Special Conditions: Airbus Model A380-800 Airplane, Reinforced Flightdeck Bulkhead, 18236-18237 [E6-5240]

Agencies

• Federal Aviation Administration
• DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 69 (Tuesday, April 11, 2006)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 18236-18237]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-5240]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 25

[Docket No. NM317; Notice No. 25-05-12-SC]


Special Conditions: Airbus Model A380-800 Airplane, Reinforced 
Flightdeck Bulkhead

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed special conditions.

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SUMMARY: This notice proposes special conditions for the Airbus A380-
800 airplane. This airplane will have novel or unusual design features 
when compared to the state of technology envisioned in the 
airworthiness standards for transport category airplanes. Many of these 
novel or unusual design features are associated with the complex 
systems and the configuration of the airplane, including its full-
length double deck.
    For these design features, the applicable airworthiness regulations 
do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards regarding a 
reinforced flightdeck bulkhead. These proposed special conditions 
contain the additional safety standards that the Administrator 
considers necessary to establish an appropriate level of safety for a 
reinforced flightdeck bulkhead and are equivalent to the standards 
established by existing airworthiness regulations for the flightdeck 
door. Additional special conditions will be issued for other novel or 
unusual design features of the Airbus Model A380-800 airplane.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before May 26, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Comments on this proposal may be mailed in duplicate to: 
Federal Aviation Administration, Transport Airplane Directorate, 
Attention: Rules Docket (ANM-113), Docket No.NM317, 1601 Lind Avenue, 
SW., Renton, Washington 98055-4056; or delivered in duplicate to the 
Transport Airplane Directorate at the above address. All comments must 
be marked: Docket No. NM317. Comments may be inspected in the Rules 
Docket weekdays, except Federal holidays, between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Holly Thorson, FAA, International 
Branch, ANM-116, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service, 1601 Lind Avenue, SW., Renton, Washington 98055-4056; 
telephone (425) 227-1357; facsimile (425) 227-1149.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    The FAA invites interested persons to participate in this 
rulemaking by submitting written comments, data, or views. The most 
helpful comments reference a specific portion of the special 
conditions, explain the reason for any recommended change, and include 
supporting data. We ask that you send us two copies of written 
comments.
    We will file in the docket all comments we receive as well as a 
report summarizing each substantive public contact with FAA personnel 
concerning these proposed special conditions. The docket is available 
for public inspection before and after the comment closing date. If you 
wish to review the docket in person, go to the address in the ADDRESSES 
section of this document between 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays.
    We will consider all comments we receive on or before the closing 
date for comments. We will consider comments filed late, if it is 
possible to do so without incurring expense or delay. We may change the 
proposed special conditions in light of the comments we receive.
    If you want the FAA to acknowledge receipt of your comments on this 
proposal, include with your comments a pre-addressed, stamped postcard 
on which the docket number appears. We will stamp the date on the 
postcard and mail it back to you.

Background

    Airbus applied for FAA certification/validation of the 
provisionally designated Model A3XX-100 in its letter AI/L 810.0223/98, 
dated August 12, 1998, to the FAA. Application for certification by the 
Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA) of Europe had been made on January 16, 
1998, reference AI/L 810.0019/98. In its letter to the FAA, Airbus 
requested an extension to the 5-year period for type certification in 
accordance with 14 CFR 21.17(c).
    The request was for an extension to a 7-year period, using the date 
of the initial application letter to the JAA as the reference date. The 
reason given by Airbus for the request for extension is related to the 
technical challenges, complexity, and the number of new and novel 
features on the airplane. On November 12, 1998, the Manager, Aircraft 
Engineering Division, AIR-100, granted Airbus' request for the 7-year 
period, based on the date of application to the JAA.
    In its letter AI/LE-A 828.0040/99 Issue 3, dated July 20, 2001, 
Airbus stated that its target date for type certification of the Model 
A380-800 had been moved from May 2005, to January 2006, to match the 
delivery date of the first production airplane. In a subsequent letter 
(AI/L 810.0223/98 Issue 3, dated January 27, 2006), Airbus stated that 
its target date for type certification is October 2, 2006. In 
accordance with 14 CFR 21.17(d)(2), Airbus chose a new application date 
of December 20, 1999, and requested that the 7-year certification 
period which had already been approved be continued. The FAA has 
reviewed the part 25 certification basis for the Model A380-800 
airplane, and no changes are required based on the new application 
date.
    The Model A380-800 airplane will be an all-new, four-engine jet 
transport airplane with a full double-deck, two-aisle cabin. The 
maximum takeoff weight will be 1.235 million pounds with a typical 
three-class layout of 555 passengers.

