Special Conditions: TTF Aerospace, LLC, Airbus Model A330-300 and Model A330-900 Series Airplanes; Bulk Cargo Lower Deck Crew Rest Compartments, 26593-26598 [2019-11957]
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Proposed Rules
Federal Register
Vol. 84, No. 110
Friday, June 7, 2019
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER
contains notices to the public of the proposed
issuance of rules and regulations. The
purpose of these notices is to give interested
persons an opportunity to participate in the
rule making prior to the adoption of the final
rules.
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 25
[Docket No. FAA–FAA–2019–0427; Notice
No. 25–19–07–SC]
Special Conditions: TTF Aerospace,
LLC, Airbus Model A330–300 and
Model A330–900 Series Airplanes; Bulk
Cargo Lower Deck Crew Rest
Compartments
Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed special
conditions.
AGENCY:
This action proposes special
conditions for the Airbus Model A330–
300 and Model A330–900 series
airplanes. These airplanes, as modified
by TTF Aerospace, LLC (TTF
Aerospace), will have a novel or
unusual design feature when compared
to the state of technology envisioned in
the airworthiness standards for
transport category airplanes. This design
feature is a lower deck mobile crew rest
(LD–MCR) installed in the aft cargo
compartment of Model A330–300 and
Model A330–900 series airplanes. The
applicable airworthiness regulations do
not contain adequate or appropriate
safety standards for this design feature.
These proposed 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.
DATES: Send comments on or before
June 27, 2019.
ADDRESSES: Send comments identified
by Docket No. FAA–2019–0427 using
any of the following methods:
• Federal eRegulations Portal: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov/ and follow
the online instructions for sending your
comments electronically.
• Mail: Send comments to Docket
Operations, M–30, U.S. Department of
Transportation (DOT), 1200 New Jersey
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SUMMARY:
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Avenue SE, Room W12–140, West
Building Ground Floor, Washington, DC
20590–0001.
• 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.
• Fax: Fax comments to Docket
Operations at 202–493–2251.
Privacy: The FAA will post all
comments it receives, without change,
to https://www.regulations.gov/,
including any personal information the
commenter provides. Using the search
function of the docket website, anyone
can find and read the electronic form of
all comments received into any FAA
docket, including the name of the
individual sending the comment (or
signing the comment for an association,
business, labor union, etc.). DOT’s
complete Privacy Act Statement can be
found in the Federal Register published
on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477–19478).
Docket: Background documents or
comments received may be read at
https://www.regulations.gov/ at any time.
Follow the online instructions for
accessing the docket or go 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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Alan Sinclair, Airframe & Cabin Safety
Section, AIR–675, Transport Standards
Branch, Policy and Innovation Division,
Aircraft Certification Service, Federal
Aviation Administration, 2200 South
216th Street, Des Moines, Washington
98198; telephone and fax 206 231 3215;
email alan.sinclair@faa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
We invite interested people to take
part in this rulemaking by sending
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 will consider all comments we
receive by the closing date for
comments. We may change these special
conditions based on the comments we
receive.
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Background
On February 20, 2019, TTF Aerospace
applied for a supplemental type
certificate for a LD–MCR installed in the
aft cargo compartment of Airbus Model
A330–300 and Model A330–900 series
airplanes. The Airbus Model A330–300
and Model A330–900 series airplanes
are twin-engine, transport category
airplanes with maximum takeoff
weights of 405,650 and 533,518 pounds,
respectively, and seating for 440
passengers.
The LD–MCR compartment will be
located under the passenger cabin floor
in the aft cargo compartment of Airbus
Model A330–300 and Model A330–900
airplanes. It will be removable from the
cargo compartment. The LD–MCR
compartment will be occupied in flight
but not during taxi, takeoff, or landing.
No more than ten crewmembers at a
time will be permitted to occupy it. The
LD–MCR compartment will have a
smoke detection system, a fire
suppression system, and an oxygen
system.
The LD–MCR compartment will be
accessed from the main deck via a
‘‘stairhouse.’’ The floor within the
stairhouse has a hatch that leads to
stairs that occupants use to descend into
the LD–MCR compartment. An interface
will keep this hatch open when the
stairhouse door is open. In addition,
there will be an emergency hatch that
opens directly into the main passenger
cabin. The LD–MCR compartment has a
maintenance door. This door is
intended to be used to allow
maintenance personnel and cargo
handlers to enter the LD–MCR from the
cargo compartment when the airplane is
not in flight.
Type Certification Basis
Under the provisions of title 14, Code
of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) 21.101,
TTF Aerospace must show that the
Airbus Model A330–300 and Model
A330–900 series airplanes, as changed,
continue to meet the applicable
provisions of the regulations listed in
Type Certificate No. A46NM or the
applicable regulations in effect on the
date of application for the change,
except for earlier amendments as agreed
upon by the FAA.
If the Administrator finds that the
applicable airworthiness regulations
(i.e., 14 CFR part 25) do not contain
adequate or appropriate safety standards
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for the Airbus Model A330–300 and
Model A330–900 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,
these special conditions would also
apply to the other model under § 21.101.
In addition to the applicable
airworthiness regulations and special
conditions, the Airbus Model A330–300
and Model A330–900 series airplanes
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 issues special conditions, as
defined in 14 CFR 11.19, in accordance
with § 11.38, and they become part of
the type certification basis under
§ 21.101.
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Novel or Unusual Design Features
The Airbus Model A330–300 and
Model A330–900 series airplanes will
incorporate the following novel or
unusual design features:
This design feature is a LD–MCR
installed in the aft cargo compartment of
Model A330–300 and Model A330–900
series airplanes.
Discussion
While the installation of the crew rest
compartment is not a new concept for
large transport category airplanes, each
crew rest compartment has unique
features based on design, location, and
use on the airplane. The LD–MCR
compartment is novel in terms of part
25 of title 14 of the CFR in that it will
be located under the passenger cabin
floor in the aft cargo compartment of
Airbus Model A330–300 and Model
A330–900 series airplanes, which is not
contemplated by § 25.819 regarding
lower deck service compartments
(including galleys). Due to the novel or
unusual features associated with the
installation of a LD–MCR 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 certificates of
these airplanes as applicable
airworthiness regulations do not contain
adequate or appropriate safety standards
for this design feature.
Most of these special conditions come
from § 25.819 but they require more
stringent standards for fire protection
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and emergency egress, because of design
features and location of the LD–MCR.
The applicant should note that the FAA
considers 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) for crew
rest compartments complex in terms of
paragraph 6d of Advisory Circular (AC)
25.1309–1A, ‘‘System Design and
Analysis,’’ dated June 21, 1988. 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. Refer to 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 areas.
The requirements to enable
crewmembers’ 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 considers that the crew rest area
must be limited to the stowage of crew
personal luggage and must not 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.
Furthermore, the addition of galley
equipment or a kitchenette
incorporating a heat source (e.g., cook
tops, microwaves, coffee pots, etc.),
other than a conventional lavatory or
kitchenette hot water heater, within the
LD–MCR compartment defined in the
‘‘Novel or Unusual Design Features’’
section, may require additional special
conditions to be considered. A hot water
heater is acceptable without further
special conditions consideration.
