Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2003/03/31/03-7667/special-conditions-boeing-model-777-200-series-airplanes-overhead-crew-rest-compartments
Timestamp: 2018-12-14 03:23:37
Document Index: 651029376

Matched Legal Cases: ['§\u200925', '§\u200925', '§\u200925', '§\u200925', '§\u200925', '§\u2009121', 'art 121', 'art 135', '§\u200921', '§\u200921', 'art 25', 'art 25', '§\u200921', '§\u200921', 'art 25', 'art 25', '§\u200921', '§\u200925', '§\u200925', '§\u200925', '§\u200925', '§\u200925', '§\u200925', '§\u200925']

Federal Register :: Special Conditions: Boeing Model 777-200 Series Airplanes; Overhead Crew Rest Compartments
Special Conditions: Boeing Model 777-200 Series Airplanes; Overhead Crew Rest Compartments
The effective date of these amended special conditions is March 20, 2003.
68 FR 15339
15339-15343 (5 pages)
Docket No. NM231
Special Conditions No. 25-216-SC-A
03-7667
Prior Comment
Discussion of Comments Received on Special Conditions No. 25-216-SC
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/03-7667 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/03-7667
These amended special conditions are issued for Boeing Model 777-200 series airplanes. Final special conditions; request for comments, No. 25-216-SC were issued on October 3, 2002, addressing this installation. Comments were received and these amended special conditions address those comments. These airplanes, modified by Flight Structures Inc., will have a novel or unusual design feature associated with the installation of an overhead flight crew rest compartment. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. These amended 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.
Alan Sinclair, FAA, Airframe/Cabin Safety Branch, ANM-115, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington, 98055-4056; telephone (425) 227-2195; facsimile (425) 227-1149.
On September 17, 2001, Flight Structures Inc., 4407 172 Street NE, Arlington, Washington, 98223, applied for a supplemental type certificate (STC) for installation of a Door 1 overhead flightcrew rest (OFCR) compartment in Boeing Model 777-200 series airplanes. The certification of the Alitalia Model 777-200 overhead crew rest was scheduled for October 9, 2002. The Boeing Model 777-200 series airplanes are large twin engine airplanes with various passenger capacities and ranges depending upon airplane configuration.
The OFCR compartment, adjacent to Door 1, is located in the overhead above the main passenger cabin and will include a maximum of two private berths, two seats, and a lavatory. Occupancy of the OFCR compartment will be limited to a maximum of four occupants.
The OFCR will be accessed from the main deck by stairs. In addition, an emergency hatch that opens directly into the main passenger cabin area will be provided for the compartment. A smoke detection system, an oxygen system, and occupant amenities will also be provided. This compartment will only be occupied in flight; occupancy is prohibited during taxi, takeoff, or landing.
Compliance with these special conditions does not relieve the applicant from the existing airplane certification basis requirements. One particular area of concern is that the OFCR installation creates a smaller compartment volume within the overhead area of the airplane. The applicant must comply with the requirements of §§ 25.365(e), (f), and (g), for the overhead area compartment, as well as any other airplane compartments whose decompression characteristics are affected by the installation of a crew rest compartment. Compliance with § 25.831 must be demonstrated for all phases of flight where occupants will be present.
The FAA considers OFCR compartment smoke or fire detection and fire suppression systems (including airflow management features that prevent hazardous quantities of smoke or fire extinguishing agent from entering any other compartment occupied by crewmembers or passengers) complex with respect to paragraph 6d of Advisory Circular (AC) 25.1309-1A, “System Design and Analysis.” In addition, the FAA considers failure of the crew rest compartment fire protection system (i.e., smoke or fire detection and fire suppression systems) in conjunction with a crew rest fire to be a catastrophic event. Based on the “Depth of Analysis Flowchart” shown in Figure 2 of AC 25.1309-1A, the depth of analysis should include both qualitative and quantitative assessments (reference paragraphs 8d, 9, and 10 of AC 25.1309-1A). In addition, it should be noted that flammable fluids, explosives, or other dangerous cargo are prohibited from being carried in the crew rest area.
The requirements to enable crewmember(s) quick entry to the crew rest compartment and to locate a fire source inherently places limits on the amount of baggage that may be carried and the size of the crew rest area. The FAA notes that the crew rest area is limited to stowage of crew personal luggage and it is not intended to be used for the stowage of cargo or passenger baggage. The design of such a system to include cargo or passenger baggage would require additional requirements to ensure safe operation.
The addition of galley equipment or a kitchenette incorporating a cook top or other heat source, or a stowage compartment greater than or equal to 25 ft 3, into the crew rest compartment may require further special conditions to be considered.
Amendment 25-38 modified the requirements of § 25.1439(a) by adding, “In addition, protective breathing equipment must be installed in each isolated separate compartment in the airplane, including upper and lower lobe galleys, in which crewmember occupancy is permitted during flight for the maximum number of crewmembers expected to be in the area during any operation.” The requirements of § 25.1439(a) apply to the OFCR compartment, which is an isolated separate compartment. However, the PBE requirements for isolated separate compartments of § 25.1439(a) are not appropriate because the OFCR compartment is novel and unusual in terms of the number of occupants. In 1976 when amendment 25-38 was adopted, small galleys were the only isolated compartments that had been certificated. A maximum of two crewmembers were expected to occupy those galleys. Special Condition No. 9 addresses crew rest compartments that can accommodate up to four crewmembers. This large number of occupants in an isolated compartment was not envisioned at the time amendment 25-38 was adopted. It is not appropriate for all occupants to don PBE in the event of a fire because the first action should be to leave the confined space unless the occupant is fighting the fire. Taking the time to don the PBE would prolong the time for the emergency evacuation of the occupants and possibly interfere with efforts to extinguish the fire. Start Printed Page 15340
These special conditions outline requirements for OFCR compartment design approvals (i.e. type design changes and supplemental type certificates) administered by the FAA's Aircraft Certification Service. Prior to operational use of an OFCR compartment, the FAA's Flight Standards Service must evaluate and approve the “basic suitability” of the OFCR compartment for crew occupation. Additionally, if an operator wishes to utilize a flightcrew rest area as “sleeping quarters,” the crew rest area must undergo an additional evaluation and approval (Reference §§ 121.485(a), 121.523(b) and 135.269(b)(5)). Compliance with these special conditions does not ensure that the requirements of part 121 or part 135 have been demonstrated.
In order to obtain an operational evaluation, the type design holder must contact the Aircraft Evaluation Group (AEG) in the Flight Standards Service and request a “basic suitability” evaluation or a “sleeping quarters” evaluation of their crew rest. The results of these evaluations must be documented in a 777 Flight Standardization Board (FSB) Report Appendix. Individual operators may then reference these standardized evaluations in discussions with their FAA Principal Operating Inspector (POI) as the basis for an operational approval, in lieu of an on-site operational evaluation.
Any changes to the approved OFCR compartment configuration that effect crewmember emergency egress or any other procedures affecting the safety of the occupying crewmembers and/or related training shall require a re-evaluation and approval. The applicant for a crew rest design change that affects egress, safety procedures, or training is responsible for notifying the FAA's AEG that a new crew rest evaluation is required.
Procedures must be developed to assure that a crewmember entering the OFCR 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.
Under the provisions of § 21.101, Amendment 21-69, effective September 16, 1991, Flight Structures Inc., must show that the Boeing Model 777-200, as changed, continues to meet the applicable provisions of the regulations incorporated by reference in Type Certificate Data Sheet No. T00001SE or the applicable regulations in effect on the date of application for the change. Subsequent changes have been made to § 21.101 as part of Amendment 21-77, but those changes do not become effective until June 10, 2003. 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 bases for the Boeing Model 777-200 series airplanes is established in accordance with 14 CFR 21.17 and 21.29 and the type certification application date. The type certification basis is listed in Type Certificate Data Sheet No. T00001SE.
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 Boeing Model 777-200 series 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 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), Amendment 21-69, effective September 16, 1991.
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 and the overhead area of the passenger compartment of the 777-200. Other crew rest compartments have been installed below the passenger cabin area, adjacent to 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. However, part 25 does not provide all the requirements for crew rest compartments within the overhead area of the passenger compartment. Further, these special conditions do not negate the need to address other applicable part 25 regulations.
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.
During a previous publication of the substantially identical special conditions a comment was received after the comment period had closed. The commenter thought requiring placards prohibiting storage of “hazardous quantities of flammable fluids” was unnecessary and a duplication of International Air Transport Association (IATA) Dangerous Goods Regulations, specially, “Provisions for Dangerous Goods Carried by Passengers or Crew.” The FAA concurs with the commenter that the placard requirement is similar to the IATA requirement, therefore, the requirement for the placard has been removed.
Notice of final special conditions; request for comments, No. 25-216-SC, for the Boeing Model 777-200 series airplanes was published in the Federal Register on October 11, 2002 (67 FR 63250). Two commenters responded to the notice.
The first commenter requests that Special Condition No. 2 be revised to include the wording “if the open panel would impede evacuation from the main deck.” This comment was not incorporated because the FAA finds that the current statement adequately states the objectives of the requirement.
This commenter also requests that Special Condition No. 8 be revised to Start Printed Page 15341add the statement “Consideration can be given to bunks, walls, partitions, etc. that can be utilized to brace oneself during turbulence.” This comment was not incorporated because the suggested statement would be considered a method of compliance. The FAA finds that the current statement adequately states the objectives of the requirement.
This commenter has a third comment requesting that Special Condition No. 14(d) be revised to include the phrase, “except for curtained bunks.” The FAA agrees and has incorporated the phrase into Special Condition No. 14(d) as it helps clarify the intent of the requirement.
Finally, the first commenter requests the addition of a special condition dealing with the size and fire protection of stowage compartments. This project is a one-only Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) and as such has limited application and is adequately covered by the existing regulations. Also, all future STC projects will encompass this requirement in some form. Therefore this comment was not incorporated.
The second commenter requested that Special Condition No. 1 be revised as follows: 1: The occupancy of the overhead crew rest compartment is limited to the total number of installed bunks and seats in each compartment. 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. When being used for required flightcrew rest, the maximum occupancy of the OFCR [overhead flight crew rest] compartment is two. The maximum occupancy in the OFAR [overhead flight attendant rest] is twelve.” This comment was not incorporated. The distinction between an OFCR and an OFAR based on the phase of flight is an operational issue and outside the scope of these special conditions. This issue should be addressed as described earlier in the preamble under the heading, “Operational Evaluations and Approval.”
The next comment deals with occupying the crewrest during taxi, takeoff, and landing. These special conditions do not cover occupancy during taxi, takeoff, and landing, therefore, this comment was not incorporated.
The second commenter's final comment encompasses both Special Conditions No. 6 and 7. The commenter views the OFCR as being an extension of the flightdeck. Except for purely emergency notifications, all communications to the OFCR should come from the flightdeck. The FAA concurs, and this comment was incorporated into Special Condition No. 6 to include provisions to provide only the relevant information to the flight crewmembers in the overhead crew rest. Special Condition No. 7 remains unchanged.
As discussed above, these special conditions are applicable to the 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 Data Sheet No. T00001SE to incorporate the same novel or unusual design feature, these special conditions would apply to that model as well under the provisions of § 21.101(a)(1) Amendment 21-69, effective September 16, 1991.
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 Boeing Model 777-200 series airplanes, modified by Flight Structures Inc., with an overhead flightcrew rest (OFCR) compartment.
1. Occupancy of the OFCR compartment is limited to the total number of installed bunks and seats in each compartment. There must be an approved seat or berth able to withstand the maximum flight loads when occupied for each occupant permitted in the OFCR compartment. The maximum occupancy is four in the OFCR compartment.
(a) There must be appropriate placards, inside and outside each entrance to the OFCR compartment to indicate:
(2) That occupancy is restricted to crewmembers that are trained in the evacuation procedures for the OFCR compartment,
(4) That smoking is prohibited in the OFCR compartment.
(b) There must be at least one ashtray on the inside and outside of any entrance to the OFCR compartment.
(c) There must be a means to prevent passengers from entering the OFCR 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 OFCR 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 OFCR 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, which could be used by each occupant of the OFCR compartment to rapidly evacuate to the main cabin and be able to be closed from the main passenger cabin after evacuation. In addition—
(a) The routes must be located with sufficient separation within the OFCR 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 the two evacuation routes should 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 OFCR compartment. If an evacuation route utilizes an area where normal movement of passengers occurs, it must be demonstrated that passengers would not impede egress to the main deck. If there is low headroom at or near the evacuation route, provisions must be made to prevent or to protect occupants (of the OFCR area) from head injury. The use of evacuation routes must not be dependent on any powered device. If the evacuation path is over an area where there are passenger seats, a maximum of one row of passengers may be displaced from their seats temporarily during the evacuation process of an incapacitated person(s). 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. Start Printed Page 15342
(c) Emergency evacuation procedures and the emergency evacuation of incapacitated occupant procedures must be established and transmitted to the operator for incorporation into their training programs and appropriate operational manuals. If the evacuation path is over an area where there are passenger seats, a maximum of one row of passengers may be displaced from their seats temporarily during the evacuation process.
3. There must be a means for the evacuation of an incapacitated person (representative of a ninety-fifth percentile male) from the OFCR compartment to the passenger cabin floor.
(a) The evacuation must be demonstrated for all evacuation routes. A flight crewmember or other crewmember (a total of one assistant within the OFCR 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. For evacuation routes having stairways, the additional assistants may ascend up to one half the elevation change from the main deck to the OFCR compartment, or to the first landing, whichever is lower.
(b) Procedures for the evacuation of an incapacitated person from the OFCR compartment must be established.
4. The following signs and placards must be provided in the OFCR compartment:
(a) At least one exit sign, located near each exit, meeting the requirements of § 25.812(b)(1)(i), except that a sign of reduced background area with no less than 5.3 square inches (excluding the letters) may be utilized, provided that it is installed such that the material surrounding the exit sign is light in color (e.g. white, cream, light beige). If the material surrounding the exit sign is not light in color, a sign with a minimum of a one-inch wide background border around the letters would also be acceptable.
(b) An appropriate placard located near each exit defining the location and the operating instructions for each evacuation route.
5. There must be a means in the event of failure of the aircraft's main power system, or of the normal OFCR compartment lighting system, for emergency illumination to be automatically provided for the crew rest compartment.
(c) The illumination level must be sufficient for the occupants of the OFCR 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 crewmembers on the flightdeck and occupants of the OFCR compartment. There must also be two-way communications between the occupants of the OFCR compartment and each flight attendant station required to have a public address system microphone per § 25.1423(g) in the passenger cabin. In addition, the public address system will include provisions to provide only the relevant information to the flight crewmembers in the overhead crew rest compartment (e.g., fire in flight, aircraft depressurization, preparation of the compartment occupants for landing, etc.) and the appropriate training for the flight crewmembers.
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 flightdeck and at each pair of required floor level emergency exits to alert occupants of the OFCR 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 (APU), or the disconnection or failure of all power sources dependent on their continued operation (i.e. engine and APU), for a period of at least ten minutes.
8. There must be a means, readily detectable by seated or standing occupants of the OFCR compartment, which indicates when seat belts should be fastened. In the event there are no seats, at least one means must be provided to cover anticipated turbulence (e.g. 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.
9. In lieu of the requirements specified in § 25.1439(a) that pertain to isolated compartments and to provide a level of safety equivalent to that which is provided occupants of a small isolated galley, the following equipment must be provided in the OFCR compartment:
(b) Two protective breathing equipment (PBE) devices, approved to Technical Standard Order (TSO)-C116 or equivalent, suitable for fire fighting or one PBE for each hand-held fire extinguisher, whichever is greater; and
10. A smoke or fire detection system (or systems) must be provided that monitors each area within the OFCR 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 flightdeck within one minute after the start of a fire;
(b) An aural warning in the OFCR compartment; and
11. The OFCR 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 fire fighting 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 Start Printed Page 15343smoke or extinguishing agent originating in the OFCR compartment from entering any other compartment occupied by crewmembers or passengers. This 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 after opening the OFCR access door must dissipate within five minutes after closing the access to the OFCR compartment. Flight tests must be conducted to show compliance with this requirement.
If a built-in fire extinguishing system is used in lieu of manual fire fighting, then the fire extinguishing system must be designed so that no hazardous quantities of extinguishing agent will enter other compartments occupied by passengers or crew; the system must have adequate capacity to suppress any fire occurring in the OFCR compartment, considering the fire threat, volume of the compartment and the ventilation rate.
13. There must be a supplemental oxygen system equivalent to that provided for main deck passengers for each seat and berth in the OFCR compartment. The system must provide an aural and visual warning to warn the occupants of the crew rest compartment to don oxygen masks in the event of decompression. The warning must activate before the cabin pressure altitude exceeds 15,000 feet. The aural warning must sound continuously until a reset push button in the OFCR compartment is depressed.
14. The following requirements apply to OFCR compartments that are 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 OFCR compartment that accompanies automatic presentation of supplemental oxygen masks. A minimum of 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 flightdeck.
(b) A placard is required adjacent to each curtain that visually divides or separates, for privacy purposes, the OFCR 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 OFCR section 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), and
(5) The smoke or fire detection system (Special Condition No. 10).
(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 OFCR compartment, except for curtained bunks, and must meet the requirements of § 25.812(b)(1)(i).
(e) Sections within an OFCR 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 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.
(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. An exit sign with reduced background area as described in Special Condition No. 4(a) may be used to meet this requirement.
(f) For each smaller section within the main OFCR 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:
(5) Seat belt fasten signal or return to seat signal as applicable (Special Condition No. 8),
(7) Smoke or fire detection system (Special Condition No. 10).
15. The requirements of two-way voice communication with the flightdeck 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.
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 March 20, 2003.
[FR Doc. 03-7667 Filed 3-28-03; 8:45 am]