Type Certification Basis

    Under the provisions of 14 CFR 21.17, Airbus must show that the 
Model A380-800 airplane meets the applicable provisions of 14 CFR part 
25, as amended by Amendments 25-1 through 25-98. If the Administrator 
finds that the applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain 
adequate or appropriate safety standards for the Airbus A380-800 
airplane because of novel or unusual design features, special 
conditions are prescribed under the provisions of 14 CFR 21.16.
    In addition to the applicable airworthiness regulations and special 
conditions, the Airbus Model A380-800 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. In addition, the 
FAA must issue a finding of regulatory adequacy pursuant to section 611 
of Public Law 93-574, the ``Noise Control Act of 1972.''
    Special conditions, as defined in 14 CFR 11.19, are issued in 
accordance with 14 CFR 11.38 and become part of the type certification 
basis in accordance with 14 CFR 21.17(a)(2).
    Special conditions are initially applicable to the model for which 
they are issued. Should the type certificate

[[Page 18237]]

for that model be amended later to include any other model that 
incorporates the same novel or unusual design feature, or should any 
other model already included on the same type certificate be modified 
to incorporate the same novel or unusual design features, the special 
conditions would also apply to the other model under the provisions of 
14 CFR 21.101.

Discussion of Novel or Unusual Design Features

    The A380 will have a flightdeck bulkhead which is reinforced to 
resist intrusion and ballistic penetration. On January 15, 2002, the 
FAA promulgated 14 CFR 25.795(a), which specifies that the flightdeck 
door installation be designed to resist forcible intrusion by 
unauthorized persons or penetration by small arms fire and 
fragmentation devices. The regulation was limited to the flightdeck 
door to expedite a rapid retrofit of existing airplanes which are 
required by operating rules to have a flightdeck door.
    The FAA intends that the flightdeck bulkhead--and any other 
accessible barrier separating the flightcrew compartment from occupied 
areas--also be designed to resist intrusion or penetration. We are in 
the process of rulemaking to amend Sec.  25.795(a) to make that and 
other changes pertaining to security.
    Meanwhile, the FAA is proposing special conditions for the Airbus 
Model A380-800 regarding design of the reinforced flightdeck bulkhead 
separating the flightcrew compartment from occupied areas. The special 
conditions would require that the flightdeck bulkhead meet the same 
standards as those specified in Sec.  25.795(a) for flightdeck doors. 
For the A380, the bulkhead may be comprised of components, such as 
lavatory and crew rest walls; these components are covered by these 
special conditions.

Applicability

    As discussed above, these special conditions are applicable to the 
Airbus A380-800 airplane. Should Airbus apply at a later date for a 
change to the type certificate to include another model incorporating 
the same novel or unusual design features, these special conditions 
would apply to that model as well under the provisions of Sec.  21.101.

Conclusion

    This action affects only certain novel or unusual design features 
of the Airbus A380-800 airplane. It is not a rule of general 
applicability.

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 Proposed Special Conditions

    Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the 
Administrator, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposes the 
following special condition as part of the type certification basis for 
the Airbus A380-800 airplane.
    In addition to the requirements of 14 CFR 25.795(a) governing 
protection of the flightdeck door, the following special conditions 
apply:
    The bulkhead, including components that comprise the bulkhead, 
separating the flightcrew compartment from occupied areas must be 
designed to meet the following standards:
     It must resist forcible intrusion by unauthorized persons 
and be capable of withstanding impacts of 300 Joules (221.3 foot-
pounds) at critical locations as well as a 1113 Newton (250 pound) 
constant tensile load on accessible handholds, including the doorknob 
or handle.
     It must resist penetration by small arms fire and 
fragmentation devices to a level equivalent to level IIIa of the 
National Institute of Justice Standard (NIJ) 0101.04.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on April 3, 2006.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. E6-5240 Filed 4-10-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P