Finally, 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 LD–
MCR compartment is an isolated
separate compartment, so § 25.1439(a) is
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applicable. However, the § 25.1439(a)
protective breathing equipment (PBE)
requirements for isolated separate
compartments are not appropriate
because the LD–MCR is novel or
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. Two crewmembers were the
maximum expected to occupy those
galleys.
This crew rest compartment can
accommodate up to ten 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 PBEs 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. These
special conditions therefore provide
procedures that establish a level of
safety equivalent to the PBE
requirements.
Operational Evaluations and Approval
These special conditions outline
requirements for flightcrew and cabin
crew rest compartment design approvals
(e.g., type design change or
supplemental type certificate)
administered by the FAA’s Aircraft
Certification Service. Prior to
operational use of a flight (cabin) crew
rest compartment, the FAA’s Flight
Standards Service must evaluate for
operational suitability the flight (cabin)
crew sleeping quarters and rest
facilities. Refer to §§ 91.1061(b)(1),
121.485(a), 121.523(b), and
135.269(b)(5).
Compliance with these special
conditions does not ensure that the
applicant has demonstrated compliance
with the requirements of 14 CFR parts
91, 121, or 135.
To obtain an operational evaluation,
the type design holder must contact the
appropriate Aircraft Evaluation Group
(AEG) in the Flight Standards Service
and request an evaluation for
operational suitability of the flightcrew
sleeping quarters in their crew rest
facility. Results of these evaluations
should be documented and appended to
the applicable Flight Standardization
Board (FSB) Report. Individual
operators may reference these
standardized evaluations in discussions
with their FAA Principal Operating
Inspector (POI) as the basis for an
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operational approval, in lieu of an onsite operational evaluation.
Any changes to the approved flight
(cabin) crew rest compartment
configuration that affect 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. In the event of any design
change that affects egress, safety
procedures, or training, the applicant is
responsible for notifying the FAA’s AEG
that a new crew rest facility evaluation
is required.
All instructions for continued
airworthiness (ICAs) will be submitted
to the Seattle AEG for approval
acceptance, including service bulletins,
before issuance of the FAA modification
approval.
These proposed special conditions are
the same as Special Condition 25–281–
SC, except the maximum occupancy is
ten rather than seven occupants and a
change to the table in Special Condition
20. The proposed conditions provide an
appropriate level of safety for the
proposed occupancy limit as only the
size of the compartment will increase to
accommodate the additional occupants
but all other requirements for safety, fire
suppression, and emergency evacuation
will remain the same. In addition, the
change to the table in Special Condition
20 is related to the location of the crew
rest and specifics of the crew rest
design. Stowage compartments located
in the vicinity of critical equipment or
located in an overhead area would
typically be listed as conditional.
However, this LD–MCR is located in the
Class C cargo compartment with all of
its features that provide fire protection
(e.g., the use of liner material that meets
appendix F to part 25, part III; control
of ventilation; active fire suppression;
active fire detection; etc.). These
features remain when the crew rest is
installed.
The proposed 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.
Applicability
As discussed above, these special
conditions are applicable to the Airbus
Model A330–300 and Model A330–900
airplanes. Should TTF Aerospace apply
at a later date for a supplemental type
certificate to modify any other model
included on Type Certificate No.
A46NM to incorporate the same novel
or unusual design feature, these special
conditions would apply to that model as
well.
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Certification of the Airbus Model
A330–300 and Model A330–900
airplanes with the LD–MCR is currently
scheduled for June 2019. The substance
of these special conditions has been
subject to the notice and public
comment procedure in several prior
instances. Therefore, because a delay
would significantly affect the
applicant’s installation of the system
and the certification of the airplane, we
are shortening the public comment
period to 20 days.
Conclusion
This action affects only a certain
novel or unusual design feature on
Airbus Model A330–300 and Model
A330–900 of airplanes. It is not a rule
of general applicability and affects only
the applicant who applied to the FAA
for approval of these features on the
airplane.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 25
Aircraft, Aviation safety, Reporting
and recordkeeping requirements.
Authority Citation
The authority citation for these
special conditions is as follows:
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 106(g), 40113,
44701, 44702, 44704.
The Proposed Special Conditions
Accordingly, the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) proposes the
following special conditions as part of
the type certification basis for Airbus
Model A330–300 and Model A330–900
airplanes, as modified by TTF
Aerospace.
1. Occupancy of the LD–MCR
compartment is limited to the total
number of installed bunks and seats in
each compartment. For each occupant
permitted in the LD–MCR compartment,
there must be an approved seat or berth
able to withstand the maximum flight
loads when occupied. The maximum
occupancy in the LD–MCR
compartment is ten.
a. There must be appropriate placards
displayed in a conspicuous place at
each entrance to the LD–MCR
compartment indicating the following
information:
(1) The maximum number of
occupants allowed;
(2) That occupancy is restricted to
crewmembers trained in the evacuation
procedures for the LD–MCR
compartment;
(3) That occupancy is prohibited
during taxi, takeoff and landing;
(4) That smoking is prohibited in the
LD–MCR compartment; and
(5) That the LD–MCR compartment is
limited to the stowage of personal
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luggage of crewmembers and must not
be used for the stowage of cargo or
passenger baggage.
b. There must be at least one ashtray
located conspicuously on or near the
entry side of any entrance to the LD–
MCR compartment.
c. There must be a means to prevent
passengers from entering the LD–MCR
compartment in an emergency or when
no flight attendant is present.
d. There must be a means for any door
installed between the LD–MCR
compartment and the passenger cabin to
be capable of being quickly opened from
inside the LD–MCR compartment, even
when crowding occurs at each side of
the door.
e. For all doors installed in the
evacuation routes, there must be a
means to preclude anyone from being
trapped inside a 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 a compartment at any time.
2. There must be at least two
emergency evacuation routes, which
could be used by each occupant of the
LD–MCR compartment to rapidly
evacuate to the main cabin and could be
closed from the main passenger cabin
after evacuation.
a. The routes must be located with
one at each end of the LD–MCR
compartment or with two having
sufficient separation within the LD–
MCR compartment and between the
routes to minimize the possibility of an
event (either inside or outside of the
LD–MCR compartment) 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 from
persons standing on top of or against the
escape route. 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
a hatch is installed in an evacuation
route, the point at which the evacuation
route terminates in the passenger cabin
should not be located where normal
movement by passengers or crew occur,
such as in a main aisle, cross aisle,
passageway or galley complex.
If such a location cannot be avoided,
special consideration must be taken to
ensure that the hatch or door can be
opened when a person who is the
weight of a ninety-fifth percentile male
is standing on the hatch or door.
The use of evacuation routes must not
be dependent on any powered device. If
there is low headroom at or near an
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evacuation route, provision must be
made to prevent or to protect occupants
of the LD–MCR compartment from head
injury.
c. Emergency evacuation procedures,
including the emergency evacuation of
an incapacitated crewmember from the
LD–MCR compartment, must be
established. All of these procedures
must be transmitted to the operator for
incorporation into its training programs
and appropriate operational manuals.
d. There must be a limitation in the
Airplane Flight Manual or other suitable
means requiring that crewmembers be
trained in the use of evacuation routes.
