Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 23 / Wednesday, February 5, 2025 / Rules and Regulations 9003 

official document of the Department of 

Energy. This administrative process in 

no way alters the legal effect of this 

document upon publication in the 

Federal Register. 

Signed in Washington, DC, on January 31, 

2025. 

Treena V. Garrett, 

Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. 

Department of Energy. 

[FR Doc. 2025–02237 Filed 2–4–25; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

14 CFR Part 25 

[Docket No. FAA–2024–2570; Special 

Conditions No. 25–875–SC] 

Special Conditions: Airbus Model 

A321neo ACF and A321neo XLR Series 

Airplanes; Dynamic Test Requirements 

for Single Occupant Oblique Seats at 

an Installation Angle of 49 Degrees 

With Airbags and 3-Point Restraint or 

Pretensioner Restraint Systems 

AGENCY: Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA), DOT. 

ACTION: Final special conditions. 

SUMMARY: These special conditions are 

issued for the Airbus Model A321neo 

ACF and A321neo XLR airplanes. These 

airplanes will have a novel or unusual 

design feature when compared to the 

state of technology envisioned in the 

airworthiness standards for transport 

category airplanes. This design feature 

is a single-occupant oblique seat with an 

airbag and 3-point or pretensioner 

restraint system positioned at a 49- 

degree angle from the cabin centerline. 

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: Effective February 5, 2025. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Shannon Lennon, Cabin Safety Section, 

AIR–624, Technical Policy Branch, 

Policy and Standards Division, Aircraft 

Certification Service, Federal Aviation 

Administration, 2200 South 216th 

Street, Des Moines, WA 98198; 

telephone (206) 231–3209; email 

Shannon.Lennon@faa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

On April 6, 2022, Airbus SAS applied 

for an amendment to Type Certificate 

(TC) No. A28NM for the installation of 

a single-occupant oblique seat with an 

airbag and 3-point or pretensioner 

restraint system, positioned at a 49- 

degree angle from the cabin centerline 

in new Airbus Model A321neo ACF and 

A321neo XLR airplanes. Airbus Model 

A321neo ACF and A321neo XLR 

airplanes, which are derivatives of the 

Model A321 currently approved under 

TC No. A28NM, are twin-engine, 

transport category airplanes with a 

maximum passenger capacity of 244. 

The maximum takeoff weight of the 

Airbus Model A321neo ACF is 

approximately 213,848 pounds, while 

the Airbus Model A321neo XLR has a 

maximum takeoff weight of 

approximately 222,667 pounds. 

Type Certification Basis 

Under the provisions of 14 CFR 

21.101, Airbus SAS must show that the 

Model A321neo ACF and A321neo XLR 

airplanes, as changed, continue to meet 

the applicable provisions of the 

regulations listed in TC No. A28NM or 

the applicable regulations in effect on 

the date of application for the change, 

except for earlier amendments as agreed 

upon by the FAA. 

If the Administrator finds that the 

applicable airworthiness regulations 

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

adequate or appropriate safety standards 

for Airbus Model A321neo ACF and 

A321neo XLR airplanes 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 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, Airbus Model A321neo ACF 

and A321neo XLR airplanes must 

comply with the exhaust-emission 

requirements of 14 CFR part 34 and the 

noise-certification 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 

Airbus Model A321neo ACF and 

A321neo XLR airplanes will incorporate 

the following novel or unusual design 

feature: single-occupant oblique seats 

with airbag devices and 3-point 

restraints or a pretensioner restraint 

system installed at 49 degrees relative to 

the aircraft cabin centerline. 

Discussion 

Title 14 of the CFR, § 25.785(d), 

requires that each occupant of a seat 

installed at an angle of more than 18 

degrees relative to airplane cabin 

centerline, must be protected from head 

injury using a seatbelt and an energyabsorbing rest that supports the arms, 

shoulders, head, and spine, or using a 

seatbelt and shoulder harness designed 

to prevent the head from contacting any 

injurious object. 

