Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 221 / Friday, November 15, 2013 / Proposed Rules 68775 

September 20, 2011), submitted by the 

Natural Resources Defense Council 

(NRDC). The NRDC requested that the 

NRC conduct a rulemaking to address 

training and exercise requirements for 

severe accident mitigation guidelines 

and extensive damage mitigation 

guidelines. The NRC determined that 

the issues raised in PRM–50–102 are 

appropriate for consideration and will 

be considered in this Onsite Emergency 

Response Capabilities rulemaking. 

IV. Publicly Available Documents 

By making documents publicly 

available, the NRC seeks to inform 

stakeholders of the current status of the 

NRC’s rulemaking development 

activities and to provide preparatory 

material for future public meetings. The 

NRC is not instituting a public comment 

period on these materials, but the public 

is encouraged to participate in related 

public meetings. In addition, the public 

will be given opportunity to provide 

comments on the proposed rule upon its 

publication in the Federal Register. The 

NRC may post additional materials, 

including other preliminary rule 

language, to the Federal rulemaking 

Web site at http://www.regulations.gov, 

under Docket ID NRC–2012–0031. The 

Federal rulemaking Web site allows you 

to receive alerts when changes or 

additions occur in a docket folder. To 

subscribe: (1) Navigate to the docket 

folder (NRC–2012–0031); (2) click the 

‘‘Email Alert’’ link; and (3) enter your 

email address and select how frequently 

you would like to receive emails (daily, 

weekly, or monthly). 

V. Plain Writing 

The Plain Writing Act of 2010 (Pub. 

L. 111–274) requires Federal agencies to 

write documents in a clear, concise, 

well-organized manner that also follows 

other best practices appropriate to the 

subject or field and the intended 

audience. Although regulations are 

exempt under the Act, the NRC is 

applying the same principles to its 

rulemaking documents. Therefore, the 

NRC has written this document, 

including the preliminary proposed rule 

language, to be consistent with the Plain 

Writing Act. There will be an 

opportunity for public comment on the 

use of plain language when the 

proposed rule is published in the 

Federal Register. 

Dated at Rockville, Maryland, this 7th day 

of November, 2013. 

For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. 

Shana Helton, 

Acting Deputy Director, Division of Policy 

and Rulemaking, Office of Nuclear Reactor 

Regulation . 

[FR Doc. 2013–27449 Filed 11–14–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 7590–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 25 

[Docket No. FAA–2013–0898; Notice No. 25– 

13–33–SC] 

Special Conditions: Airbus, Model 

A350–900 Series Airplane; Composite 

Fuselage In-Flight Fire/Flammability 

Resistance 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed special 

conditions. 

SUMMARY: This action proposes special 

conditions for the Airbus Model A350– 

900 series airplanes. This airplane will 

have a novel or unusual design features 

associated with the in-flight fire and 

flammability resistance of the composite 

fuselage. Experience has shown that 

eliminating fire propagation on the 

surface of interior and insulating 

materials enhances survivability since 

the threats from an in-flight fire (e.g., 

toxic gas emission and smoke 

obscuration) are typically by-products of 

a propagating fire. The Airbus Model 

A350–900 series airplanes must provide 

protection against an in-flight fire 

propagating along the surface of the 

fuselage. Special conditions are needed 

to address this design feature. The 

applicable airworthiness regulations do 

not contain adequate or appropriate 

safety standards for this design feature. 

These proposed 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: Send your comments on or 

before December 30, 2013. 

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified 

by docket number FAA–2013–0898 

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 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: Jeff 

Gardlin, FAA, Airframe/Cabin Safety, 

ANM–115, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification 

Service, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., 

Renton, Washington, 98057–3356; 

telephone (425) 227–2136; facsimile 

(425) 227–1320. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

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 proposed special 

conditions, explain the reason for any 

recommended change, and include 

supporting data. 

We will consider all comments we 

receive on or before the closing date for 

comments. We may change these special 

conditions based on the comments we 

receive. 