3. There must be a means for the
evacuation of an incapacitated
crewmember who is representative of a
95th percentile male from the LD–MCR
compartment to the passenger cabin
floor. The evacuation must be
demonstrated for all evacuation routes.
A flight attendant or other crewmember
(a total of one assistant within the LD–
MCR compartment) may provide
assistance in the evacuation. Additional
assistance may be provided by up to
three persons in the main passenger
compartment. For evacuation routes
having stairways, the additional
assistants may descend down to one
half the elevation change from the main
deck to the LD–MCR compartment or to
the first landing, whichever is higher.
4. The following signs and placards
must be provided in the LD–MCR
compartment:
a. At least one exit sign that meets the
requirements of § 25.812(b)(1)(i) at
amendment 25–58 must be located near
each exit. However, a sign with reduced
background area of 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 that defines
the location and the operating
instructions for each evacuation route
must be located near each exit;
c. Placards must be readable from a
distance of 30 inches under emergency
lighting conditions; and
d. The exit handles and the placards
with the evacuation path operating
instructions must be illuminated to at
least 160 microlamberts under
emergency lighting conditions.
5. There must be a means for
emergency illumination to be
automatically provided for the LD–MCR
compartment in the event of failure of
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the main power system of the airplane
or of the normal lighting system of the
LD–MCR compartment.
a. This emergency illumination must
be independent of the main lighting
system.
b. The sources of general cabin
illumination may be common to both
the emergency and the main lighting
systems, if the power supply to the
emergency lighting system is
independent of the power supply to the
main lighting system.
c. The illumination level must be
sufficient for the occupants of the LD–
MCR compartment to locate and transfer
to the main passenger cabin floor by
means of each evacuation route.
d. The illumination level must be
sufficient to locate a deployed oxygen
mask with the privacy curtains in the
closed position for each occupant of the
LD–MCR compartment.
6. There must be means for two-way
voice communications between
crewmembers on the flightdeck and
crewmembers in the LD–MCR
compartment. Section 25.785(h) at
amendment 25–51 requires flight
attendant seats near required floor level
emergency exits. Each such exit seat on
the aircraft must have a public address
system microphone that allows two-way
voice communications between flight
attendants and crewmembers in the LD–
MCR compartment. One microphone
may serve more than one such exit seat,
provided the proximity of the exits
allows unassisted verbal
communications between seated flight
attendants.
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 crewmembers
in the LD–MCR compartment of an
emergency. Use of a public address or
crew interphone system will be
acceptable, provided an adequate means
of differentiating between normal and
emergency communications is
incorporated. The system must be
powered in flight for at least ten
minutes after the shutdown or failure of
all engines and auxiliary power units
(APU) or the disconnection or failure of
all power sources that are dependent on
the continued operation of the engines
and APUs.
8. There must be a means, readily
detectable by seated or standing
occupants of the LD–MCR compartment,
which indicates when seat belts should
be fastened. If there are no seats, at least
one means, such as sufficient
handholds, must be provided to cover
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anticipated turbulence. Seat belt-type
restraints must be provided for berths
and must be compatible with the
sleeping attitude during cruise
conditions. There must be a placard on
each berth indicating that seat belts
must be fastened when the berth is
occupied. If compliance with any of the
other requirements of these special
conditions is predicated on specific
head location, there must be a placard
specifying the head position.
9. To provide a level of safety
equivalent to that provided to occupants
of a small isolated galley, in lieu of the
requirements of § 25.1439(a) at
amendment 25–38 that pertain to
isolated compartments, the following
equipment must be provided in the LD–
MCR compartment:
a. At least one approved hand-held
fire extinguisher appropriate for the
kinds of fires likely to occur;
b. Two portable Protective Breathing
Equipment (PBE) units approved to
Technical Standard Order (TSO)-C116
or equivalent, which are suitable for
fire-fighting, or one PBE for each handheld fire extinguisher, whichever is
greater; and
c. One flashlight.
Note: Additional PBEs and fire
extinguishers in specific locations, beyond
the minimum numbers prescribed in Special
Condition No. 9, may be required as a result
of any egress analysis accomplished to satisfy
Special Condition No. 2(a).
10. A smoke or fire detection system
or systems must be provided to monitor
each occupiable area within the LD–
MCR compartment, including those
areas partitioned by curtains. Flight
tests must be conducted to show
compliance with this requirement. Each
smoke or fire detection system must
provide the following:
a. A visual indication to the flightdeck
within one minute after the start of a
fire;
b. An aural warning in the LD–MCR
compartment; and
c. A warning in the main passenger
cabin. This warning must be readily
detectable by a flight attendant, taking
into consideration the positioning of
flight attendants throughout the mainpassenger compartment during various
phases of flight.
11. The LD–MCR compartment must
be designed such that fires within it can
be controlled without a crewmember
having to enter the compartment or be
designed such that crewmembers
equipped for fire-fighting have
unrestricted access to the compartment.
The time for a crewmember on the main
deck to react to the fire alarm, don the
fire-fighting equipment, and gain access
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must not exceed the time for the
compartment to become smoke-filled,
making it difficult to locate the source
of the fire.
12. There must be a means provided
to exclude hazardous quantities of
smoke or extinguishing agent
originating in the LD–MCR
compartment from entering any other
compartment occupied by crewmembers
or passengers. This means must include
the time periods during the evacuation
of the LD–MCR compartment and, if
applicable, when accessing the LD–MCR
compartment to manually fight a fire.
Smoke entering any other compartment
occupied by crewmembers or
passengers when the LD–MCR
compartment is opened during an
emergency evacuation must dissipate
within five minutes after the LD–MCR
compartment is closed.
Hazardous quantities of smoke may
not enter any other compartment
occupied by crewmembers or
passengers during subsequent access to
manually fight a fire in the LD–MCR
compartment. (The amount of smoke
entrained by a firefighter exiting the
LD–MCR compartment through the
access is not considered hazardous.)
During the one-minute smoke
detection time, penetration of a small
quantity of smoke from the LD–MCR
compartment into an occupied area is
acceptable. Flight tests must be
conducted to show compliance with
this requirement.
If a built-in fire suppression system is
used in lieu of manual fire-fighting, the
fire suppression system must be
designed so that no hazardous
quantities of extinguishing agent will
enter other compartments occupied by
passengers or crewmembers. The system
must have adequate capacity to
suppress any likely fire occurring in the
LD–MCR compartment, considering the
fire threat, the volume of the
compartment and the ventilation rate.
13. For each seat and berth in the LD–
MCR compartment, there must be a
supplemental oxygen system equivalent
to that provided for main deck
passengers. The system must provide an
aural and visual warning to alert the
occupants of the LD–MCR compartment
of the need 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 for a
minimum of five minutes or until a reset
push button in the LD–MCR
compartment is depressed. Procedures
for crewmembers in the LD–MCR
compartment to follow in the event of
decompression must be established.
These procedures must be transmitted
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to the operator for incorporation into
their training programs and appropriate
operational manuals.
