26972 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 94 / Tuesday, May 15, 2001 / Rules and Regulations

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 25

[Docket No. NM175; Special Conditions No.

25–01–01–SC]

Special Conditions: Boeing Model 777–

200 Series Airplanes; Overhead Crew

Rest Compartment

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Amended special conditions.

SUMMARY: These amended special

conditions are issued to The Boeing

Company for Model 777–200 series

airplanes, modified by Flight Structures,

Inc. This airplane has a novel or

unusual design feature associated with

the installation of a crew rest

compartment. Special Conditions No.

25–169–SC were issued on December 1,

2000, addressing this installation. On

January 16, 2001, Flight Structures, Inc.,

applied for an amendment to these

special conditions to allow the

assistance of personnel in the main

passenger cabin to assist in the

evacuation of an incapacitated person

from the overhead crew rest

compartment to the main passenger

cabin. The assistance by persons in the

main passenger cabin would reduce the

potential for injury to the incapacitated

person(s) being lowered from the

overhead crew rest area to the main

passenger cabin. Since the applicable

airworthiness regulations, including

those contained in Special Conditions

No. 25–169–SC, 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.

EFFECTIVE DATE: May 2, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jayson Claar, FAA, Transport Standards

Staff, ANM–115, Transport Airplane

Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue SW.,

Renton, Washington, 98055–4056;

telephone (425) 227–2194; facsimile

(425) 227–1320.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On June 25, 1999, Flight Structures

Inc., 4407 172 Street NE, Arlington,

Washington, 98223, applied for a

supplemental type certificate to install

an overhead crew rest compartment in

Boeing Model 777–200 series airplanes.

The Boeing Model 777–200 is a large

twin-jet engine transport airplane with

four pairs of Type A exits, a passenger

capacity of 440, and a range of 5000

miles. The overhead crew rest

compartment is a single compartment

located at the door three vicinity above

the main passenger compartment with

eight private bunks and two seats. A

stairwell entering from the door three

aisle is the main entry. Two escape

hatches are located on either side of the

entryway door. It is to be certified for a

maximum of ten occupants. Due to the

novel or unusual features associated

with the installation of a crew rest

compartment, Special Conditions No.

25–169–SC were issued on December 1,

2000, to provide a level of safety equal

to that established by the regulations

incorporated by reference in the type

certificate. Flight Structures, Inc., now

proposes to amend Special Conditions

No. 25–169–SC to allow for assistance

by persons on the main passenger cabin

in the evacuation of an incapacitated

person from the overhead crew rest.

Novel or Unusual Design Features

While the installation of a crew rest

compartment is not a new concept for

large transport category airplanes, each

compartment design has unique features

by virtue of its design, location, and use

on the airplane. Previously, crew rest

compartments have been evaluated that

are installed within the main passenger

compartment area of the Boeing Model

777–200 and Model 777–300 series

airplanes; other crew rest compartments

have been installed below the passenger

cabin area, within the cargo

compartment. Similar overhead crew

rest compartments have also been

installed on the Boeing Model 747

airplane. The interfaces of the

modification are evaluated within the

interior and assessed in accordance with

the certification basis of the airplane.

The provisions of compliance with part

25 address cabin systems and interiors

as they relate to typical passenger

compartments. Part 25 does not provide

the requirements for crew rest

compartments within the overhead area

of the passenger compartment for the

Boeing Model 777–200 series airplanes.

This is a compartment that has never

been used for this purpose in any

previous Boeing Model 777–200 series

airplanes. Due to the novel or unusual

features associated with the installation

of this crew rest compartment, special

conditions are considered necessary to

provide a level of safety equal to that

established by the airworthiness

regulations incorporated by reference in

the type certificate.

Discussion

The current Special Condition No. 3

states the following: ‘‘There must be a

means for the evacuation of an

incapacitated person (representative of a

ninety-fifth percentile male) from the

crew rest compartment to the passenger

cabin floor. The evacuation must be

demonstrated for all evacuation routes.

A flight attendant or other crewmember

(a total of one assistant) may provide

assistance in the evacuation.’’ The

applicant contends that assistance from

persons on the main passenger cabin

would reduce the possibility of injury to

the incapacitated person being lowered

from the overhead crew rest area into

the main passenger cabin. The persons

assisting could be either crewmembers

or passengers seated in the area of the

evacuation route.

The FAA has considered the

applicant’s position and agrees. These

amended special conditions allow

persons in the main passenger cabin to

assist a flight crewmember during the

evacuation of the incapacitated person,

possibly reducing injury. It was the

intent of the original Special Condition

No. 3 to limit the number of persons in

the actual crew rest area to one person

when assisting in the evacuation of an

incapacitated person from the overhead

crew rest area.