The Airbus Model A321neo ACF and 

A321neo XLR airplane’s single occupant 

oblique seat installation with airbag 

devices and 3-point restraint or 

pretensioner restraint system is novel 

such that the current requirements do 

not adequately address airbag or 

pretensioner devices and protection of 

the occupant’s neck, spine, torso, and 

legs for seating configurations that are 

positioned at an angle of 49 degrees 

from the airplane centerline. The seating 

configuration installation angle is 

beyond the installation-design limits of 

current special conditions issued for 

seat positions at angles between 18 

degrees and 45 degrees. At angles 

greater than 45 degrees, lateral neck 

bending and other injury mechanisms 

prevalent from a fully side-facing 

installation become a concern, given the 

addition of oblique seat properties. To 

address these potential injury 

mechanisms, these special conditions 

are based on FAA Policy Statement PS– 

AIR–25–27, ‘‘Technical Criteria for 

Approving Obliques Seats’’ as well as 

Policy Statement PS–ANM–25–03–R1, 

‘‘Technical Criteria for Approving SideFacing Seats.’’ 

To provide a level of safety equivalent 

to that afforded to the occupants of 

forward and aft-facing seats, new special 

conditions containing additional 

airworthiness standards for dynamic 

testing requirements, including both the 

injury criteria limits from the obliqueseat policy and the fully side-facing seat 

policy, are necessary. 

FAA-sponsored research found that 

an un-restrained flailing of the upper 

torso, even when the pelvis and torso 

are nearly aligned, can produce serious 

spinal and torso injuries. At lower 

impact severities, even with significant 

misalignment between the torso and 


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pelvis, these injuries did not occur. 

Tests with an FAA H–III 

anthropomorphic test device (ATD) 

have identified a level of lumbar spinal 

tension corresponding to the no-injury 

impact severity. The FAA has 

implemented this spinal tension limit in 

special conditions for oblique seats. The 

spine tension limit selected by the FAA 

is conservative with respect to other 

aviation injury criteria since it 

corresponds to a no-injury loading 

condition. 

Other restraint systems, in lieu of 

single lap belt restrain systems, have 

been used to comply with the occupant 

injury criteria of § 25.562(c)(5). For 

instance, shoulder harnesses have been 

widely used on flight-attendant seats, 

flight-deck seats, in business jets, and in 

general-aviation airplanes to reduce 

occupant head injury in the event of an 

emergency landing. Special conditions, 

pertinent regulations, and published 

guidance exist that relate to other 

restraint systems. However, the use of 

pretensioners in the restraint system on 

transport category airplane seats to 

comply with the occupant injury criteria 

of § 25.562(c)(5) is a novel design. 

Pretensioner technology involves a 

step-change in loading experienced by 

the occupant for impacts below and 

above that at which the device deploys, 

because activation of the shoulder 

harness, at the point at which the 

pretensioner engages, interrupts uppertorso excursion. Such an excursion 

could result in the head-injury criteria 

(HIC) being higher at an intermediate 

impact condition than that resulting 

from the maximum impact condition 

corresponding to the test conditions 

specified in § 25.562. See condition 

(a)(3) in these special conditions. 

The ideal triangular maximumseverity pulse is defined in Advisory 

Circular (AC) 25.562–1B, ‘‘Dynamic 

Evaluation of Seat Restraint Systems 

and Occupant Protection on Transport 

Airplanes.’’ For the evaluation and 

testing of less-severe pulses for purposes 

of assessing the effectiveness of the 

pretensioner setting, a similar triangular 

pulse should be used with acceleration, 

rise time, and velocity change scaled 

accordingly. The magnitude of the 

required pulse should not deviate below 

the ideal pulse by more than 0.5g until 

1.33 t1 is reached, where t1 represents 

the time interval between 0 and t1 on 

the referenced pulse shape, as shown in 

AC 25.562–1B. This is an acceptable 

method of compliance with the test 

requirements of the special conditions. 

Additionally, the pretensioner might 

not provide protection, after actuation, 

during secondary impacts. Therefore, 

the case where a small impact is 

followed by a large impact should be 

addressed. If the minimum deceleration 

severity at which the pretensioner is set 

to deploy is unnecessarily low, the 

protection offered by the pretensioner 

may be lost by the time a second, larger 

impact occurs. 

