Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2014/01/14/2014-00446/special-conditions-airbus-model-a350-900-series-airplane-crew-rest-compartments
Timestamp: 2018-04-26 21:33:09
Document Index: 169897172

Matched Legal Cases: ['§\u200921', 'art 25', 'art 34', 'art 36', '§\u2009611', '§\u200911', '§\u200921', 'art 25', 'art 91', '§\u200925', '§\u200925', '§\u200925', '§\u200925']

Federal Register :: Special Conditions: Airbus, Model A350-900 Series Airplane; Crew Rest Compartments
Special Conditions: Airbus, Model A350-900 Series Airplane; Crew Rest Compartments
79 FR 2359
2359-2365 (7 pages)
Notice No. 25-460A-SC
2014-00446
Discussion of Comments Received for Special Conditions 25-460-SC
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2014-00446 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2014-00446
Start Preamble Start Printed Page 2359
These amended special conditions are issued for Airbus Model A350-900 series airplanes. Notice of proposed special conditions, request for comments, for crew rest compartments of the A350-900 were published on March 30, 2012 in the Federal Register [Docket No. FAA-2012-0343; Notice No. 25-460-SC]. The comment period closed May 14, 2012. Comments were received. In response to an August 1, 2013 letter from Airbus, the wording of the special conditions was revised. The revised wording for special conditions 4 and 14 is now agreed. The revised amended special conditions wording is in italics.
These airplanes will have novel or unusual design features associated with two separate Crew Rest Compartments: a Flight Crew Rest Compartment (FCRC) intended to be occupied by flight crew members only, and a Cabin Crew Rest Compartment (CCRC) intended to be occupied by cabin crew members. Both types of Crew Rest Compartments (CRC) are installed in the overhead area with access from the main deck. 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.
Effective Date: The effective date of these special conditions is January 14, 2014.
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.
Crew rest compartments have been previously installed and certificated on several Airbus airplane models (as well as those of other manufacturers) in various locations including the main passenger seating area and the overhead space above the main passenger cabin seating area. In each case, the FAA determined that the applicable Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) sections did not provide all of the necessary requirements because each installation had unique features by virtue of its design, location, and use on the airplane. When the FAA finds that the applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards because of a novel or unusual design feature, special conditions are prescribed under the provisions of § 21.16. The special conditions contain safety standards that the FAA considers necessary to establish a level of safety equivalent to that established by the existing airworthiness standards.
The FAA has previously written special conditions to address crew rest compartment installations in various locations for various models. These special conditions have been very similar in content, but the particular details of a given installation have resulted in differences between the actual special conditions. The FAA has used the experience gained over time from prior special conditions to refine and enhance these special conditions. In the case of the Model A350-900 series, these special conditions reflect the knowledge gained from those programs and therefore have some differences in wording from prior Airbus special conditions, even though the overall intent of the special conditions is essentially the same.
Under 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 25-129.
In addition to the applicable airworthiness regulations and 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. The FAA must also issue a finding of regulatory adequacy under § 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 type-certification basis under § 21.17(a)(2).Start Printed Page 2360
The Airbus Model A350-900 series will incorporate the following novel or unusual design features: two separate Crew Rest Compartments in the overhead area accessible from the main deck. The FCRC is intended to be occupied by flight crew members only, and a CCRC is intended to be occupied by cabin crew members only. These compartments are unique to part 25 because of their design, location, and use on the airplane. Because of the novel or unusual features associated with installation of these compartments, special conditions are considered necessary to provide a level of safety equal to that established by the airworthiness regulations.
Compliance with these special conditions does not ensure that the applicant has demonstrated compliance with the requirements of 14 CFR part 91, 121 or 135.
Procedures must be developed to assure that a crewmember entering the overhead crew rest compartment through the vestibule to fight a fire will examine the vestibule and the lavatory areas for the source of the fire prior to entering the remaining areas of the crew rest compartment. These procedures are intended to assure that the source of the fire is not between the crewmember and the primary exit. If a fire source is not immediately self-evident to the firefighter, the firefighter should check for potential fire sources at areas closest to the primary exit first, then proceed to check areas in such a manner that the fire source, when found, would not be between the firefighter and the primary exit. Procedures describing methods to search the overhead crew rests for fire source(s) must be transmitted to the operator for incorporation into their training programs and appropriate operational manuals.
Notice of proposed special conditions No. 25-460-SC for Airbus Model A350-900 series airplanes was published in the Federal Register on March 30, 2012 (77 FR 19148). The following comments were received:
ALPA commented that the special condition should require that the crew rest compartment be designed for ease of serviceability, to make sure that the intended safety levels are maintained. While the FAA agrees that designing the crew rest for ease of service is desirable, this goes beyond the scope of the special condition, which is simply setting the safety standards necessary to provide the same level of safety afforded by the regulations. No change is made to the special conditions.
Boeing suggested that an additional provision be added to explicitly state that illumination necessary for oxygen mask visibility under all lighting conditions must be provided with any curtain dividers in any position. We agree with the intent of the comment, however, the special conditions already require this. Special condition 13 requires that the illumination automatically be sufficient in the event of an oxygen mask deployment. Special condition 14 requires that the oxygen requirements be satisfied in each area that is divided by a curtain, with the curtain open or closed. No change is made to the special conditions.
