[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 26 (Tuesday, February 9, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6416-6417]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-3136]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Proposed Advisory Circular 25.803-1A, Emergency Evacuation 
Demonstrations

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of availability of proposed Advisory Circular (AC) 
25.803-1A and request for comments; reopening of comment period.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the reopening of the comment period for 
Notice of availability of proposed Advisory Circular (AC) 25.803-1A, 
and request for comments, which was published in the Federal Register 
on October 20, 1998 (63 FR 56059), and closed on December 21, 1998. In 
that notice, the FAA invited public comment on a proposed AC which 
provides guidance on a means, but not the only means, of compliance 
with the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) concerning (1) conduct of 
full-scale emergency evacuation demonstrations, and (2) use of analysis 
and tests in lieu of conducting an actual demonstration. This reopening 
of the comment period is necessary to give all interested persons an 
opportunity to present their views on the proposed AC.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before May 7, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Send all comments on proposed AC to: Federal Aviation 
Administration, Attention: Terry Rees, Airframe and Cabin Safety 
Branch, ANM-115, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service, 1601 Lind Avenue SW, Renton, WA 98055-4056. Comments may be 
inspected at the above address between 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. 
weekdays, except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Katherine Burks, Transport Standards 
Staff, at the address above, telephone (206) 227-2114.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    A copy of the draft AC may be obtained by contacting the person 
named above under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Interested

[[Page 6417]]

persons are invited to comment on the proposed AC by submitting such 
written data, views, or arguments as they may desire. Commenters should 
identify AC 25.803-1A and submit comments, in duplicate, to the address 
specified above. All communications received on or before the closing 
date for comments will be considered by the Transport Standards Staff 
before issuing the final AC.

Background

    On October 20, 1998, the FAA published a Notice of availability of 
proposed AC 25.803-1A, and request for comments. In that notice, the 
FAA invited public comment on a proposed advisory circular (AC) which 
provides guidance on a means, but not the only means, of compliance 
with the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) concerning (1) conduct of 
full-scale emergency evacuation demonstrations, and (2) use of analysis 
and tests in lieu of conducting an actual demonstration.
    Section 25.803(c) requires that for airplanes with a passenger 
seating capacity of more than 44 passengers, it must be shown that the 
passengers and required crewmembers can be evacuated to the ground in 
90 seconds under simulated emergency conditions. Compliance can be 
shown by conducting a full-scale emergency evacuation demonstration 
under the test conditions specified in Appendix J of part 25 or a 
combination of analysis and testing found acceptable by the FAA. 
Advisory Circular 25.803-1, issued on November 13, 1989, provided 
guidance on how to conduct a full-scale emergency evacuation 
demonstration and the use of analysis and testing in lieu of conducting 
a full-scale demonstration. This proposed revision to the AC provides 
additional guidance on how to conduct a full-scale demonstration, 
including information on the test start signal, briefing of test 
participants, obtaining informed consent, and flight attendant 
training. In addition, the proposed revision expands the discussion on 
the determination on whether a combination of analysis and testing may 
be used in lieu of the full-scale demonstration, including the types of 
testing which may be necessary to support an analysis. Finally, 
additional guidance is provided on what and how information and test 
data should be provided in an analysis.
    Since publication of that notice, the FAA has received a request 
that the comment period for the notice be extended past its original 
closing date of December 21, 1998, to allow more time in which to study 
the proposal and to prepare comments on this very important issue.

Reopening of Comment Period

    The FAA has reviewed the request for consideration of an additional 
amount of time to comment on proposed AC 25.803-1A, and has determined 
that reopening the comment period would be in the public interest and 
that good cause exists for taking this action. Accordingly, the comment 
period of Notice of availability of proposed AC 25.803-1A, and request 
for comments, is reopened until May 7, 1999.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on February 1, 1999.
John J. Hickey,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service, ANM-100.
[FR Doc. 99-3136 Filed 2-8-99; 8:45 am]
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