Conditions (a) through (g) address 

occupant protection in consideration of 

the oblique-facing seats. Condition (h) 

addresses airbag systems. Conditions 

(i)(1) through (i)(3) ensure that the 

pretensioner system activates when 

intended and protects a range of 

occupants under various accident 

conditions. Conditions (i)(4) through (9) 

address the maintenance and reliability 

of the pretensioner system, including 

any outside influences on the 

mechanism, to ensure it functions as 

intended. Condition (j) addresses 

general instructions that supplement 

these special conditions when tests are 

required to assist with test set-ups and 

appropriate ATD selection. 

The 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. 

Discussion of Comments 

The FAA issued Notice of Proposed 

Special Conditions No. 25–24–05–SC 

for the Airbus Model A321neo ACF and 

A321neo XLR airplanes, which was 

published in the Federal Register on 

December 23, 2024 (89 FR 104455). 

The FAA received responses from two 

commenters: Airbus Commercial 

Aircraft (Airbus) and The Boeing 

Company (Boeing). 

Airbus, the applicant, requested that 

the FAA update paragraph (j)(1) of this 

special condition to include crossreferences to the conditions in 

paragraphs (c)(5), (d)(3), and (e)(3). 

These conditions may necessitate 

additional tests using the ES–2re ATD. 

The FAA concurs with the comment 

and added the cross-references to 

paragraph (j)(1). 

Boeing requested that the FAA add a 

new condition to paragraph (i) of this 

special condition to ensure pretensioner 

exhaust is not hazardous to passengers, 

similar to the corresponding condition 

required for airbag systems. 

The FAA concurs with the comment. 

Certain pretensioner restraint systems, 

like airbag systems, incorporate firing 

mechanisms that may exhaust small 

amounts of gas and particulate when 

activated. The FAA has previously 

published special conditions (see 

Special Condition No. 25–375–SC) to 

address this concern for airbags and has 

added a condition to paragraph (i)(8)(ii) 

to address the need to similarly ensure 

that pretensioner activation exhaust and 

particulate are not hazardous to 

passengers. 

Except as discussed above, the special 

conditions are adopted as proposed. 

Applicability 

As discussed above, these special 

conditions are applicable to the Airbus 

Model A321neo ACF and A321neo XLR 

airplanes. Should Airbus apply at a later 

date for a change to the type certificate 

to include another model incorporating 

the same novel or unusual design 

feature, these special conditions would 

apply to that model as well. 

Under standard practice, the effective 

date of final special conditions would 

be 30 days after the date of publication 

in the Federal Register. However, as the 

certification date for the Airbus Model 

A321neo ACF and A321neo XLR 

airplanes is imminent, the FAA finds 

that good cause exists to make these 

special conditions effective upon 

publication. 

Conclusion 

This action affects only a certain 

novel or unusual design feature on one 

model series of airplane. It is not a rule 

of general applicability. 

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 25 

Aircraft, Aviation safety, Reporting 

and recordkeeping requirements. 

Authority Citation 

The authority citation for these 

special conditions is as follows: 

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 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 the Airbus Model 

A321neo ACF and A321neo XLR 

airplanes. 

In addition to the requirements of 

§§ 25.562 and 25.785, passenger seats 

with airbag devices and 3-point 

restraints or pretensioner restraints 

installed at an angle 49 degrees from the 

aircraft centerline must meet the 

following conditions: 

(a) Head Injury Criteria (HIC) 

HIC assessments are required only for 

head contact with the seat and other 

structures. 

(1) Compliance with § 25.562(c)(5) is 

required, except when an airbag device 

is present in addition to the 3-point 

restraint system and the 

anthropomorphic test dummy (ATD) 


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has no apparent contact with the seat 

and other structure but has contact with 

the airbag. An HIC score in excess of 

1,000 is acceptable, provided the HIC15 

score (calculated in accordance with 49 

CFR 571.208) for that contact is less 

than 700. 

(2) ATD head contact with the seat or 

other structure, through the airbag (if 

installed), or contact subsequent to 

contact with the airbag requires an HIC 

value not exceeding 1,000. 

(3) The HIC value must not exceed 

1,000 in any condition in which the 

airbag or pretensioner (if installed) does 

or does not deploy up to the maximum 

severity pulse specified by the existing 

requirements. 