Background 

On August 25, 2008, Airbus applied 

for a type certificate for their new Model 

A350–900 series airplane. Later, Airbus 

requested and the FAA approved an 


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68776 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 221 / Friday, November 15, 2013 / Proposed Rules 

extension to the application for FAA 

type certification to June 28, 2009, The 

Model A350–900 series has a 

conventional layout with twin wingmounted Rolls Royce Trent engines. It 

features a twin aisle 9-abreast economy 

class layout, and accommodates side-byside placement of LD–3 containers in 

the cargo compartment. The basic 

Model A350–900 series configuration 

will accommodate 315 passengers in a 

standard two-class arrangement. The 

design cruise speed is Mach 0.85 with 

a Maximum Take-Off Weight of 602,000 

lbs. Airbus proposes the Model A350– 

900 series to be certified for extended 

operations (ETOPS) beyond 180 minutes 

at entry into service for up to a 420- 

minute maximum diversion time. 

Experience has shown that 

eliminating fire propagation on the 

surface of interior and insulating 

materials enhances survivability since 

the threats from an in-flight fire (e.g., 

toxic gas emission and smoke 

obscuration) are typically by-products of 

a propagating fire. The Airbus Model 

A350–900 series airplane must provide 

protection against an in-flight fire 

propagating along the surface of the 

fuselage. 

In the past, fatal in-flight fires have 

originated in inaccessible areas of the 

aircraft where the thermal/acoustic 

insulation located adjacent to the 

aluminium aircraft skin has been the 

path for flame propagation and fire 

growth. Concern over the fire 

performance of thermal/acoustic 

insulation was initially raised by five 

incidents in the 1990’s which revealed 

unexpected flame spread along the 

insulation film covering material. In all 

cases, the ignition source was relatively 

modest and, in most cases, was 

electrical in origin (e.g., electrical short 

circuit, arcing caused by chafed wiring, 

ruptured ballast case). From 1972 until 

2003 these materials were required to 

comply with a basic ‘‘Bunsen burner’’ 

requirement per Title 14 Code of 

Federal Regulations (14 CFR) 25.853(a), 

25.855(d), and part 25, Appendix F, part 

I, paragraph (a)(1)(ii). These 

requirements prescribed that insulation 

materials must be self-extinguishing 

after having been subjected to the flame 

of a Bunsen burner for 12 seconds, in 

accordance with the procedures defined 

in part 25, Appendix F, part I, paragraph 

(b)(4). The average burn was not to 

exceed eight inches and the average 

flame time after removal of the flame 

source was not to exceed 15 seconds. 

Drippings from the test specimen were 

not to continue to flame for more than 

an average of five seconds after falling. 

Further concern with the flammability 

of thermal/acoustic insulation was 

raised by the Transportation Safety 

Board (TSB) of Canada during their 

investigation of the fatal Swiss Air MD– 

11 in-flight fire accident that occurred 

in September 1998 and involved 229 

fatalities. TSB investigators reported 

that the fatal fire appeared to have been 

confined to the area above the cockpit 

and forward cabin ceiling and involved 

the insulation blankets. On August 21, 

2001, the TSB recommended that 

flammability standards for interior 

materials should be based on realistic 

ignition scenarios and prevent the use of 

materials that sustain or propagate a 

fire. 

In 1996, the FAA Technical Center 

began a program to develop new fire test 

criteria for insulation films directly 

relating to the resistance of in-flight fire 

propagation. The current test standard 

was evaluated as well as another smallscale test method that has been used by 

airplane manufacturers to evaluate 

flame propagation on thermal/acoustic 

insulation materials. An inter-laboratory 

comparison of these methods revealed a 

number of deficiencies. Other smallscale tests developed by the FAA 

Technical Center did demonstrate that 

some insulation films would ignite and 

propagate flame in a confined space. As 

a result, a series of large-scale fire tests 

were conducted in a mock-up of the 

attic area above the passenger cabin 

ceiling. In a confined space, ignition 

and flame propagation may occur 

because of more extensive radiating heat 

and the trapping of melted film/scrim. 

Temperature (heat release) data was 

recorded and the degree of flame 

propagation was observed from the 

large-scale tests. A radiant panel test 

standard for flooring materials was a test 

method that provided good correlation 

to the large-scale model. The test 

method involved subjecting a material 

to a pilot flame while the material is 

heated by a radiant panel. 

