[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 186 (Monday, September 25, 2000)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 57564-57567]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-23677]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 25

[Docket No. NM175; Notice No. 25-00-02-SC]


Special Conditions: Boeing Model 777-200 Series Airplanes; 
Overhead Crew Rest Compartment

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed special conditions.

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SUMMARY: This action proposes special conditions for Boeing Model 777-
200 series airplanes, modified by Flight Structures, Inc. The proposed 
modification consists of the installation of a crew rest compartment 
located in the vicinity of door three in the overhead area of the 
passenger compartment. The crew rest compartment is to be certified for 
a maximum of ten occupants for use only during flight. 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: Comments must be received on or before October 25, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Comments on this proposal may be mailed in duplicate to: 
Federal Aviation Administration, Transport Airplane Directorate, 
Attention: Rules Docket (ANM-114), Docket No. NM175, 1601 Lind Avenue 
SW., Renton, Washington, 98055-4056; or delivered in duplicate to the 
Transport Airplane Directorate at the above address. Comments must be 
marked: Docket No. NM175. Comments may be inspected in the Rules Docket 
weekdays, except Federal holidays, between 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jayson Claar, FAA, Transport Standards 
Staff, ANM-115, Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., 
Renton, Washington, 98055-4056; telephone (425) 227-2194; facsimile 
(425) 227-1320.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    Interested persons are invited to participate in the making of 
these proposed special conditions by submitting such written data, 
views, or arguments, as they may desire. Communications should identify 
the regulatory docket or notice number and be submitted in duplicate to 
the address specified above. All communications received on or before 
the closing date for comments will be considered by the Administrator. 
The proposals described in this action may be changed in light of the 
comments received. All comments received will be available in the Rules 
Docket for examination by interested persons, both before and after the 
closing date for comments. A report summarizing each substantive public 
contact with FAA personnel concerning this rulemaking will be filed in 
the docket. Persons wishing the FAA to acknowledge receipt of their 
comments submitted in response to this action must include with those 
comments a self-addressed, stamped postcard on which the following 
statement is made: ``Comments to NM175.'' The postcard will be date 
stamped and returned to the commenter.

Background

    On June 25, 1999, Flight Structures Inc., 4407 172 Street NE, 
Arlington, Washington, 98223, applied for a supplemental type 
certificate to install an overhead crew rest compartment in Boeing 
Model 777-200 series airplanes. The Boeing Model 777-200 series 
airplane is a large twin-jet engine transport airplane with four pairs 
of Type A exits, a passenger capacity of 440, and a range of 5000 
miles. The overhead crew rest compartment is a single compartment 
located at the door three vicinity above the main passenger compartment 
with eight private bunks and two seats, and is to be certified for a 
maximum of ten occupants. A stairwell entering from the door three 
aisle is the main entry. Two escape hatches are located on either side 
of the entryway door. These proposed special conditions are written for 
an overhead crew rest compartment that will be occupied only in flight, 
not during taxi, takeoff, or landing.

Type Certification Basis

    Under the provisions of Sec. 21.101, Flight Structures, Inc., must 
show that the Boeing Model 777-200 series airplane, as changed, 
continues to meet the applicable provisions of the regulations 
incorporated by reference in Type Certificate No. T00001SE or the 
applicable regulations in effect on the date of application for the 
change. The regulations incorporated by reference in the type 
certificate are commonly referred to as the ``original type 
certification basis.'' The regulations incorporated by reference in 
Type Certificate No. T00001SE for the Boeing Model 777-200 series 
airplanes include 14 CFR part 25, as amended by Amendments 25-1 through 
25-82. The U.S. type certification basis for the Boeing Model 777-200 
series airplanes is established in accordance with 14 CFR 21.29 and 
21.17 and the type certification application date. The type 
certification basis is listed in Type Certificate Data Sheet No. 
T00001SE.
    If the Administrator finds that the applicable airworthiness 
regulations (i.e., part 25) do not contain adequate or appropriate 
safety standards for the Model 777-200 series airplanes because of a 
novel or unusual design feature, special conditions are prescribed 
under the provisions of Sec. 21.16.
    In addition to the applicable airworthiness regulations and special 
conditions, Boeing Model 777-200 series airplane must comply with the 
fuel vent and exhaust emission requirements of 14 CFR part 34 and the 
noise certification requirements of 14 CFR part 36.
    Special conditions, as appropriate, are issued in accordance with 
Sec. 11.49, after public notice, as required by Secs. 11.28 and 
11.29(b), and become part of the type certification basis in accordance 
with Sec. 21.101(b)(2).
    Special conditions are initially applicable to the model for which 
they are issued. Should the applicant apply for a supplemental type 
certificate to modify any other model included on the same type 
certificate to incorporate the same novel or unusual design feature, 
the special conditions would also apply to the other model under the 
provisions of Sec. 21.101(a)(1).