(4) To accommodate a range of 

occupant heights (5th percentile female 

to 95th percentile male), any surface, 

airbag or otherwise, that provides 

support for the occupant’s head must 

provide that support in a consistent 

manner regardless of occupant stature. 

Otherwise, additional HIC assessment 

tests may be needed. 

(b) Body-to-Wall/Furnishing Contact 

If a seat is installed aft of a structure, 

such as an interior wall or furnishing 

that does not provide a homogenous 

contact surface for the expected range of 

occupants and yaw angles, then 

additional analysis and tests may be 

required to demonstrate that the injury 

criteria are met for the area an occupant 

could contact. For example, different 

yaw angles could result in different 

injury considerations and airbag 

performance, and additional analysis or 

separate tests may be necessary to 

evaluate performance. 

(c) Neck Injury Criteria 

(1) The seating system must protect 

the occupant from experiencing serious 

neck injury. The assessment of neck 

injury must be conducted with the 

airbag device activated unless there is 

also reason to consider that the neck 

injury potential would be higher for 

impacts below the airbag device 

deployment threshold. 

(2) Rotation of the head about its 

vertical axis, relative to the torso, is 

limited to 105 degrees in either 

direction from forward-facing. 

(3) The neck must not impact any 

surface that would produce 

concentrated loading on the neck. 

(4) Assess neck injury for fore and aft 

neck bending using an FAA Hybrid III 

ATD, as described in SAE International 

(SAE) Technical Paper 1999–01–1609, 

‘‘A Lumbar Spine Modification to the 

Hybrid III ATD for Aircraft Seat Tests,’’ 

applying the following criteria: 

(i) The Nij, calculated in accordance 

with 49 CFR 571.208, must be below 

1.0, where Nij = Fz/Fzc + My/Myc, and 

Nij critical values are: 

Fzc = 1,530 lbs (6805 N) for tension 

Fzc = 1,385 lbs (6160 N) for compression 

Myc = 229 lb-ft (301 Nm) in flexion 

Myc = 100 lb-ft (136 Nm) in extension 

(ii) In addition, peak upper-neck Fz 

must be below 937 lbs (4168 N) in 

tension and 899 lbs (3999 N) in 

compression. 

(5) When lateral neck bending is 

present, assess it using an ES–2re ATD 

as defined by 49 CFR part 572, subpart 

U. The data must be filtered at channel 

frequency class 600 as defined in SAE 

Recommended Practice J211/11, 

‘‘Instrumentation for Impact Test Part 1- 

Electronic Instrumentation.’’ 

(i) The upper-neck tension force at the 

occipital condyle (O.C.) location must 

be less than 405 lbs (1,800 N). 

(ii) The upper-neck compression force 

at the O.C. location must be less than 

405 lbs (1,800 N). 

(iii) The upper-neck bending torque 

about the ATD x-axis at the O.C. 

location must be less than 1,018 in-lbs 

(115 Nm). 

(iv) The upper-neck resultant shear 

force at the O.C. location must be less 

than 186 lbs (825 N). 

(d) Spine and Torso Injury Criteria 

(1) The seating system must protect 

the occupant from experiencing spine 

and torso injury. The assessment of 

spine and torso injury must be 

conducted with the airbag device 

activated unless it is necessary to also 

consider that the occupant-injury 

potential would be higher for impacts 

below the airbag-device deployment 

threshold. 

(2) Assess spine and torso injury for 

oblique torso bending using an FAA 

Hybrid III ATD, applying the following 

criteria: 

(i) The lumbar spine tension (Fz) 

cannot exceed 1,200 lbs (5338 N). 

(ii) Significant concentrated loading 

on the occupant’s spine, in the area 

between the pelvis and shoulders 

during impact, including rebound, is 

not acceptable. During this type of 

contact, the interval for any rearward (X 

direction) acceleration exceeding 20g 

must be less than 3 milliseconds, as 

measured by the thoracic 

instrumentation specified in 49 CFR 

part 572, subpart E, filtered in 

accordance with SAE Recommended 

Practice J211/1. 