The previously described 

development program resulted in a new 

test method (radiant panel test) and test 

criteria specifically established for 

improving the in-flight fire ignition/ 

flame propagation of thermal/acoustic 

insulation materials. A new part 25 

airworthiness standard, § 25.856, 

became effective in September 2003, 

Amendment 25–111, requiring that all 

thermal/acoustic insulation materials 

installed in the fuselage must comply to 

this flammability and flame propagation 

requirement. The proposed standards 

are intended to ‘‘reduce the incidence 

and severity of cabin fires, particularly 

those ignited in inaccessible areas 

where thermal acoustic insulation 

materials are typically installed.’’ 

Type Certification Basis 

Under Title 14, Code of Federal 

Regulations (14 CFR) 21.17, Airbus must 

show that the Model A350–900 series 

airplane meets the applicable provisions 

of 14 CFR part 25, as amended by 

Amendments 25–1 through 25–128. 

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 Model A350–900 series 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 or similar novel 

or unusual design feature, the proposed 

special conditions would also apply to 

the other model under § 21.101. 

In addition to the applicable 

airworthiness regulations and proposed 

special conditions, the Model A350–900 

series 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 and the FAA must issue a 

finding of regulatory adequacy under 

section 611 of Public Law 92–574, the 

‘‘Noise Control Act of 1972.’’ 

The FAA issues special conditions, as 

defined in 14 CFR 11.19, under § 11.38, 

and they become part of the typecertification basis under § 21.17(a)(2). 

Novel or Unusual Design Features 

The Airbus Model A350–900 series 

airplane will incorporate the following 

novel or unusual design features: 

fuselage fabricated with composite 

materials. 

Discussion 

The Airbus Model A350–900 series 

airplane will make extensive use of 

composite materials in the fabrication of 

the majority of the wing, fuselage skin, 

stringers, spars, and most other 

structural elements of all major subassemblies of the airplane. Despite the 

major change from aluminum to 

composite material for the fuselage, the 

Model A350–900 series must have inflight survivability such that the 

composite fuselage does not propagate a 

fire. A methodology for assessing the inflight fire survivability of an allcomposite fuselage is therefore needed. 

The FAA believes that one way to 

assess the survivability within the cabin 

of the Model A350–900 series airplane 

is to conduct large-scale tests. This 

large-scale test would utilize a mock-up 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 221 / Friday, November 15, 2013 / Proposed Rules 68777 

of an Airbus Model A350–900 series 

airplane fuselage skin/structure section 

of sufficient size to assess any tendency 

for fire propagation. The fire threat used 

to represent the realistic ignition source 

in the airplane would consist of a 4′′ x 

4′′ x 9′′ polyurethane foam block and 10 

ml of Heptane. This ignition source 

provides approximately three minutes 

of flame time and would be positioned 

at various points and orientations 

within the mocked up installation to 

impinge on those areas of the fuselage 

considered to be most crucial. 

This fire threat was established based 

on an assessment of a range of potential 

ignition sources, coupled with possible 

contamination of materials. The FAA 

considers this a severe fire threat, 

encompassing a variety of scenarios. 

However, should ignition or fire sources 

of a greater severity be identified, the 

special condition or its method of 

compliance would need to be modified 

in order to take the more severe threat 

into account. 

Applicability 

As discussed above, these proposed 

special conditions apply to Airbus 

Model A350–900 series airplanes. 

Should Airbus apply later for a change 

to the type certificate to include another 

model incorporating the same novel or 

unusual design feature, the proposed 

special conditions would apply to that 

model as well. 

Conclusion 

This action affects only certain novel 

or unusual design features on the Airbus 

Model A350–900 series airplanes. It is 

not a rule of general applicability. 

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 Proposed Special Condition 

Accordingly, the Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA) proposes the 

following special condition as part of 

the type certification basis for Airbus 

Model A350–900 series airplanes. 