The revised safety standard is

contained in amended Special

Condition No. 3. Although Special

Conditions Nos. 1, 2, and 4 though 17

are standards adopted in Special

Conditions No. 25–169–SC, they are

repeated in these amended special

conditions in order to place the revised

standard in proper perspective.

Type Certification Basis

Under the provisions of § 21.101,

Flight Structures, Inc., must show that

the Boeing Model 777–200 series

airplane, as changed, continues to meet

the applicable provisions of the

regulations incorporated by reference in

Type Certificate No. T00001SE 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. T00001SE for the Boeing

Model 777–200 series airplanes include

14 CFR part 25, as amended by

Amendments 25—1 through 25–82. The

U.S. type certification basis for the

Boeing Model 777–200 series airplanes

is established in accordance with 14

CFR §§ 21.29 and 21.17 and the type

certification application date. The type

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 94 / Tuesday, May 15, 2001 / Rules and Regulations 26973

certification basis is listed in Type

Certificate Data Sheet No. T00001SE.

If the Administrator finds that the

applicable airworthiness regulations

(i.e., part 25) do not contain adequate or

appropriate safety standards for the

Boeing Model 777–200 series airplanes

because of a novel or unusual design

feature, special conditions are

prescribed under the provisions of

§ 21.16.

In addition to the applicable

airworthiness regulations and special

conditions, Boeing Model 777–200

series airplanes 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.

Special conditions, as appropriate, are

issued in accordance with § 11.49, after

public notice, as required by §§ 11.28

and 11.29(b), and become part of the

type certification basis in accordance

with § 21.101(b)(2).

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 novel or unusual design feature,

the special conditions would also apply

to the other model under the provisions

of § 21.101(a)(1).

Discussion of Comments

No comments were received, and the

amended special conditions are adopted

as proposed.

Applicability

As discussed above, these special

conditions are applicable to Boeing

Model 777–200 series airplanes. Should

Flight Structures, Inc., apply at a later

date for a supplemental type certificate

to modify any other model included on

Type Certificate No. T00001SE to

incorporate the same novel or unusual

design feature, the special conditions

would apply to that model as well

under the provisions of § 21.101(a)(1).

Conclusion

This action affects only certain novel

or unusual design features on Boeing

Model 777–200 series airplanes. It is not

a rule of general applicability, and it

affects only the applicant who applied

to the FAA for approval of these features

on the airplane.

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, the Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA) adopts the

following amended Special Condition

No. 3 as part of the type certification

basis for Boeing Model 777–200 series

airplanes, as modified by Flight

Structures, Inc., with overhead crew rest

compartments. (Existing Special

Conditions (Nos. 1, 2, and 4–17 are

repeated below for clarity.)

1. Occupancy of the overhead crew

rest compartment is limited to a

maximum of ten occupants. There must

be an approved seat or berth able to

withstand the maximum flight loads

when occupied for each occupant

permitted in the crew rest compartment.

(a) There must be appropriate

placards, inside and outside to indicate:

(1) The maximum number of

occupants allowed,

(2) That occupancy is restricted to

crewmembers that are trained in the

evacuation procedures for the overhead

crew rest compartment,

(3) That occupancy is permitted

during taxi, take-off and landing, and

(4) That smoking is prohibited in the

crew rest compartment.

(b) There must be at least one ashtray

on the inside and outside of any

entrance to the crew rest compartment.

(c) There must be a means to prevent

passengers from entering the

compartment in the event of an

emergency or when no flight attendant

is present.

(d) There must be a means for any

door installed between the crew rest

compartment and passenger cabin to be

capable of being quickly opened from

inside the compartment, even when

crowding occurs at each side of the

door.

(e) For all doors installed, there must

be a means to preclude anyone from

being trapped inside the compartment.

If a locking mechanism is installed, it

must be capable of being unlocked from

the outside without the aid of special

tools. The lock must not prevent

opening from the inside of the

compartment at any time.

2. There must be at least two

emergency evacuation routes that could

be used by each occupant of the crew

rest compartment to rapidly evacuate to

the main cabin. In addition—

(a) The routes must be located with

sufficient separation within the

compartment, and between the

evacuation routes, to minimize the

possibility of an event rendering both

routes inoperative.

(b) The routes must be designed to

minimize the possibility of blockage,

which might result from fire,

mechanical or structural failure, or

persons standing below or against the

escape route. One of two evacuation

routes may not be located where, during

times in which occupancy is allowed,

normal movement by passengers occurs

(i.e., main aisle, cross aisle, or galley

complex) that would impede egress of

the crew rest compartment. If there is

low headroom at or near the evacuation

route, provisions must be made to

prevent or to protect occupants from

head injury. The use of evacuation

routes must not be dependent on any

powered device. If the evacuation

procedure involves the evacuee

stepping on seats, the seats must not be

damaged to the extent that they would

not be acceptable for occupancy during

an emergency landing.