(3) When lateral torso bending is 

present, assess spine and torso injury 

using an ES–2re ATD, applying the 

following criteria: 

(i) Thoracic: The deflection of any of 

the ES–2re ATD upper, middle, and 

lower ribs must not exceed 1.73 inches 

(44 mm). Process the data as defined in 

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 

(FMVSS) 571.214, title 49 of the CFR. 

(ii) Abdominal: The sum of the 

measured ES–2re ATD front, middle, 

and rear abdominal forces must not 

exceed 562 lbs (2,500 N). Process the 

data as defined in FMVSS 571.214. 

(iii) Upper-torso support: The lateral 

flexion of the ATD torso must not 

exceed 40 degrees from the normal 

upright positions during impact. 

(e) Pelvic Criteria 

(1) The seating system must protect 

the occupant from experiencing pelvis 

injury. 

(2) Any part of the load-bearing 

portion of the bottom of the ATD pelvis 

must not translate beyond the edges of 

the seat-bottom seat-cushion supporting 

structure. 

(3) When pelvis contact with the 

armrest or surrounding interior 

components is present, assess it using 

an ES–2re ATD. The pubic symphysis 

force measured by the ES–2re ATD must 

not exceed 1,350 lbs (6,000 N). Process 

the data as defined in FMVSS 571.214. 

(f) Femur Criteria 

Limit axial rotations of the upper leg 

(about the z-axis of the femur, per SAE 

Recommended Practice J211/1) to 35 

degrees from the nominal seated 

position. Evaluation during rebound 

does not need to be considered. 

(g) ATD and Test Condition 

(1) Perform longitudinal tests to 

measure the injury criteria above using 

the FAA Hybrid III ATD or the ES–2re 

ATD. Conduct the tests with the 

undeformed floor, at the most critical 

yaw cases for injury, and with all lateral 

structural supports (e.g., armrests or 

walls) installed. 

(2) For longitudinal tests conducted in 

accordance with § 25.562(b)(2), show 

compliance with the seat-strength 

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

and these special conditions, to ensure 

proper loading of the seat by the 

occupant, the ATD pelvis must remain 

supported by the seat pan, and the 

restraint system must remain on the 

pelvis of the ATD until rebound begins. 

No injury criteria evaluation is 

necessary for tests conducted only to 

assess seat-strength requirements. 

(3) If a seat installation includes 

adjacent items that are within contact 

range of an occupant, assess the injury 

potential of that contact. To make this 

assessment, tests may be conducted to 

include the actual contact item, located 


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and attached in a representative fashion. 

Alternatively, the injury potential may 

be assessed through a combination of 

tests with contact items having the same 

geometry as the actual contact item but 

having stiffness characteristics that 

would create the worst case for injury, 

such as injuries due to both contact with 

the item and lack of support from the 

item. 

(4) Conduct the combined horizontal 

and vertical test, required by 

§ 25.562(b)(1) and these special 

conditions, with a Hybrid II ATD (49 

CFR part 572, subpart B, as specified in 

§ 25.562) or equivalent. 

(5) The design and installation of seat 

belt buckles must prevent unbuckling 

due to applied inertial forces or impact 

from seat occupant hands and arms 

during an emergency landing. 

(h) Inflatable Airbag-Restraint System 

Special Conditions (When Installed) 

An inflatable airbag-restraint system 

must meet the requirements of Special 

Conditions No. 25–375–SC, ‘‘Airbus 

A318, A319, A320 and A321 Series 

Airplanes Inflatable Restraints.’’ 

(i) Pretensioner System Special 

Conditions (When Installed) 

(1) Protection During Secondary 

Impacts: 

The pretensioner activation setting 

must be demonstrated to maximize the 

probability of the protection being 

available when needed, considering 

secondary impacts. 

(2) Protection of Occupants Other 

than 50th Percentile: 

Protection of occupants for a range of 

stature from a 2-year-old child to a 95th 

percentile male must be shown. For 

shoulder harnesses that include 

pretensioners, protection of occupants 

other than a 50th percentile male may 

be shown by test or analysis. In 

addition, the pretensioner must not 

introduce a hazard to passengers due to 

the following seating configurations: 

(i) The seat occupant is holding an 

infant. 

(ii) The seat occupant is a child in a 

child-restraint device. 

(iii) The seat occupant is a pregnant 

woman. 