14. The following requirements apply
to LD–MCR compartments that are
divided into several sections by the
installation of curtains or doors:
a. To warn crewmembers who may be
sleeping, there must be an aural alert
that accompanies automatic
presentation of supplemental oxygen
masks. The alert must be able to be
heard in each section of the LD–MCR
compartment. A visual indicator that
occupants must don an oxygen mask is
required in each section where seats or
berths are not installed. A minimum of
two supplemental oxygen masks is
required for each seat or berth. There
must also be a means to manually
deploy the oxygen masks from the
flightdeck.
b. A placard is required adjacent to
each curtain that visually divides or
separates the LD–MCR compartment
into small sections for privacy purposes.
The placard must indicate that the
curtain is to remain open when the
private section it creates is unoccupied.
c. For each section created by the
installation of a curtain, the following
requirements of these special conditions
must be met both with the curtain open
and with the curtain closed:
(1) Emergency illumination (Special
Condition No. 5);
(2) Aural emergency alarm (Special
Condition No. 7);
(3) Fasten seat belt signal or return to
seat signal as applicable (Special
Condition No. 8); and
(4) Smoke or fire detection (Special
Condition No. 10).
d. 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
LD–MCR compartment and must meet
the requirements of § 25.812(b)(1)(i) at
amendment 25–58. An exit sign with
reduced background area, as described
in Special Condition No. 4(a), may be
used to meet this requirement.
e. For sections within a LD–MCR
compartment that are created by the
installation of a partition with a door
separating the sections, the following
requirements of these special conditions
must be met with the door open and
with the door closed:
(1) There must be a secondary
evacuation route from each section to
the main deck, or 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
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
26597
crewmember from this area must be
considered. A secondary evacuation
route from a small room designed for
only one occupant for a short period of
time, such as a changing area or
lavatory, is not required. However,
removal of an incapacitated occupant
from this area must be considered.
(2) Any door between the sections
must be shown to be openable when
crowded against, even when crowding
occurs at each side of the door.
(3) There may be no more than one
door between any seat or berth and the
primary stairway exit.
(4) There must be exit signs in each
section that meet the requirements of
§ 25.812(b)(1)(i) at amendment 25–58
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.
(5) Special Conditions No. 5
(emergency illumination), No. 7 (aural
emergency alarm), No. 8 (fasten seat belt
signal or return to seat signal as
applicable) and No. 10 (smoke and fire
detection) must be met both with the
door open and the door closed.
(6) Special Conditions No. 6 (two-way
voice communication) and No. 9 (PBE
and other equipment) must be met
independently for each separate section,
except in lavatories or other small areas
that are not intended to be occupied for
extended periods of time.
15. Where a waste disposal receptacle
is fitted, it must be equipped with a
built-in fire extinguisher designed to
discharge automatically upon
occurrence of a fire in the receptacle.
16. Materials, including finishes or
decorative surfaces applied to the
materials, must comply with the
flammability standards of § 25.853 at
amendment 25–66. Mattresses must
comply with the flammability standards
of § 25.853(b) and (c) at amendment 25–
66.
17. A lavatory within the LD–MCR
compartment must meet the same
requirements as a lavatory installed on
the main deck, except with regard to
Special Condition No. 10 for smoke
detection.
18. When a LD–MCR compartment is
installed or enclosed as a removable
module in part of a cargo compartment
or is located directly adjacent to a cargo
compartment without an intervening
cargo compartment wall, the following
conditions apply:
a. Any wall of the LD–MCR
compartment, which forms part of the
boundary of the reduced cargo
compartment and is subject to direct
flame impingement from a fire in the
cargo compartment, and any interface
E:\FR\FM\07JNP1.SGM
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26598
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 110 / Friday, June 7, 2019 / Proposed Rules
item between the LD–MCR
compartment and the airplane structure
or systems must meet the applicable
requirements of § 25.855 at amendment
25–60.
b. Means must be provided to ensure
that the fire protection level of the cargo
compartment meets the applicable
requirements of §§ 25.855 at amendment
25–60; 25.857 at amendment 25–60; and
25.858 at amendment 25–54 when the
LD–MCR compartment is not installed.
c. Use of each emergency evacuation
route must not require occupants of the
LD–MCR compartment to enter the
cargo compartment in order to return to
the passenger compartment.
d. The aural emergency alarm
specified in Special Condition No. 7
must sound in the LD–MCR
compartment in the event of a fire in the
cargo compartment.
19. Means must be provided to
prevent access into the Class C cargo
compartment, whether or not the LD–
MCR is installed, during all airplane
flight operations and to ensure that the
maintenance door is closed and secured
during all airplane flight operations.
20. All enclosed stowage
compartments within the LD–MCR
compartment that are not limited to
stowage of emergency equipment or
airplane supplied equipment (i.e.,
bedding), must meet the design criteria
given in the table below. As indicated
in the table, enclosed stowage
compartments larger 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 fire extinguisher
will require additional fire protection
considerations similar to those required
for inaccessible compartments such as
Class C cargo compartments.
Stowage compartment interior volumes
Fire protection features
Materials of Construction 1 ..................................................................................................
Detectors 2 ...........................................................................................................................
Liner 3 ..................................................................................................................................
Location Detector 4 ..............................................................................................................
Less than 25 ft3
25 ft3 to 57 ft3
Yes ...................
No .....................
No .....................
No .....................
Yes ...................
Yes ...................
No .....................
Yes ...................
57 ft3 to 200 ft3
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
1 Material: 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 per the requirements of § 25.853. For compartments less than 25 ft3 in interior volume, the design
must ensure the ability to contain a fire likely to occur within the compartment under normal use.
2 Detectors: Enclosed stowage compartments equal to or exceeding 25 ft3 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:
(a) A visual indication in the flight-deck within one minute after the start of a fire;
(b) An aural warning in the crew rest compartment; and
(c) A warning in the main passenger cabin. This warning must be readily detectable by a flight attendant, taking into consideration the positioning of flight attendants throughout the main passenger compartment during various phases of flight.
3 Liner: 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, no liner would be required for enclosed stowage compartments equal to or greater than 25 ft3 but less than 57 ft3 in
interior volume. For all enclosed stowage compartments equal to or greater than 57 ft3 but less than or equal to 200 ft3 in interior volume, a liner
must be provided that meets the requirements of § 25.855 at amendment 25–60 for a Class B cargo compartment.
4 Location Detector: LD–MCR compartments that contain enclosed stowage compartments with an interior volume that exceeds 25 ft3 and are
located away from one central location, such as the entry to the LD–MCR compartment or a common area within the LD–MCR compartment,
would require additional fire protection features or devices to assist the firefighter in determining the location of a fire.
Issued in Des Moines, Washington, on May
31, 2019.
Paul Siegmund,
Acting Manager, Transport Standards
Branch, Policy and Innovation Division,
Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2019–11957 Filed 6–6–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–13–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA–2019–0400; Product
Identifier 2019–NM–022–AD]
jbell on DSK3GLQ082PROD with PROPOSALS
RIN 2120–AA64
Airworthiness Directives; Airbus SAS
Airplanes
Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking
(NPRM).