Composite Fuselage In-Flight Fire/ 

Flammability Resistance 

In addition to the requirements of 

§ 25.853(a) governing material 

flammability, the following special 

condition applies: 

The Airbus Model A350 composite 

fuselage structure must be shown to be 

resistant to flame propagation under the 

fire threat used to develop § 25.856(a). If 

products of combustion are observed 

beyond the test heat source, they must 

be evaluated and found acceptable. 

Issued in Renton, Washington, on 

November 12, 2013. 

Jeffrey E. Duven, 

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane 

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service. 

[FR Doc. 2013–27413 Filed 11–14–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 71 

[Docket No. FAA–2013–0891; Airspace 

Docket No. 12–ASO–37] 

RIN 2120–AA66 

Proposed Establishment of Area 

Navigation (RNAV) Routes; Atlanta, GA 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking 

(NPRM). 

SUMMARY: This action proposes to 

establish nine low-altitude RNAV routes 

(T-routes) in the Atlanta, GA area. The 

new routes would support the Atlanta 

Optimization of Airspace and 

Procedures in a Metroplex (OAPM) 

project. The proposed routes would 

have connectivity to the current airway 

structure and would provide routing 

through, around and over the busy 

Atlanta Metroplex airspace. 

DATES: Comments must be received on 

or before December 30, 2013. 

ADDRESSES: Send comments on this 

proposal to the U.S. Department of 

Transportation, Docket Operations, M– 

30, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West 

Building Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 

Washington, DC 20590–0001; telephone: 

(202) 366–9826. You must identify FAA 

Docket No. FAA–2013–0891 and 

Airspace Docket No. 12–ASO–37 at the 

beginning of your comments. You may 

also submit comments through the 

Internet at http://www.regulations 

.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul 

Gallant, Airspace Policy and ATC 

Procedures Group, Office of Airspace 

Services, Federal Aviation 

Administration, 800 Independence 

Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20591; 

telephone: (202) 267–8783. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited 

Interested parties are invited to 

participate in this proposed rulemaking 

by submitting such written data, views, 

or arguments as they may desire. 

Comments that provide the factual basis 

supporting the views and suggestions 

presented are particularly helpful in 

developing reasoned regulatory 

decisions on the proposal. Comments 

are specifically invited on the overall 

regulatory, aeronautical, economic, 

environmental, and energy-related 

aspects of the proposal. 

Communications should identify both 

docket numbers (FAA Docket No. FAA– 

2013–0891 and Airspace Docket No. 12– 

ASO–37) and be submitted in triplicate 

to the Docket Management Facility (see 

ADDRESSES section for address and 

phone number). You may also submit 

comments through the Internet at http:// 

www.regulations.gov. 

Commenters wishing the FAA to 

acknowledge receipt of their comments 

on this action must submit with those 

comments a self-addressed, stamped 

postcard on which the following 

statement is made: ‘‘Comments to FAA 

Docket No. FAA–2013–0891 and 

Airspace Docket No. 12–ASO–37.’’ The 

postcard will be date/time stamped and 

returned to the commenter. 

All communications received on or 

before the specified closing date for 

comments will be considered before 

taking action on the proposed rule. The 

proposal contained in this action may 

be changed in light of comments 

received. All comments submitted will 

be available for examination in the 

public docket both before and after the 

closing date for comments. A report 

summarizing each substantive public 

contact with FAA personnel concerned 

with this rulemaking will be filed in the 

docket. 

Availability of NPRMs 

An electronic copy of this document 

may be downloaded through the 

Internet at http://www.regulations.gov. 

You may review the public docket 

containing the proposal, any comments 

received and any final disposition in 

person in the Dockets Office (see 

ADDRESSES section for address and 

phone number) between 9:00 a.m. and 

5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

except Federal holidays. An informal 

docket may also be examined during 

normal business hours at the office of 

the Eastern Service Center, Federal 

Aviation Administration, Room 210, 

1701 Columbia Ave., College Park, GA 

30337. 

Persons interested in being placed on 

a mailing list for future NPRM’s should 

contact the FAA’s Office of Rulemaking, 

(202) 267–9677, for a copy of Advisory 

Circular No. 11–2A, Notice of Proposed 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS