Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/08/19/2019-17697/special-conditions-the-boeing-company-model-777-9-series-airplane-overhead-flight-attendant-rest
Timestamp: 2019-08-26 09:11:18
Document Index: 129564616

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 34', 'art 36', 'art 25', '§\u200925', '§\u200925', '§\u200925', '§\u200925', 'art 25', '§\u200925', '§\u200925', '§\u200925']

Federal Register :: Special Conditions: The Boeing Company Model 777-9 Series Airplane; Overhead Flight Attendant Rest Compartment
A Proposed Rule by the Federal Aviation Administration on 08/19/2019
Send comments on or before October 3, 2019.
42842-42847 (6 pages)
Notice No. 25-19-05-SC
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2019-17697 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2019-17697
Send comments identified by Docket No. FAA-2019-0330 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 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.Start Printed Page 42843
In addition to the applicable airworthiness regulations and special conditions, the Boeing Model 777-9 series airplane 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.
This airplane will have an installation of an OFAR compartment. The OFAR compartment of the Boeing Model 777-9 series airplane is unique to part 25 due to its design, location, and use on the airplane. This compartment is particularly unique in that it is located in the overhead area of the passenger compartment and crewmembers may occupy this compartment for crew rest purposes during flight.
Boeing has previously installed certified OFAR compartments on Boeing Model 777 series airplanes in varied locations, such as the main passenger seating area, the overhead space above the main passenger cabin seating area, and below the passenger cabin seating area within the cargo compartment. In each case, the Administrator determined that the applicable regulations 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.
For the Boeing Model 777-9 series airplane, the OFAR compartment is located in the overhead space, above the main passenger cabin seating area, adjacent to Door 5. The OFAR compartment will contain six, eight, or ten private berths depending upon customer configuration. Additionally, only trained crewmembers will occupy the OFAR compartment in flight, not during taxi, takeoff, or landing. Crewmembers will access the OFAR compartment from the main deck by stairs through a vestibule. In addition, a secondary evacuation route, which opens directly into the main passenger seating area, will be available as an alternate route for evacuating occupants of the compartment. The compartment will provide a smoke detection system, an oxygen system, and occupant amenities.
This Boeing Model 777-9 series airplane OFAR compartment is unique to part § 25.853 (a), (e), and (h) due to its design, location, and use on the airplane. This compartment is particularly unique in that it is located in the overhead area of the passenger compartment and crewmembers may occupy this compartment for crew rest purposes during flight. Due to the novel or unusual features associated with the installation of this compartment, the FAA considers special conditions necessary to provide a level of safety equal to that established by the airworthiness regulations incorporated by reference in the G-1 Issue Paper for the Boeing Model 777-9 series airplane.
Boeing originally requested that Special Conditions No. 25-230-SC (68 FR 17513, April 9, 2003) for the OFAR compartment be made applicable to the Boeing Model 777-9 series airplane via collector issue paper. Subsequent to the issuance of Special Conditions No. 25-Start Printed Page 42844230-SC, the FAA issued Special Conditions No. 25-419-SC (76 FR 10482, February 25, 2011), for OFAR compartments allowed to be occupied during flight on Boeing Model 787 series airplanes. In consideration of these special conditions, which reflect the current methodology for addressing remote OFAR compartments, new special conditions are proposed for the Boeing Model 777-9 series airplanes.
Accordingly, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposes the following special conditions as part of the type certification basis for Boeing Model 777-9 series airplane.
c. A limitation in the airplane flight manual, or other means, must be established to restrict occupancy to crewmembers, which the pilot in command has determined to be trained in the emergency procedures for the OFAR compartment.
f. For all doors installed in the OFAR compartment, a means must be in place that precludes anyone from being trapped inside the OFAR compartment. If a manufacturer or operator installs a locking mechanism on a door, 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 OFAR compartment at any time.
2. Emergency Evacuation Routes. At least two emergency evacuation routes must be available for occupants of the OFAR compartment to evacuate rapidly to the main cabin. OFAR compartment doors must be able to close these evacuation routes from the main passenger cabin after evacuation. In addition—
c. One of the two OFAR evacuation routes should not be located where egress from the OFAR compartment may be impeded, during times when normal movement or occupancy is allowed, or evacuation by passengers occurs (for example, the main aisle, cross aisle, or galley complex). If an evacuation route is in an area where normal movement of passengers occurs, it must be demonstrated that passengers would not impede egress to the main deck.
h. OFAR compartment emergency evacuation procedures—including procedures for emergency evacuation of an incapacitated occupant from the OFAR compartment—must be established. The applicant must transmit all of these procedures to each operator for incorporation into its training programs and appropriate operational manuals
i. A limitation must be included in the airplane flight manual, or other suitable means, to require that crewmembers are trained in the use of the OFAR compartment evacuation routes.Start Printed Page 42845
4. Exit Signs and Placards. The applicant must provide the following exit signs and placards in the OFAR compartment, which meet the following criteria:
b. One allowable exception is an exit sign having a reduced background area of no less than 5.3 square inches (excluding the letters) that is installed where the material surrounding the exit sign is light in color (such as white, cream, or light beige).
c. 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 is acceptable. Another allowable exception in an OFAR compartment is a sign with a symbol that the FAA has determined to be equivalent for use as an exit sign that meets § 25.811(d).
d. An appropriate placard for general access located conspicuously on or near each OFAR compartment door or hatch that defines the location and the operating instructions for access to and operation of the outlet door or hatch.
e. Placards must be readable from a distance of 30 inches under emergency lighting conditions.
f. The door handles, hatch handles, and operating-instruction placards required by Special Condition 4(d) of these special conditions must be illuminated to at least 160 micro lamberts under emergency lighting conditions.
11. Built-in fire suppression system. The OFAR compartment must be designed such that fires within the compartment can be controlled without a crewmember having to enter the compartment (i.e., built-in fire suppression system), 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 exceed the time for the compartment to become smoke-filled, making it difficult to locate the fire source. The acceptable duration that a built-in fire suppression system can be maintained must be verified by certification flight-testing.
12. Hazardous Smoke and Extinguishing Agent. The applicant must provide a means to prevent hazardous quantities of smoke or extinguishing agent originating in the OFAR compartment from entering the Start Printed Page 42846flight deck, passenger cabin, or any other occupiable compartment.
a. At least one oxygen mask for each seat and berth in the OFAR compartment.
f. The applicant must establish approved procedures for OFAR occupants in the event of decompression. The applicant must transmit these procedures must be transmitted to the operator for incorporation into its training programs and appropriate operational manuals.
14. Divided OFAR Compartments. The following requirements apply to OFAR compartments that are divided into several sections by the installation of curtains or partitions:
a. A placard is required adjacent to each curtain that visually divides or separates, for example, for privacy purposes, the OFAR compartment into smaller sections. The placard must require that the curtain(s) remains open when that section is unoccupied. The vestibule section adjacent to the stairway is not considered a private section and, therefore, does not require a placard.
c. OFAR compartments that are divided by curtains to the extent that evacuation could be adversely affected must have exit signs directing occupants to the primary stairway outlet. The exit signs must be provided in each separated section of the OFAR compartment, except for curtained bunks, and must meet requirements of § 25.812(b)(1)(i). An exit sign with reduced background area or a symbolic exit sign, as described in Special Condition 4(a), may be used to meet this requirement.
15. Waste Disposal Receptacle. If a waste-disposal receptacle is fitted in the OFAR compartment, it must be equipped with an automatic fire Start Printed Page 42847extinguisher that meets the performance requirements of § 25.854(b).
17. OFAR Compartment Lavatory. An addition of a lavatory within the OFAR compartment requires the lavatory to meet the same requirements as a lavatory installed on the main deck except with regard to Special Condition 10 for smoke detection.
18. OFAR Compartment Stowage. Each stowage compartment in the OFAR compartment, except for under seat compartments for occupant convenience, must be completely enclosed. All enclosed stowage compartments within the OFAR compartment that are not limited to stowage of emergency equipment or airplane-supplied equipment (e.g., bedding) must meet the design criteria described in table 1 of these special conditions. Enclosed stowage compartments greater than 200 ft3 in interior volume are not addressed by this special condition. The in-flight accessibility of very large, enclosed, stowage compartments and the subsequent impact on the crewmembers' ability to effectively reach any part of the compartment with the contents of a hand-held fire-extinguishing system will require additional fire-protection considerations similar to those required for inaccessible compartments such as Class C cargo compartments.
a. Materials of Construction: The material used in constructing each enclosed stowage compartment must at least be fire resistant and must meet the flammability standards established for interior components (i.e., 14 CFR part 25 Appendix F, Parts I, IV, and V) per the requirements 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.
b. Smoke or Fire Detectors: 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. The applicant must conduct flight tests to show compliance with this requirement. Each smoke or fire detection system(s) must provide:
(1) If the material used in constructing the stowage compartment meets the flammability requirements of a liner for a Class B cargo compartment (§ 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, but less than 57 ft.3 in interior volume.
(2) For all enclosed stowage compartments equal to or greater than 57 ft.3 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.
d. Fire Location Detector: If an OFAR compartment has enclosed stowage compartments exceeding 25 ft.3 interior volume that are located separately from the other stowage compartments central location, such as the entry to the OFAR compartment or other common area, that OFAR compartment requires additional fire protection features and devices to assist a firefighter in determining the location of that fire.
[FR Doc. 2019-17697 Filed 8-16-19; 8:45 am]