AGENCY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:40 Jun 06, 2019
Jkt 247001
The FAA proposes to adopt a
new airworthiness directive (AD) for all
Airbus SAS Model A321–111, A321–
112, A321–131, A321–211, A321–212,
A321–213, A321–231 and A321–232
airplanes. This proposed AD was
prompted by a quality control review,
which determined that the wrong
aluminum alloy was used to
manufacture several structural parts.
This proposed AD would require a onetime eddy current conductivity
measurement of certain structural parts
of the outer flaps to determine if the
incorrect alloy was used, and
replacement if necessary, as specified in
an European Aviation Safety Agency
(EASA) AD, which will be incorporated
by reference. The FAA is proposing this
AD to address the unsafe condition on
these products.
DATES: The FAA must receive comments
on this proposed AD by July 22, 2019.
ADDRESSES: You may send comments,
using the procedures found in 14 CFR
11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following
methods:
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
• Fax: 202–493–2251.
• Mail: U.S. Department of
Transportation, Docket Operations, M–
30, West Building Ground Floor, Room
W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE,
Washington, DC 20590.
• Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail
address above between 9 a.m. and 5
p.m., Monday through Friday, except
Federal holidays.
For the material identified in this
proposed AD that will be incorporated
by reference (IBR), contact EASA,
Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 3, 50668
Cologne, Germany; telephone +49 221
89990 1000; email ADs@easa.europa.eu;
internet www.easa.europa.eu. You may
find this IBR material on the EASA
website at https://ad.easa.europa.eu.
You may view this IBR material at the
FAA, Transport Standards Branch, 2200
South 216th St., Des Moines, WA. For
information on the availability of this
material at the FAA, call 206–231–3195.
It is also available in the AD docket on
E:\FR\FM\07JNP1.SGM
07JNP1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 110 (Friday, June 7, 2019)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 26593-26598]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-11957]
========================================================================
Proposed Rules
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
========================================================================
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 110 / Friday, June 7, 2019 / Proposed
Rules
[[Page 26593]]
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 25
[Docket No. FAA-FAA-2019-0427; Notice No. 25-19-07-SC]
Special Conditions: TTF Aerospace, LLC, Airbus Model A330-300 and
Model A330-900 Series Airplanes; Bulk Cargo Lower Deck Crew Rest
Compartments
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed special conditions.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This action proposes special conditions for the Airbus Model
A330-300 and Model A330-900 series airplanes. These airplanes, as
modified by TTF Aerospace, LLC (TTF Aerospace), will have a novel or
unusual design feature when compared to the state of technology
envisioned in the airworthiness standards for transport category
airplanes. This design feature is a lower deck mobile crew rest (LD-
MCR) installed in the aft cargo compartment of Model A330-300 and Model
A330-900 series airplanes. The applicable airworthiness regulations do
not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design
feature. These proposed 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.
DATES: Send comments on or before June 27, 2019.
ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by Docket No. FAA-2019-0427 using
any of the following methods:
Federal eRegulations Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov/ and follow the online instructions for sending
your comments electronically.
Mail: Send comments to Docket Operations, M-30, U.S.
Department of Transportation (DOT), 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Room
W12-140, West Building Ground Floor, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
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.
Fax: Fax comments to Docket Operations at 202-493-2251.
Privacy: The FAA will post all comments it receives, without
change, to https://www.regulations.gov/, including any personal
information the commenter provides. Using the search function of the
docket website, anyone can find and read the electronic form of all
comments received into any FAA docket, including the name of the
individual sending the comment (or signing the comment for an
association, business, labor union, etc.). DOT's complete Privacy Act
Statement can be found in the Federal Register published on April 11,
2000 (65 FR 19477-19478).
Docket: Background documents or comments received may be read at
https://www.regulations.gov/ at any time. Follow the online instructions
for accessing the docket or go 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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alan Sinclair, Airframe & Cabin Safety
Section, AIR-675, Transport Standards Branch, Policy and Innovation
Division, Aircraft Certification Service, Federal Aviation
Administration, 2200 South 216th Street, Des Moines, Washington 98198;
telephone and fax 206 231 3215; email [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
We invite interested people to take part in this rulemaking by
sending 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 will consider all comments we receive by the closing date for
comments. We may change these special conditions based on the comments
we receive.
Background
On February 20, 2019, TTF Aerospace applied for a supplemental type
certificate for a LD-MCR installed in the aft cargo compartment of
Airbus Model A330-300 and Model A330-900 series airplanes. The Airbus
Model A330-300 and Model A330-900 series airplanes are twin-engine,
transport category airplanes with maximum takeoff weights of 405,650
and 533,518 pounds, respectively, and seating for 440 passengers.
The LD-MCR compartment will be located under the passenger cabin
floor in the aft cargo compartment of Airbus Model A330-300 and Model
A330-900 airplanes. It will be removable from the cargo compartment.
The LD-MCR compartment will be occupied in flight but not during taxi,
takeoff, or landing. No more than ten crewmembers at a time will be
permitted to occupy it. The LD-MCR compartment will have a smoke
detection system, a fire suppression system, and an oxygen system.
The LD-MCR compartment will be accessed from the main deck via a
``stairhouse.'' The floor within the stairhouse has a hatch that leads
to stairs that occupants use to descend into the LD-MCR compartment. An
interface will keep this hatch open when the stairhouse door is open.
In addition, there will be an emergency hatch that opens directly into
the main passenger cabin. The LD-MCR compartment has a maintenance
door. This door is intended to be used to allow maintenance personnel
and cargo handlers to enter the LD-MCR from the cargo compartment when
the airplane is not in flight.
Type Certification Basis
Under the provisions of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14
CFR) 21.101, TTF Aerospace must show that the Airbus Model A330-300 and
Model A330-900 series airplanes, as changed, continue to meet the
applicable provisions of the regulations listed in Type Certificate No.
A46NM or the applicable regulations in effect on the date of
application for the change, except for earlier amendments as agreed
upon by the FAA.
If the Administrator finds that the applicable airworthiness
regulations (i.e., 14 CFR part 25) do not contain adequate or
appropriate safety standards
[[Page 26594]]
for the Airbus Model A330-300 and Model A330-900 series airplanes
because of a novel or unusual design feature, special conditions are
prescribed under the provisions of Sec. 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,
these special conditions would also apply to the other model under
Sec. 21.101.
In addition to the applicable airworthiness regulations and special
conditions, the Airbus Model A330-300 and Model A330-900 series
airplanes 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 issues special conditions, as defined in 14 CFR 11.19, in
accordance with Sec. 11.38, and they become part of the type
certification basis under Sec. 21.101.
Novel or Unusual Design Features
The Airbus Model A330-300 and Model A330-900 series airplanes will
incorporate the following novel or unusual design features:
This design feature is a LD-MCR installed in the aft cargo
compartment of Model A330-300 and Model A330-900 series airplanes.
Discussion
While the installation of the crew rest compartment is not a new
concept for large transport category airplanes, each crew rest
compartment has unique features based on design, location, and use on
the airplane. The LD-MCR compartment is novel in terms of part 25 of
title 14 of the CFR in that it will be located under the passenger
cabin floor in the aft cargo compartment of Airbus Model A330-300 and
Model A330-900 series airplanes, which is not contemplated by Sec.