Airbus has made detailed design refinements that warrant modification to the special conditions 4 and 14, and has coordinated with European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on suitable changes that will address the Airbus design and maintain the intent of the special conditions. FAA and EASA have agreed that minor changes to these conditions are warranted. The special conditions changes are indicated in italics.
As discussed above, these special conditions apply to the 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 special conditions would apply to that model as well.
Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the administrator, the following amended special conditions are issued as part of the type certification basis for Airbus Model A350-900 series airplanes.
1. Occupancy of the overhead crew rest compartment is limited to the total number of installed bunks and seats in each compartment, and is not allowed for taxi, takeoff, and landing. There must be an approved seat or berth able to withstand the maximum flight loads when occupied for each occupant permitted in the overhead crew rest compartment. In addition, the maximum occupancy in the overhead crew rest compartment may be limited as necessary to provide the required level of safety.
(b) There must be at least one ashtray on the inside and outside of any Start Printed Page 2361entrance to the overhead crew rest compartment.
2. There must be at least two emergency evacuation routes, which could be used by each occupant of the overhead crew rest compartment to evacuate rapidly to the main cabin. (a) The routes must also be able to be closed from the main passenger cabin after evacuation. In addition, the routes must be located with sufficient separation within the overhead crew rest compartment to minimize the possibility of an event either inside or outside of the crew rest compartment which would render both routes inoperative.
Compliance to the requirements of special condition No. 2. may be shown by inspection or by analysis. Regardless which method is used, the maximum acceptable exit separation is 60 feet measured between exit openings.
The intent of these special conditions is to provide sufficient exit separation. The exit separation analysis described above should not be used to approve exits which have less physical separation (measured between the centroid of each exit opening) than the minimums prescribed below, unless compensating features are identified and submitted to the FAA for evaluation and approval.
(c) Emergency evacuation procedures, including the emergency evacuation of an incapacitated occupant from the overhead crew rest compartment, must Start Printed Page 2362be established. All of these procedures must be transmitted to the operator for incorporation into their training programs and appropriate operational manuals.
For the overhead flight crew rest compartment containing no more than two bunks and 2 seats, an exit sign illuminated by the emergency lighting system and meeting all other requirements of § 25.812(b)(1)(i) is acceptable.
(b) An appropriate placard located near each exit defining the location and the operating instructions for each exit.
(d) The exit handles and operating instruction placards must be illuminated to at least 160 microlamberts under emergency lighting conditions.
8. There must be a means, readily detectable by seated or standing occupants of the overhead crew rest compartment, which indicates when seat belts should be fastened. If there are no seats, at least one means must be provided to cover anticipated turbulence such as sufficient handholds. 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.
11. The overhead 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 firefighting equipment, and to gain access must not Start Printed Page 2363exceed the time for the compartment to become smoke-filled, making it difficult to locate the fire source. Procedures describing methods to search the overhead crew rests for fire sources(s) must be established. These procedures must be transmitted to the operator for incorporation into their training programs and appropriate operational manuals.
(b) For each section of the CRC created by the installation of a curtain, the following requirements of these special conditions must be met with the curtain open or closed:
(4) Seat belt fasten signal or return to seat signal as applicable (Special Condition No. 8), unless it is agreed by the FAA that only short term occupancy is possible (e.g. a changing area with room for only one standing person and possessing no seat or feature useable as a seat), and
(1) There must be a secondary evacuation route from each section to 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. Removal of an incapacitated occupant within this area must be considered. A secondary evacuation route from a small room designed for only one occupant for short time duration, such as a changing area or lavatory, is not required. However, removal of an incapacitated occupant from a small room, such as a changing area or lavatory, must be considered.Start Printed Page 2364
The material used to construct each enclosed stowage compartment must at least be fire resistant and must meet the flammability standards established for interior components of § 25.853. For compartments less than 25 ft 3 in interior volume, the design must ensure the ability to contain a fire likely to occur within the compartment under normal use.
Enclosed stowage compartments equal to or exceeding 25 ft 3 in interior volume must be provided with a smoke or fire detection system to ensure that a fire can be detected within a one-minute detection time. Flight tests must be conducted to show compliance with this requirement. Each system (or systems) must provide:
If it can be shown that the material used to construct the stowage compartment meets the flammability requirements of a liner for a Class B cargo compartment (i.e., § 25.855 at Amendment 25-116, and Appendix F, part I, paragraph (a)(2)(ii)), then no liner is required for enclosed stowage compartments equal to or greater than 25 ft 3 in interior volume but less than 57 ft 3 in interior volume. For all enclosed stowage compartments equal to or greater than 57 ft3 in interior volume but less than or equal to 200 ft 3, a liner must be provided that meets the requirements of § 25.855 for a Class B cargo compartment.
4 Locating Device
Overhead crew rest compartments which contain enclosed stowage compartments exceeding 25 ft 3 interior volume and which are located away from the entry to the overhead crew rest compartment require additional fire protection features and/or devices to assist the firefighter in determining the location of a fire.
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service .
[FR Doc. 2014-00446 Filed 1-13-14; 8:45 am]