as 

defined in Federal Motor Vehicle Safety 

Standards (FMVSS) 571.214. 

(c) Abdominal: The sum of the 

measured ES–2re ATD front, middle, 

and rear abdominal forces must not 

exceed 562 lb (2,500 N). Data must be 

processed as defined in FMVSS 

571.214. 

(d) Pelvic: The pubic symphysis force 

measured by the ES–2re ATD must not 

exceed 1,350 lb (6,000 N). Data must be 

processed as defined in FMVSS 

571.214. 

(e) Leg: Axial rotation of the upper-leg 

(femur) must be limited to 35 degrees in 

either direction from the nominal seated 

position. 

(f) Neck: As measured by the ES–2re 

ATD and filtered at channel frequency 

class (CFC) 600 as defined in SAE J211: 

(1) The upper-neck tension force at 

the occipital condyle location must be 

less than 405 lb (1,800 N). 

(2) The upper-neck compression force 

at the occipital condyle location must be 

less than 405 lb (1,800 N). 

(3) The upper-neck bending torque 

about the ATD x-axis at the occipital 

condyle location must be less than 1,018 

in-lb (115 Nm). 

(4) The upper-neck resultant shear 

force at the occipital condyle location 

must be less than 186 lb (825 N). 

(g) Occupant (ES–2re ATD) retention: 

The pelvic restraint must remain on the 

ES–2re ATD’s pelvis during the impact 

and rebound phases of the test. The 

upper-torso restraint straps (if present) 

must remain on the ATD’s shoulder 

during the impact. 

(h) Occupant (ES–2re ATD) support: 

(1) Pelvis excursion: The load-bearing 

portion of the bottom of the ATD pelvis 

must not translate beyond the edges of 

its seat’s bottom seat-cushion 

supporting structure. 

(2) Upper-torso support: The lateral 

flexion of the ATD torso must not 

exceed 40 degrees from the normal 

upright position during the impact. 

3. For seats with airbag systems in the 

shoulder belts, show that the airbag 

systems in the shoulder belts will 

deploy and provide protection under 

crash conditions where it is necessary to 

prevent serious injury. The means of 

protection must take into consideration 

a range of stature from a 2-year-old child 

to a 95th percentile male. The airbag 

systems in the shoulder belts must 

provide a consistent approach to energy 

absorption throughout that range of 

occupants. When the seat systems 

include airbag systems, the systems 

must be included in each of the 

certification tests as they would be 

installed in the airplane. In addition, the 

following situations must be considered: 

(a) The seat occupant is holding an 

infant. 

(b) The seat occupant is pregnant. 

4. The airbag systems in the shoulder 

belts must provide adequate protection 

for each occupant regardless of the 

number of occupants of the seat 

assembly, considering that unoccupied 

seats may have active airbag systems in 

the shoulder belts. 

5. The design must prevent the airbag 

systems in the shoulder belts from being 

either incorrectly buckled or incorrectly 

installed, such that the airbag systems in 

the shoulder belts would not properly 

deploy. Alternatively, it must be shown 

that such deployment is not hazardous 

to the occupant and will provide the 

required injury protection. 

6. It must be shown that the airbag 

systems in the shoulder belts are not 

susceptible to inadvertent deployment 

as a result of wear and tear, inertial 

loads resulting from in-flight or ground 

maneuvers (e.g., including gusts and 

hard landings), and other operating and 

environmental conditions (e.g., 

vibrations and moisture) likely to occur 

in service. 

7. Deployment of the airbag systems 

in the shoulder belts must not introduce 

injury mechanisms to the seated 

occupants or result in injuries that 

could impede rapid egress. This 

assessment should include an occupant 

whose shoulder belt is loosely fastened. 

8. It must be shown that inadvertent 

deployment of the airbag systems in the 

shoulder belts, during the most critical 

part of the flight, will either meet the 

requirement of § 25.1309(b) or not cause 

a hazard to the airplane or its occupants. 

9. It must be shown that the airbag 

systems in the shoulder belts will not 

impede rapid egress of occupants 10 

seconds after airbag deployment. 

10. The airbag systems must be 

protected from lightning and highintensity radiated fields (HIRF). The 

threats to the airplane specified in 

existing regulations regarding lighting, 

§ 25.1316, and HIRF, § 25.1317, are 

incorporated by reference for the 

purpose of measuring lightning and 

HIRF protection. 

11. The airbag systems in the shoulder 

belts 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 airbag 

systems in the shoulder belts does not 

have to be considered. 

12. It must be shown that the airbag 

systems in the shoulder belts will not 

release hazardous quantities of gas or 

particulate matter into the cabin. 

13. The airbag systems in the 

shoulder-belt installations must be 

protected from the effects of fire such 

that no hazard to occupants will result. 

14. A means must be available for a 

crew member to verify the integrity of 

the airbag systems in the shoulder-belt 

activation system prior to each flight, or 

it must be demonstrated to reliably 

operate between inspection intervals. 

The FAA considers that the loss of the 

airbag-system deployment function 

alone (i.e., independent of the 

conditional event that requires the 

airbag-system deployment) is a majorfailure condition. 

15. 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 defined 

in part 25, appendix F, part I, paragraph 

(b)(5). 

16. Once deployed, the airbag systems 

in the shoulder belts must not adversely 

affect the emergency-lighting system 

(e.g., block floor proximity lights to the 

extent that the lights no longer meet 

their intended function). 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on 

November 12, 2015. 

Michael Kaszycki, 

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2015–29625 Filed 11–19–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 


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