Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2012/03/23/2012-6956/special-conditions-embraer-sa-model-emb-505-inflatable-side-facing-seat-three-point-restraint-safety
Timestamp: 2018-07-19 04:33:37
Document Index: 24877754

Matched Legal Cases: ['§\u200923', '§\u200923', '§\u200921', 'art 23', '§\u200921', '§\u200923', '§\u200923']

Federal Register :: Special Conditions: Embraer S.A., Model EMB 505; Inflatable Side-Facing Seat Three-Point Restraint Safety Belt With an Integrated Airbag Device in the Side-Facing Divan Aft Position
Special Conditions: Embraer S.A., Model EMB 505; Inflatable Side-Facing Seat Three-Point Restraint Safety Belt With an Integrated Airbag Device in the Side-Facing Divan Aft Position
The effective date of these special conditions is March 16, 2012.
77 FR 16907
2012-6956
FAA-2012-0315
Embraer S.A. Model EMB-505
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2012-6956 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2012-6956
Send comments identified by docket number FAA-2012-0315 using any of the following methods:
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 8 a.m., and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
Mr. Bob Stegeman, Federal Aviation Administration, Aircraft Certification Service, Small Airplane Directorate, ACE-111, 901 Locust, Kansas City, Missouri, 816-329-4140, fax 816-329-4090, email Robert.Stegeman@faa.gov.
Interested persons are invited to submit such written data, views, or arguments, as they may desire. Communications should identify the regulatory docket or special condition number and be submitted in duplicate to the address specified above. All communications received on or before the closing date for comments will be considered by the Administrator. The special conditions may be changed in light of the comments received. All comments received will be available in the Rules Docket for examination by interested persons, both before and after the closing date for comments. A report summarizing each substantive public contact with FAA personnel concerning this rulemaking will be filed in the docket. Commenters wishing the FAA to acknowledge receipt of their comments submitted in response to this notice must include a self-addressed, stamped postcard on which the following statement is made: “Comments to Docket No. FAA-2012-0315.” The postcard will be date stamped and returned to the commenter.
On December 13, 2010, Embraer S.A. applied for a Design Change Application, for the installation of a two-place side-facing divan on aircraft model EMB-505. Embraer S.A. applied for, and was granted, Exemption No. 10321 to § 23.562 for the two-place divan due to its unique installation and safety requirements for the occupants. The exemption included additional testing requirements. Embraer opted to use a three-point safety belt restraint system for the aft occupant seat to meet the exemption safety requirements.
The inflatable restraint systems are three-point safety belt restraint systems consisting of a lap belt and shoulder harness with an inflatable airbag attached to the shoulder harness belt. The inflatable portion of the restraint system will rely on sensors to electronically activate the inflator for deployment.
If an emergency landing occurs, the airbag will inflate, limit forward translation and prevent contact with the forward occupant or other interior structure due to flailing. This will reduce the potential for head and torso injury and protect the forward occupant as well. The inflatable restraint behaves in a manner similar to an automotive airbag; however, in this case, the airbag is integrated into the shoulder belt. While airbags and inflatable restraints are standard in the automotive industry, the use of an inflatable restraint system is novel for general aviation operations.
The latter point has the potential to be the more rigorous of the requirements. An unexpected deployment while conducting the takeoff or landing phases of flight may result in an unsafe condition. The unexpected deployment may either startle the pilot or generate a force sufficient to cause a sudden movement of the control yoke. Either action could result in a loss of control of the airplane, the consequences of which are magnified due to the low operating altitudes during these phases of flight. This concern is of lesser consequence in this application because it is not installed in a cockpit position. The FAA has considered this when establishing these special conditions.
The inflatable restraint system relies on sensors to electronically activate the inflator for deployment. These sensors could be susceptible to inadvertent activation, causing deployment in a potentially unsafe manner. The consequences of an inadvertent deployment must be considered in establishing the reliability of the system. Embraer S.A. must show that the effects of an inadvertent deployment in flight are not a hazard to the airplane or that an inadvertent deployment is extremely improbable. In addition, general aviation aircraft are susceptible to a large amount of cumulative wear and tear on a restraint system. The potential for inadvertent deployment may increase as a result of this cumulative damage. Therefore, the impact of wear and tear on inadvertent deployment must be considered. The effect of this cumulative damage means a life limit must be established for the appropriate system components in the restraint system design.
There are additional factors to be considered to minimize the chances of inadvertent deployment. General aviation airplanes are exposed to a unique operating environment. The effect of this environment on inadvertent deployment must be understood. Therefore, qualification testing of the firing hardware/software must consider the following:
The inflatable restraint system must deploy and provide protection for each occupant under an emergency landing condition. The side-facing seats of EMB-505 model airplanes are certificated to the structural requirements of § 23.562 and Exemption 10321; therefore, the test emergency landing pulses identified must be used to satisfy this requirement.
In support of this operational capability, there must be a means to verify the integrity of this system before each flight. Embraer S.A. may establish inspection intervals where they have demonstrated the system to be reliable between these intervals.
In addition, the design must prevent the inflatable seatbelt from being incorrectly buckled and/or installed such that the airbag would not properly deploy. Embraer S.A., may show that such deployment is not hazardous to the occupant and will still provide the required protection.
The cabins of the Embraer S.A. model airplane identified in these special conditions are confined areas, and the FAA is concerned that noxious gasses may accumulate if the airbag deploys. When deployment occurs, either by design or inadvertently, there must not be a release of hazardous quantities of gas or particulate matter into the cockpit.
An inflatable restraint should not increase the risk already associated with fire. Therefore, the inflatable restraint should be protected from the effects of fire to avoid creating an additional hazard by, for example, a rupture of the inflator.
Under the provisions of § 21.101, Embraer S.A. must show that the EMB-505 model airplane continues to meet the applicable provisions of the applicable regulations in effect on the date of application for the type certificate. The regulations incorporated by reference in the type certificate are commonly referred to as the “original type certification basis.” The following model is covered by this special condition:
If the Administrator determines that the applicable airworthiness regulations (i.e., part 23 as amended) do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for the AmSafe, Inc., inflatable restraint as installed on this Embraer S.A. model because of a novel or unusual design feature, special conditions are prescribed under the provisions of § 21.16.
The Embraer S.A. EMB-505 model airplane will incorporate the following novel or unusual design feature:
A three-point safety belt restraint system incorporating an inflatable airbag at the aft position in the two-place side-facing divan.
The purpose of the airbag is to reduce the potential for injury in the event of an accident. In a severe impact, an airbag will deploy from the shoulder harness, in a manner similar to an automotive airbag. The airbag will deploy between the head of the occupant and airplane interior structure and forward adjacent occupant, which will provide some protection to the head of the occupant and significantly limit forward flailing of the upper torso and head. The restraint will rely on sensors to electronically activate the inflator for deployment.
Accordingly, these special conditions are adopted for the Embraer S.A. EMB-505 model airplane equipped with three-point inflatable restraints. Other conditions may be developed, as needed, based on further FAA review and discussions with the manufacturer and civil aviation authorities.
As discussed above, these special conditions are applicable to the Embraer S.A. EMB-505 model airplane equipped with the three-point inflatable restraint systems.
This action affects only certain novel or unusual design features on the previously identified Embraer S.A. airplane model. 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.
The FAA has determined that this project will be accomplished on the basis of not lowering the current level of safety of the Embraer S.A. EMB-505 model airplane occupant restraint systems. 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 this model. Embraer S.A., Model EMB 505; Inflatable Side-Facing Seat Three-Point Restraint Safety Belt with an Integrated Airbag Device in the Side-Facing Divan Aft Position of the Embraer S.A. EMB-505 model airplanes.
In addition to the provisions of 14 CFR 23.562 and 23.785, the minimum acceptable standards for certification of multiple place side-facing divans equipped with an airbag system in the shoulder harnesses are as follows:
1. It must be shown that the inflatable restraint will deploy and provide protection under the dynamic test conditions specified in Title 14 CFR 23.562. It is not necessary to account for floor warpage, as required by § 23.562(b)(3) or vertical dynamic loads, as required by § 23.562(b)(1). The means of protection must take into consideration a range of stature from a 5th percentile female to a 95th percentile male. The inflatable restraint must provide a consistent approach to energy absorption throughout that range.
9. The system must be protected from lightning and HIRF. The threats specified in existing regulations regarding lighting and HIRF, are incorporated by reference for the purpose of measuring lightning and HIRF protection. Also, for purposes of complying with these requirements, the airbag system is considered a critical system at pilot/co-pilot positions only.
Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on March 16, 2012.
[FR Doc. 2012-6956 Filed 3-22-12; 8:45 am]