(c) Emergency evacuation procedures

must be established and transmitted to

the operators for incorporation into their

training programs and appropriate

operational manuals.

(d) There must be a limitation in the

Airplane Flight Manual or other suitable

means requiring that crewmembers be

trained in the use of evacuation routes.

3. There must be a means for the

evacuation of an incapacitated person

(representative of a ninety-fifth

percentile male) from the crew rest

compartment to the passenger cabin

floor. The evacuation must be

demonstrated for all evacuation routes.

A flight attendant or other crewmember

(a total of one assistant within the crew

rest area) may provide assistance in the

evacuation. Additional assistance may

be provided by up to three persons in

the main passenger compartment. These

additional assistants must be standing

on the floor while providing assistance.

Procedures for the evacuation of an

incapacitated person from the crew rest

compartment must be established.

4. The following signs and placards

must be provided in the crew rest

compartment:

(a) At least one exit sign, located near

each exit, meeting the requirements of

§ 25.812(b)(1)(i).

(b) An appropriate placard defining

the location and the operating

instructions for each evacuation route.

(c) Placards must be readable from a

distance of 30 inches under emergency

lighting conditions.

(d) The exit handles and evacuation

path operating instruction placards

must be illuminated to at least 160

microlamberts under emergency lighting

conditions.

5. There must be a means in the event

of failure of the airplane’s main power

system, or of the normal crew rest

compartment lighting system, for

26974 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 94 / Tuesday, May 15, 2001 / Rules and Regulations

emergency illumination to be

automatically provided for the crew rest

compartment.

(a) This emergency illumination must

be independent of the main lighting

system.

(b) The sources of general cabin

illumination may be common to both

the emergency and the main lighting

systems if the power supply to the

emergency lighting system is

independent of the power supply to the

main lighting system.

(c) The illumination level must be

sufficient for the occupants of the crew

rest compartment to locate and transfer

to the main passenger cabin floor by

means of each evacuation route.

6. There must be means for two-way

voice communications between the

crewmembers on the flight deck and the

occupants of the crew rest compartment.

There must also be two-way

communications between the occupants

of the crew rest compartment and each

flight attendant station required to have

a public address system microphone per

§ 25.1423(g) in the passenger cabin.

7. There must be a means for manual

activation of an aural emergency alarm

system, audible during normal and

emergency conditions, to enable

crewmembers on the flight deck and at

each pair of required floor level

emergency exits to alert occupants of

the crew rest compartment of an

emergency situation. Use of a public

address or crew interphone system

would be acceptable, providing an

adequate means of differentiating

between normal and emergency

communications is incorporated. The

system must be powered in flight, after

the shutdown or failure of all engines

and auxiliary power units, or the

disconnection or failure of all power

sources dependent on their continued

operation, for a period of at least ten

minutes.

8. There must be a means, readily

detectable by seated occupants of the

crew rest compartment, that indicates

when seat belts should be fastened. Seat

belt type restraints must be provided for

berths and must be compatible for the

sleeping attitude during cruise

conditions. There must be a placard on

each berth requiring that seat belts must

be fastened when occupied. If

compliance with any of the other

requirements of these special conditions

is predicated on specific head location,

there must be a placard identifying the

head position. In the event there are no

seats, at least one sign must be provided

to cover anticipated turbulence.

9. The following equipment must be

provided:

(a) At least one approved hand-held

fire extinguisher appropriate for the

kinds of fires likely to occur;

(b) One protective breathing

equipment device approved to

Technical Standard Order (TSO)–C116

or equivalent, suitable for fire fighting;

and

(c) One flashlight.

10. A smoke detection system (or

systems) must be provided that

monitors each area within the crew rest

compartment, including those areas

partitioned by curtains. Flight tests must

be conducted to show compliance with

this requirement. Each system (or

systems) must provide:

(a) A visual indication to the flight

deck within one minute after the start of

a fire;

(b) An aural warning in the crew rest

compartment; and

(c) A warning in the main passenger

cabin. This warning must be readily

detectable by a flight attendant, taking

into consideration the positioning of

flight attendants throughout the main

passenger compartment during various

phases of flight.

11. The crew rest compartment must

be designed such that fires within the

compartment can be controlled without

a crewmember having to enter the

compartment, or the design of the access

provisions must allow crewmembers

equipped for firefighting to have

unrestricted access to the compartment.

The time for a crewmember on the main

deck to react to the fire alarm, to don the

fire fighting equipment, and to gain

access must not exceed the time for the

compartment to become smoke-filled,

making it difficult to locate the fire

source.