25.819 regarding lower deck service compartments (including galleys).
Due to the novel or unusual features associated with the installation
of a LD-MCR 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
certificates of these airplanes as applicable airworthiness regulations
do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design
feature.
Most of these special conditions come from Sec. 25.819 but they
require more stringent standards for fire protection and emergency
egress, because of design features and location of the LD-MCR. The
applicant should note that the FAA considers 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) for crew rest compartments complex in terms of paragraph 6d
of Advisory Circular (AC) 25.1309-1A, ``System Design and Analysis,''
dated June 21, 1988. 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. Refer to
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 areas.
The requirements to enable crewmembers' 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 considers that the crew rest area must be limited to
the stowage of crew personal luggage and must not 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.
Furthermore, the addition of galley equipment or a kitchenette
incorporating a heat source (e.g., cook tops, microwaves, coffee pots,
etc.), other than a conventional lavatory or kitchenette hot water
heater, within the LD-MCR compartment defined in the ``Novel or Unusual
Design Features'' section, may require additional special conditions to
be considered. A hot water heater is acceptable without further special
conditions consideration.
Finally, amendment 25-38 modified the requirements of Sec.
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 LD-
MCR compartment is an isolated separate compartment, so Sec.
25.1439(a) is applicable. However, the Sec. 25.1439(a) protective
breathing equipment (PBE) requirements for isolated separate
compartments are not appropriate because the LD-MCR is novel or 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. Two crewmembers
were the maximum expected to occupy those galleys.
This crew rest compartment can accommodate up to ten 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 PBEs 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. These special
conditions therefore provide procedures that establish a level of
safety equivalent to the PBE requirements.
Operational Evaluations and Approval
These special conditions outline requirements for flightcrew and
cabin crew rest compartment design approvals (e.g., type design change
or supplemental type certificate) administered by the FAA's Aircraft
Certification Service. Prior to operational use of a flight (cabin)
crew rest compartment, the FAA's Flight Standards Service must evaluate
for operational suitability the flight (cabin) crew sleeping quarters
and rest facilities. Refer to Sec. Sec. 91.1061(b)(1), 121.485(a),
121.523(b), and 135.269(b)(5).
Compliance with these special conditions does not ensure that the
applicant has demonstrated compliance with the requirements of 14 CFR
parts 91, 121, or 135.
To obtain an operational evaluation, the type design holder must
contact the appropriate Aircraft Evaluation Group (AEG) in the Flight
Standards Service and request an evaluation for operational suitability
of the flightcrew sleeping quarters in their crew rest facility.
Results of these evaluations should be documented and appended to the
applicable Flight Standardization Board (FSB) Report. Individual
operators may reference these standardized evaluations in discussions
with their FAA Principal Operating Inspector (POI) as the basis for an
[[Page 26595]]
operational approval, in lieu of an on-site operational evaluation.
Any changes to the approved flight (cabin) crew rest compartment
configuration that affect 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. In the
event of any design change that affects egress, safety procedures, or
training, the applicant is responsible for notifying the FAA's AEG that
a new crew rest facility evaluation is required.
All instructions for continued airworthiness (ICAs) will be
submitted to the Seattle AEG for approval acceptance, including service
bulletins, before issuance of the FAA modification approval.
These proposed special conditions are the same as Special Condition
25-281-SC, except the maximum occupancy is ten rather than seven
occupants and a change to the table in Special Condition 20. The
proposed conditions provide an appropriate level of safety for the
proposed occupancy limit as only the size of the compartment will
increase to accommodate the additional occupants but all other
requirements for safety, fire suppression, and emergency evacuation
will remain the same. In addition, the change to the table in Special
Condition 20 is related to the location of the crew rest and specifics
of the crew rest design. Stowage compartments located in the vicinity
of critical equipment or located in an overhead area would typically be
listed as conditional. However, this LD-MCR is located in the Class C
cargo compartment with all of its features that provide fire protection
(e.g., the use of liner material that meets appendix F to part 25, part
III; control of ventilation; active fire suppression; active fire
detection; etc.). These features remain when the crew rest is
installed.
The proposed 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.
Applicability
As discussed above, these special conditions are applicable to the
Airbus Model A330-300 and Model A330-900 airplanes. Should TTF
Aerospace apply at a later date for a supplemental type certificate to
modify any other model included on Type Certificate No. A46NM to
incorporate the same novel or unusual design feature, these special
conditions would apply to that model as well.
Certification of the Airbus Model A330-300 and Model A330-900
airplanes with the LD-MCR is currently scheduled for June 2019. The
substance of these special conditions has been subject to the notice
and public comment procedure in several prior instances. Therefore,
because a delay would significantly affect the applicant's installation
of the system and the certification of the airplane, we are shortening
the public comment period to 20 days.
Conclusion
This action affects only a certain novel or unusual design feature
on Airbus Model A330-300 and Model A330-900 of airplanes. It is not a
rule of general applicability and affects only the applicant who
applied to the FAA for approval of these features on the airplane.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 25
Aircraft, Aviation safety, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements.
Authority Citation
The authority citation for these special conditions is as follows:
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 106(g), 40113, 44701, 44702, 44704.
The Proposed Special Conditions
Accordingly, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposes the
following special conditions as part of the type certification basis
for Airbus Model A330-300 and Model A330-900 airplanes, as modified by
TTF Aerospace.
1. Occupancy of the LD-MCR compartment is limited to the total
number of installed bunks and seats in each compartment. For each
occupant permitted in the LD-MCR compartment, there must be an approved
seat or berth able to withstand the maximum flight loads when occupied.
The maximum occupancy in the LD-MCR compartment is ten.
a. There must be appropriate placards displayed in a conspicuous
place at each entrance to the LD-MCR compartment indicating the
following information:
(1) The maximum number of occupants allowed;
(2) That occupancy is restricted to crewmembers trained in the
evacuation procedures for the LD-MCR compartment;
(3) That occupancy is prohibited during taxi, takeoff and landing;
(4) That smoking is prohibited in the LD-MCR compartment; and
(5) That the LD-MCR compartment is limited to the stowage of
personal luggage of crewmembers and must not be used for the stowage of
cargo or passenger baggage.
b. There must be at least one ashtray located conspicuously on or
near the entry side of any entrance to the LD-MCR compartment.
c. There must be a means to prevent passengers from entering the
LD-MCR compartment in an emergency or when no flight attendant is
present.
d. There must be a means for any door installed between the LD-MCR
compartment and the passenger cabin to be capable of being quickly
opened from inside the LD-MCR compartment, even when crowding occurs at
each side of the door.
e. For all doors installed in the evacuation routes, there must be
a means to preclude anyone from being trapped inside a 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 a compartment at any time.
2. There must be at least two emergency evacuation routes, which
could be used by each occupant of the LD-MCR compartment to rapidly
evacuate to the main cabin and could be closed from the main passenger
cabin after evacuation.
a. The routes must be located with one at each end of the LD-MCR
compartment or with two having sufficient separation within the LD-MCR
compartment and between the routes to minimize the possibility of an
event (either inside or outside of the LD-MCR compartment) 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 from persons standing on top of or against the escape
route. 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 a hatch is installed in an
evacuation route, the point at which the evacuation route terminates in
the passenger cabin should not be located where normal movement by
passengers or crew occur, such as in a main aisle, cross aisle,
passageway or galley complex.