(3) Occupants Adopting the Brace 

Position: 

Occupants in the traditional brace 

position, when the pretensioner 

activates, must not experience adverse 

effects from the pretensioner activation. 

(4) Inadvertent Pretensioner 

Actuation: 

(i) The probability of inadvertent 

pretensioner actuation must be shown 

to be extremely remote (i.e., average 

probability per flight hour of less than 

10¥7). 

(ii) The system must be shown not 

susceptible to inadvertent pretensioner 

actuation due to wear and tear or inertia 

loads resulting from in-flight or ground 

maneuvers likely to be experienced in 

service. 

(iii) The seated occupant must not be 

seriously injured due to inadvertent 

pretensioner actuation. 

(iv) Inadvertent pretensioner 

activation must not cause a hazard to 

the airplane nor cause serious injury to 

anyone positioned close to the retractor 

or belt (e.g., seated in an adjacent seat 

or standing adjacent to the seat). 

(5) Availability of the Pretensioner 

Function Before Flight: 

The design must provide means for a 

crewmember to verify the availability of 

the pretensioner function before each 

flight or the probability of failure of the 

pretensioner function must be 

demonstrated to be extremely remote 

(i.e., average probability per flight hour 

of less than 10¥7 between inspection 

intervals.) 

(6) Incorrect Seat Belt Orientation: 

The system design must ensure that 

any incorrect orientation (twisting) of 

the seat belt does not compromise the 

pretensioner protection function. 

(7) Contamination Protection: 

The pretensioner mechanisms and 

controls must be protected from external 

contamination that could occur on or 

around passenger seating. 

(8) Prevention of Hazards: 

(i) The pretensioner system must not 

induce a hazard to passengers in case of 

fire, nor create a fire hazard if activated. 

(ii) The pretensioner system must not 

release hazardous quantities of gas or 

particulate matter into the cabin. 

(9) Functionality After Loss of Power: 

The system must function properly 

after the loss of normal airplane 

electrical power and after a transverse 

separation in the fuselage at the most 

critical location. A separation at the 

location of the system does not have to 

be considered. 

(j) General Test Instructions 

(1) The appropriate ATD to assess 

occupant injury (FAA Hybrid III or ES– 

2re) will be determined based on the 

occupant kinematics at the selected test 

angle. At the +10 degree yaw angle, the 

occupant kinematics show that 

occupant injury tests using both ATDs 

may be required. See the conditions in 

(c)(5), (d)(3), and (e)(3) when 

determining the necessity for additional 

tests using an ES–2re ATD. 

(2) Conduct vertical tests with the 

Hybrid II ATD or equivalent, with 

existing pass/fail criteria. 

(3) Conduct longitudinal structural 

tests with the Hybrid II ATD or 

equivalent, deformed floor, with 10 

degrees yaw, and with all lateral 

structural supports (e.g., armrests or 

walls) required to support the occupant. 

(4) Conduct longitudinal occupant 

injury tests, as necessary, with the 

Hybrid III ATD or ES–2re ATD, or both, 

undeformed floor, yaw, and with all 

lateral structural supports (e.g., armrests 

or walls) critically represented which 

are within the contact range of the 

occupant. 

(i) Pass/fail injury assessments: 

(A) Perform HIC, fore/aft neck injury, 

spinal tension, and femur evaluations 

using an FAA Hybrid III ATD. 

(B) Perform lateral neck injury, 

thoracic, abdominal, pelvis, and femur 

evaluations using an ES–2re ATD. 

(ii) [Reserved] 

(5) For injury assessments 

accomplished by testing with the ES– 

2re ATD for the 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: 

(i) 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). Install the modules such that 

the moving end of the rib module is 

toward the front of the airplane. Install 

the three abdominal-force sensors so 

that they are on the side of the ATD and 

toward the front of the airplane. 

(ii) ATD Clothing: 

Clothe each ATD in form-fitting 

cotton stretch garments with short to 

full-length sleeves, mid-calf to fulllength pants, and size 11E (45) shoes 

weighing about 2.5 lbs (1.1 kg) and 

having a heel height of about 1.5 inches 

(3.8 cm). The color of the clothing 

should be in contrast to the color of the 

restraint system and the background. 