12. There must be a means provided

to exclude hazardous quantities of

smoke or extinguishing agent

originating in the crew rest

compartment from entering any other

compartment occupied by crewmembers

or passengers. The means must include

the time periods during the evacuation

of the crew rest compartment and, if

applicable, when accessing the crew rest

compartment to manually fight a fire.

Smoke entering any other compartment

occupied by crewmembers or

passengers must dissipate within 5

minutes after closing the access to the

crew rest compartment. Flight tests

must be conducted to show compliance

with this requirement.

13. There must be a supplemental

oxygen system equivalent to that

provided for main deck passengers for

each seat and berth in the crew rest

compartment. The system must provide:

(a) An aural and visual warning to the

occupants of the crew rest compartment

to don oxygen masks in the event of

decompression; and

(b) A decompression warning that

activates before the cabin pressure

altitude exceeds 15,000 feet. The

warning must sound continuously until

a reset pushbutton in the crew rest

compartment is depressed.

14. The following requirements apply

to a crew rest compartment that is

divided into several sections by the

installation of curtains or partitions:

(a) To compensate for sleeping

occupants, there must be an aural alert

that can be heard in each section of the

crew rest compartment that

accompanies automatic presentation of

supplemental oxygen masks. Two

supplemental oxygen masks are

required in each section whether or not

seats or berths are installed in each

section. There must also be a means by

which the oxygen masks can be

manually deployed from the flight deck.

(b) A placard is required adjacent to

each curtain that visually divides or

separates, for privacy purposes, the

overhead crew rest compartment into

small sections. The placard must require

that the curtain(s) remain open when

the private section it creates is

unoccupied. The vestibule section

adjacent to the stairway is not

considered a private area and, therefore,

does not require a placard.

(c) For each crew rest section created

by the installation of a curtain, the

following requirements of these special

conditions must be met with the curtain

open or closed:

(1) No smoking placard (Special

Condition No. 1),

(2) Emergency illumination (Special

Condition No. 5),

(3) Emergency alarm system (Special

Condition No. 7),

(4) Seat belt fasten signal (Special

Condition No. 8), and

(5) The smoke or fire detection system

(Special Conditions No.’s 10, 11, and

12).

(d) Overhead crew rest compartments

visually divided to the extent that

evacuation could be affected must have

exit signs that direct occupants to the

primary stairway exit. The exit signs

must be provided in each separate

section of the crew rest compartment,

and must meet the requirements of

§ 25.812(b)(1)(i).

(e) For sections within an overhead

crew rest compartment that are created

by the installation of a rigid partition

with a door physically separating the

sections, the following requirements of

these special conditions must be met

with the door open or closed:

(1) There must be a secondary

evacuation route from each section to

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 94 / Tuesday, May 15, 2001 / Rules and Regulations 26975

the main deck, or alternatively, it must

be shown that any door between the

sections has been designed to preclude

anyone from being trapped inside the

compartment.

(2) Any door between the sections

must be shown to be openable when

crowded against, even when crowding

occurs at each side of the door.

(3) There may be no more than one

door between any seat or berth and the

primary stairway exit.

(4) There must be exit signs in each

section meeting the requirements of

§ 25.812(b)(1)(i) that direct occupants to

the primary stairway exit.

(f) For each smaller section within the

main crew rest compartment created by

the installation of a partition with a

door, the following requirements of

these special conditions must be met

with the door open or closed:

(1) No smoking placards (Special

Condition No. 1),

(2) Emergency illumination (Special

Condition No. 5),

(3) Two-way voice communication

(Special Condition No. 6),

(4) Emergency alarm system (Special

Condition No. 7),

(5) Seat belt fasten signal (Special

Condition No. 8),

(6) Emergency fire fighting and

protective equipment (Special

Condition No. 9), and

(7) Smoke or fire detection system

(Special Conditions No.’s 10, 11, and

12).

15. The requirements of two-way

voice communication with the flight

deck and provisions for emergency

firefighting and protective equipment

are not applicable to lavatories or other

small areas that are not intended to be

occupied for extended periods of time.

16. Where a waste disposal receptacle

is fitted, it must be equipped with an

automatic fire extinguisher that meets

the performance requirements of

§ 25.854(b).

17. Materials (including finishes or

decorative surfaces applied to the

materials) must comply with the

flammability requirements of

§ 25.853(a), as amended by Amendment

25–83. Mattresses must comply with the

flammability requirements of

§ 25.853(c), as amended by Amendment

25–83.

Issued in Renton, Washington on May 2,

2001.

Lirio Liu Nelson,

Acting Manager, Transport Airplane

Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.

[FR Doc. 01–12106 Filed 5–14–01; 8:45 am]

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