If such a location cannot be avoided, special consideration must be
taken to ensure that the hatch or door can be opened when a person who
is the weight of a ninety-fifth percentile male is standing on the
hatch or door.
The use of evacuation routes must not be dependent on any powered
device. If there is low headroom at or near an
[[Page 26596]]
evacuation route, provision must be made to prevent or to protect
occupants of the LD-MCR compartment from head injury.
c. Emergency evacuation procedures, including the emergency
evacuation of an incapacitated crewmember from the LD-MCR compartment,
must be established. All of these procedures must be transmitted to the
operator for incorporation into its training programs and appropriate
operational manuals.
d. There must be a limitation in the Airplane Flight Manual or
other suitable means requiring that crewmembers be trained in the use
of evacuation routes.
3. There must be a means for the evacuation of an incapacitated
crewmember who is representative of a 95th percentile male from the LD-
MCR compartment to the passenger cabin floor. The evacuation must be
demonstrated for all evacuation routes. A flight attendant or other
crewmember (a total of one assistant within the LD-MCR compartment) may
provide assistance in the evacuation. Additional assistance may be
provided by up to three persons in the main passenger compartment. For
evacuation routes having stairways, the additional assistants may
descend down to one half the elevation change from the main deck to the
LD-MCR compartment or to the first landing, whichever is higher.
4. The following signs and placards must be provided in the LD-MCR
compartment:
a. At least one exit sign that meets the requirements of Sec.
25.812(b)(1)(i) at amendment 25-58 must be located near each exit.
However, a sign with reduced background area of 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 that defines the location and the
operating instructions for each evacuation route must be located near
each exit;
c. Placards must be readable from a distance of 30 inches under
emergency lighting conditions; and
d. The exit handles and the placards with the evacuation path
operating instructions must be illuminated to at least 160
microlamberts under emergency lighting conditions.
5. There must be a means for emergency illumination to be
automatically provided for the LD-MCR compartment in the event of
failure of the main power system of the airplane or of the normal
lighting system of the LD-MCR compartment.
a. This emergency illumination must be independent of the main
lighting system.
b. The sources of general cabin illumination may be common to both
the emergency and the main lighting systems, if the power supply to the
emergency lighting system is independent of the power supply to the
main lighting system.
c. The illumination level must be sufficient for the occupants of
the LD-MCR compartment to locate and transfer to the main passenger
cabin floor by means of each evacuation route.
d. The illumination level must be sufficient to locate a deployed
oxygen mask with the privacy curtains in the closed position for each
occupant of the LD-MCR compartment.
6. There must be means for two-way voice communications between
crewmembers on the flightdeck and crewmembers in the LD-MCR
compartment. Section 25.785(h) at amendment 25-51 requires flight
attendant seats near required floor level emergency exits. Each such
exit seat on the aircraft must have a public address system microphone
that allows two-way voice communications between flight attendants and
crewmembers in the LD-MCR compartment. One microphone may serve more
than one such exit seat, provided the proximity of the exits allows
unassisted verbal communications between seated flight attendants.
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 crewmembers in the LD-MCR
compartment of an emergency. Use of a public address or crew interphone
system will be acceptable, provided an adequate means of
differentiating between normal and emergency communications is
incorporated. The system must be powered in flight for at least ten
minutes after the shutdown or failure of all engines and auxiliary
power units (APU) or the disconnection or failure of all power sources
that are dependent on the continued operation of the engines and APUs.
8. There must be a means, readily detectable by seated or standing
occupants of the LD-MCR compartment, which indicates when seat belts
should be fastened. If there are no seats, at least one means, such as
sufficient handholds, must be provided to cover anticipated turbulence.
Seat belt-type restraints must be provided for berths and must be
compatible with the sleeping attitude during cruise conditions. There
must be a placard on each berth indicating that seat belts must be
fastened when the berth is occupied. If compliance with any of the
other requirements of these special conditions is predicated on
specific head location, there must be a placard specifying the head
position.
9. To provide a level of safety equivalent to that provided to
occupants of a small isolated galley, in lieu of the requirements of
Sec. 25.1439(a) at amendment 25-38 that pertain to isolated
compartments, the following equipment must be provided in the LD-MCR
compartment:
a. At least one approved hand-held fire extinguisher appropriate
for the kinds of fires likely to occur;
b. Two portable Protective Breathing Equipment (PBE) units approved
to Technical Standard Order (TSO)-C116 or equivalent, which are
suitable for fire-fighting, or one PBE for each hand-held fire
extinguisher, whichever is greater; and
c. One flashlight.
Note: Additional PBEs and fire extinguishers in specific
locations, beyond the minimum numbers prescribed in Special
Condition No. 9, may be required as a result of any egress analysis
accomplished to satisfy Special Condition No. 2(a).
10. A smoke or fire detection system or systems must be provided to
monitor each occupiable area within the LD-MCR compartment, including
those areas partitioned by curtains. Flight tests must be conducted to
show compliance with this requirement. Each smoke or fire detection
system must provide the following:
a. A visual indication to the flightdeck within one minute after
the start of a fire;
b. An aural warning in the LD-MCR compartment; and
c. A warning in the main passenger cabin. This warning must be
readily detectable by a flight attendant, taking into consideration the
positioning of flight attendants throughout the main-passenger
compartment during various phases of flight.
11. The LD-MCR compartment must be designed such that fires within
it can be controlled without a crewmember having to enter the
compartment or be designed such that crewmembers equipped for fire-
fighting have unrestricted access to the compartment. The time for a
crewmember on the main deck to react to the fire alarm, don the fire-
fighting equipment, and gain access
[[Page 26597]]
must not exceed the time for the compartment to become smoke-filled,
making it difficult to locate the source of the fire.
12. There must be a means provided to exclude hazardous quantities
of smoke or extinguishing agent originating in the LD-MCR compartment
from entering any other compartment occupied by crewmembers or
passengers. This means must include the time periods during the
evacuation of the LD-MCR compartment and, if applicable, when accessing
the LD-MCR compartment to manually fight a fire. Smoke entering any
other compartment occupied by crewmembers or passengers when the LD-MCR
compartment is opened during an emergency evacuation must dissipate
within five minutes after the LD-MCR compartment is closed.
Hazardous quantities of smoke may not enter any other compartment
occupied by crewmembers or passengers during subsequent access to
manually fight a fire in the LD-MCR compartment. (The amount of smoke
entrained by a firefighter exiting the LD-MCR compartment through the
access is not considered hazardous.)
During the one-minute smoke detection time, penetration of a small
quantity of smoke from the LD-MCR compartment into an occupied area is
acceptable. Flight tests must be conducted to show compliance with this
requirement.
If a built-in fire suppression system is used in lieu of manual
fire-fighting, the fire suppression system must be designed so that no
hazardous quantities of extinguishing agent will enter other
compartments occupied by passengers or crewmembers. The system must
have adequate capacity to suppress any likely fire occurring in the LD-
MCR compartment, considering the fire threat, the volume of the
compartment and the ventilation rate.