The color of the clothing should be 

chosen to avoid overexposing the highspeed images taken during the test. The 

ES–2re jacket is sufficient for torso 

clothing, although a form-fitting shirt 

may be used if desired. 

(iii) ATD Positioning: 

(A) Lower the ATD vertically into the 

seat while simultaneously: 

(1) 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. 

(2) Keeping the upper legs horizontal 

by supporting them just behind the 

knees. 

(3) Applying a horizontal x-axis 

direction (in the ES–2re ATD coordinate 

system) force of about 20 lbs (89 N) to 


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1 15 U.S.C. 80b. Unless otherwise noted, when we 

refer to the Advisers Act, or any section of the 

Advisers Act, we are referring to 15 U.S.C. 80b, in 

which the Advisers Act is codified, and when we 

refer to rules under the Advisers Act, or any section 

of these rules, we are referring to title 17, part 275 

of the Code of Federal Regulations [17 CFR 275], in 

which these rules are published. 

2Congress enacted Sections 404 and 406 of the 

Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer 

Protection Act of 2010 (‘‘Dodd-Frank Act’’), which 

require that private fund advisers file reports and 

specify certain types of information that should be 

subject to reporting and/or recordkeeping 

requirements. Public Law 111–203, 124 Stat. 1376 

(2010). With respect to such reports, the DoddFrank Act authorizes the SEC to require that private 

fund advisers file such information ‘‘as necessary 

and appropriate in the public interest and for the 

protection of investors, or for the assessment of 

systemic risk.’’ The result of this enactment is Form 

PF, which is a joint form between the SEC and 

CFTC only with respect to sections 1 and 2 of the 

Form. 

3 Form PF; Reporting Requirements for All Filers 

and Large Hedge Fund Advisers, Release No. IA– 

6546 (Feb. 8, 2024) [89 FR 17984 (Mar. 12, 2024)] 

(‘‘2024 Adopting Release’’). Any reference to the 

‘‘Commissions’’ or ‘‘we,’’ as it relates to the 

collection and use of Form PF data, are meant to 

refer to the agencies in their separate or collective 

capacities (as the context requires or permits), and 

such data from filings made pursuant to 17 CFR 

275.204(b)–1, by and through Private Fund 

Reporting Depository, a subsystem of the 

Investment Adviser Registration Depository, and 

reports, analysis, and memoranda produced 

pursuant thereto. 

4See 17 CFR 275.204(b)–1. Advisers Act section 

202(a)(29) defines the term ‘‘private fund’’ as an 

issuer that would be an investment company, as 

defined in section 3 of the Investment Company Act 

of 1940 (‘‘Investment Company Act’’), but for 

section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of that Act. Section 3(c)(1) 

of the Investment Company Act provides an 

exclusion from the definition of ‘‘investment 

company’’ for any issuer whose outstanding 

securities (other than short-term paper) are 

beneficially owned by not more than one hundred 

persons (or, in the case of a qualifying venture 

capital fund, 250 persons) and which is not making 

and does not presently propose to make a public 

offering of its securities. Section 3(c)(7) of the 

Investment Company Act provides an exclusion 

from the definition of ‘‘investment company’’ for 

any issuer, the outstanding securities of which are 

owned exclusively by persons who, at the time of 

acquisition of such securities, are qualified 

purchasers, and which is not making and does not 

at that time propose to make a public offering of 

such securities. The term ‘‘qualified purchaser’’ is 

defined in section 2(a)(51) of the Investment 

Company Act. 

the bottom rib of the ES–2re to compress 

the seat back cushion. 

(B) After all lifting devices have been 

removed from the ATD: 

(1) Rock it slightly to settle it in the 

seat. 

(2) Bend the knees of the ATD. 

(3) Separate the knees by about 4 

inches (100 mm). 

(4) Set the ATD’s head at 

approximately the midpoint of the 

available range of z-axis rotation (to 

align the head and torso midsagittal 

planes). 

(5) Position the ATD’s arms at the 

joint’s mechanical detent to position 

them to an approximately 20 to 40- 

degree angle with respect to the torso. 

(6) Position the feet such that the 

centerlines of the lower legs are 

approximately parallel. 

Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on January 

30, 2025. 

Patrick R. Mullen, 

Manager, Technical Policy Branch, Policy and 

Standards Division, Aircraft Certification 

Service. 

[FR Doc. 2025–02218 Filed 2–4–25; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–13–P 

COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING 

COMMISSION 

17 CFR Chapter I 

RIN 3038–AF31 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE 

COMMISSION 

17 CFR Part 279 

[Release No. IA–6838; File No. S7–22–22] 

RIN 3235–AN13 

Form PF; Reporting Requirements for 

All Filers and Large Hedge Fund 

Advisers; Extension of Compliance 

Date 

AGENCIES: Commodity Futures Trading 

Commission and Securities and 

Exchange Commission. 

ACTION: Joint final rule; extension of 

compliance date. 

SUMMARY: The Commodity Futures 

Trading Commission (‘‘CFTC’’) and the 

Securities and Exchange Commission 

(‘‘SEC’’) (collectively, ‘‘we’’ or 

‘‘Commissions’’) are extending the 

compliance date for the amendments to 

Form PF that were adopted on February 

8, 2024, from March 12, 2025 to June 12, 

2025. Form PF is the confidential 

reporting form for certain SEC-registered 

investment advisers to private funds, 

including those that also are registered 

with the CFTC as a commodity pool 

operator (‘‘CPO’’) or commodity trading 

adviser (‘‘CTA’’). 

DATES: 

Effective date: The effective date for 

this release is February 5, 2025. The 

effective date for the amendments to 

Form PF adopted on February 8, 2024, 

remains March 12, 2025. 

Compliance date: The compliance 

date for the amendments to Form PF 

adopted on February 8, 2024, is 

extended to June 12, 2025. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: SEC: 

John Cavanagh, Senior Counsel; Jill 

Pritzker, Senior Counsel; Robert 

Holowka, Branch Chief; or Jennifer 

Porter, Assistant Director, Investment 

Adviser Regulation Office, at (202) 551– 

6787, Division of Investment 

Management, Securities and Exchange 

Commission, 100 F Street NE, 

Washington, DC 20549–8549. CFTC: 

Pamela Geraghty, Acting Deputy 

Director; or Elizabeth Groover, Special 

Counsel, at (202) 418–6700, Commodity 

Futures Trading Commission, Three 

Lafayette Centre, 1155 21st Street NW, 

Washington, DC 20581. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Commissions are extending the 

compliance date of the Final Form PF 

under the Investment Advisers Act of 

1940 (‘‘Advisers Act’’).1

Agency Reference CFR citation 

CFTC & SEC .... Form PF 2 ... 17 CFR 279.9. 

I. Discussion 

On February 8, 2024, the 

Commissions adopted amendments to 

Form PF [17 CFR 279.9] under the 

Advisers Act (‘‘Final Form PF’’).3 Form 

PF is the form that certain SECregistered investment advisers, 

including those that also are registered 

with the CFTC as a CPO or CTA, use to 

report confidential information about 

the private funds 4 that they advise. The 

Commissions established a single 

effective and compliance date for the 

Final Form PF: March 12, 2025, which 

was one year from its date of 

publication in the Federal Register 

(‘‘Initial Compliance Date’’). Until that 

date, the current version of Form PF 

remains in effect (‘‘Current Form PF’’). 

Investment advisers to private funds 

file reports on Form PF at different 

times depending on the types of private 

funds they advise and their assets under 

management. Some file on an annual 

basis, some file on a quarterly basis, and 

some file on a quarterly basis for 

quarterly reporting funds and then 

subsequently amend that filing to report 

about their annual reporting funds. The 

Initial Compliance Date is after the 

fourth quarter of 2024 filing deadlines 

for many quarterly reporting funds 

(January 15, 2025, or March 1, 2025, 

depending on the type of private fund) 

but before the 2024 annual filing 

deadline for many annual reporting 

funds (April 30, 2025 for advisers with 

a December 31 fiscal year end). 

The Commissions have become aware 

of various challenges associated with 

the timing of the Initial Compliance 

Date given the applicable reporting 

cycles for Form PF. In this regard, 

several industry groups submitted a 

letter that requested the Commissions 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with RULES1