13. For each seat and berth in the LD-MCR compartment, there must
be a supplemental oxygen system equivalent to that provided for main
deck passengers. The system must provide an aural and visual warning to
alert the occupants of the LD-MCR compartment of the need 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 for a minimum of five minutes or until a reset push
button in the LD-MCR compartment is depressed. Procedures for
crewmembers in the LD-MCR compartment to follow in the event of
decompression must be established. These procedures must be transmitted
to the operator for incorporation into their training programs and
appropriate operational manuals.
14. The following requirements apply to LD-MCR compartments that
are divided into several sections by the installation of curtains or
doors:
a. To warn crewmembers who may be sleeping, there must be an aural
alert that accompanies automatic presentation of supplemental oxygen
masks. The alert must be able to be heard in each section of the LD-MCR
compartment. A visual indicator that occupants must don an oxygen mask
is required in each section where seats or berths are not installed. A
minimum of two supplemental oxygen masks is required for each seat or
berth. There must also be a means to manually deploy the oxygen masks
from the flightdeck.
b. A placard is required adjacent to each curtain that visually
divides or separates the LD-MCR compartment into small sections for
privacy purposes. The placard must indicate that the curtain is to
remain open when the private section it creates is unoccupied.
c. For each section created by the installation of a curtain, the
following requirements of these special conditions must be met both
with the curtain open and with the curtain closed:
(1) Emergency illumination (Special Condition No. 5);
(2) Aural emergency alarm (Special Condition No. 7);
(3) Fasten seat belt signal or return to seat signal as applicable
(Special Condition No. 8); and
(4) Smoke or fire detection (Special Condition No. 10).
d. 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 LD-MCR compartment and must meet the
requirements of Sec. 25.812(b)(1)(i) at amendment 25-58. An exit sign
with reduced background area, as described in Special Condition No.
4(a), may be used to meet this requirement.
e. For sections within a LD-MCR compartment that are created by the
installation of a partition with a door separating the sections, the
following requirements of these special conditions must be met with the
door open and with the door closed:
(1) There must be a secondary evacuation route from each section to
the main deck, or 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 crewmember from this area must
be considered. A secondary evacuation route from a small room designed
for only one occupant for a short period of time, such as a changing
area or lavatory, is not required. However, removal of an incapacitated
occupant from this area must be considered.
(2) Any door between the sections must be shown to be openable when
crowded against, even when crowding occurs at each side of the door.
(3) There may be no more than one door between any seat or berth
and the primary stairway exit.
(4) There must be exit signs in each section that meet the
requirements of Sec. 25.812(b)(1)(i) at amendment 25-58 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.
(5) Special Conditions No. 5 (emergency illumination), No. 7 (aural
emergency alarm), No. 8 (fasten seat belt signal or return to seat
signal as applicable) and No. 10 (smoke and fire detection) must be met
both with the door open and the door closed.
(6) Special Conditions No. 6 (two-way voice communication) and No.
9 (PBE and other equipment) must be met independently for each separate
section, except in lavatories or other small areas that are not
intended to be occupied for extended periods of time.
15. Where a waste disposal receptacle is fitted, it must be
equipped with a built-in fire extinguisher designed to discharge
automatically upon occurrence of a fire in the receptacle.
16. Materials, including finishes or decorative surfaces applied to
the materials, must comply with the flammability standards of Sec.
25.853 at amendment 25-66. Mattresses must comply with the flammability
standards of Sec. 25.853(b) and (c) at amendment 25-66.
17. A lavatory within the LD-MCR compartment must meet the same
requirements as a lavatory installed on the main deck, except with
regard to Special Condition No. 10 for smoke detection.
18. When a LD-MCR compartment is installed or enclosed as a
removable module in part of a cargo compartment or is located directly
adjacent to a cargo compartment without an intervening cargo
compartment wall, the following conditions apply:
a. Any wall of the LD-MCR compartment, which forms part of the
boundary of the reduced cargo compartment and is subject to direct
flame impingement from a fire in the cargo compartment, and any
interface
[[Page 26598]]
item between the LD-MCR compartment and the airplane structure or
systems must meet the applicable requirements of Sec. 25.855 at
amendment 25-60.
b. Means must be provided to ensure that the fire protection level
of the cargo compartment meets the applicable requirements of
Sec. Sec. 25.855 at amendment 25-60; 25.857 at amendment 25-60; and
25.858 at amendment 25-54 when the LD-MCR compartment is not installed.
c. Use of each emergency evacuation route must not require
occupants of the LD-MCR compartment to enter the cargo compartment in
order to return to the passenger compartment.
d. The aural emergency alarm specified in Special Condition No. 7
must sound in the LD-MCR compartment in the event of a fire in the
cargo compartment.
19. Means must be provided to prevent access into the Class C cargo
compartment, whether or not the LD-MCR is installed, during all
airplane flight operations and to ensure that the maintenance door is
closed and secured during all airplane flight operations.
20. All enclosed stowage compartments within the LD-MCR compartment
that are not limited to stowage of emergency equipment or airplane
supplied equipment (i.e., bedding), must meet the design criteria given
in the table below. As indicated in the table, enclosed stowage
compartments larger than 200 ft\3\ 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 fire extinguisher will require additional
fire protection considerations similar to those required for
inaccessible compartments such as Class C cargo compartments.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stowage compartment interior volumes
Fire protection features -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Less than 25 ft\3\ 25 ft\3\ to 57 ft\3\ 57 ft\3\ to 200 ft\3\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Materials of Construction \1\..... Yes..................... Yes..................... Yes.
Detectors \2\..................... No...................... Yes..................... Yes.
Liner \3\......................... No...................... No...................... Yes.
Location Detector \4\............. No...................... Yes..................... Yes.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Material: 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 per the requirements of Sec.
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.
\2\ 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. Flight tests must be conducted to show compliance with this requirement. Each system (or systems) must
provide:
(a) A visual indication in the flight-deck within one minute after the start of a fire;
(b) An aural warning in the crew rest compartment; and
(c) A warning in the main passenger cabin. This warning must be readily detectable by a flight attendant, taking
into consideration the positioning of flight attendants throughout the main passenger compartment during
various phases of flight.
\3\ Liner: 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, no liner would be required for enclosed stowage
compartments equal to or greater than 25 ft\3\ but less than 57 ft\3\ in interior volume. For all enclosed
stowage compartments equal to or greater than 57 ft\3\ but less than or equal to 200 ft\3\ in interior volume,
a liner must be provided that meets the requirements of Sec. 25.855 at amendment 25-60 for a Class B cargo
compartment.
\4\ Location Detector: LD-MCR compartments that contain enclosed stowage compartments with an interior volume
that exceeds 25 ft\3\ and are located away from one central location, such as the entry to the LD-MCR
compartment or a common area within the LD-MCR compartment, would require additional fire protection features
or devices to assist the firefighter in determining the location of a fire.
Issued in Des Moines, Washington, on May 31, 2019.
Paul Siegmund,
Acting Manager, Transport Standards Branch, Policy and Innovation
Division, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-11957 Filed 6-6-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