Novel or Unusual Design Features

    While the installation of a crew rest compartment is not a new 
concept for large transport category airplanes, each compartment design 
has unique features by virtue of its design, location, and use on the 
airplane. Previously, crew rest compartments have been evaluated that 
are installed within the main passenger compartment area of the Boeing 
Model 777-200 and Model 777-300 series airplanes; other crew rest 
compartments have been installed below the passenger cabin area, within 
the cargo compartment. Similar overhead crew rest compartments have 
also been

[[Page 57565]]

installed on the Boeing Model 747 airplane. The interfaces of the 
modification are evaluated within the interior and assessed in 
accordance with the certification basis of the airplane. However, part 
25 does not provide the requirements for crew rest compartments within 
the overhead area of the passenger compartment for the Boeing Model 
777-200 series airplanes.
    This is a compartment that has never been used for this purpose in 
any previous Boeing Model 777-200 series airplanes. Due to the novel or 
unusual features associated with the installation of this crew rest 
compartment, special conditions are considered necessary to provide a 
level of safety equal to that established by the airworthiness 
regulations incorporated by reference in the type certificate.

Discussion of the Proposed Special Conditions

    In general, the requirements listed in these proposed special 
conditions are similar to those previously approved in earlier 
certification programs, such as for the Boeing Model 747 overhead crew 
rest compartment. These proposed special conditions establish seating, 
communication, lighting, personal safety, and evacuation requirements 
for the overhead crew rest compartment. When applicable, the proposed 
requirements parallel the existing requirements for a lower deck 
service compartment and provide an equivalent level of safety to that 
provided for main deck occupants.
    Seats and berths must be certified to the maximum flight loads. Due 
to the location and configuration of the crew rest compartment, 
occupancy during taxi, takeoff, and landing would be prohibited, and 
occupancy limited to crewmembers during flight. Occupancy would be 
limited to either ten persons, or the combined total of approved seats 
and berths, whichever is less.
    Two-way voice communications and public address speaker(s) would be 
required to alert the occupants to an inflight emergency. Also, a 
system to alert the occupants of the crew rest compartment in the event 
of decompression and to don oxygen masks would be required.
    To prevent the occupants from being isolated in a dark area due to 
loss of the crew rest compartment lighting, either a second independent 
source of normal lighting or emergency lighting would be required. An 
emergency lighting system, which is activated under the same conditions 
as the main deck emergency lighting system, would also be required.
    To preclude occupants from being trapped in the crew rest 
compartment in the event the main entryway is blocked, two evacuation 
routes, including the entryway, would be required. Each evacuation 
route must be designed to allow for removal of an incapacitated person 
from the crew rest compartment to the main deck.
    In addition, passenger information signs, supplemental oxygen, and 
a seat or berth for each occupant of the crew rest compartment would be 
required. These items are necessary because of turbulence and/or 
decompression.
    Proposed special condition no. 8 requires a means, readily 
detectable by seated or standing occupants of the crew rest 
compartment, which indicates when seat belts should be fastened. The 
requirement for visibility of the sign by standing occupants may be met 
by a general area sign that is visible to occupants standing in the 
main floor area or corridor of the crew rest area. It would not be 
essential to be visible from every possible location in the crew rest 
area; however, the location should not be easily obscured or remotely 
located.
    Since the overhead crew rest compartment is remotely located from 
the main passenger cabin and will not always be occupied, a smoke 
detection system and fire-fighting equipment would be required to 
minimize the hazards associated with a fire in the crew rest 
compartment. The smoke detection system must be capable of detecting a 
fire in each area of the compartment created by the installation of a 
curtain or partition. The materials in the crew rest compartment must 
meet the flammability requirements of Sec. 25.853(a), and the 
mattresses must meet the fire blocking requirements of Sec. 25.853(c).
    The crew rest compartment must be designed such that fires within 
the compartment can be controlled without having to enter the 
compartment; or, the design of the access provisions must allow crew 
equipped for fire fighting to have unrestricted access to the 
compartment. The time for a crewmember on the main deck to react to the 
fire alarm, to don the fire fighting equipment, and to gain access must 
not exceed the time for the crew rest compartment to become smoke 
filled, making it difficult to locate the fire source.
    This proposed special condition requirement concerning fires within 
the compartment was developed for, and applied to, Boeing Model 777-200 
and Model 777-300 series airplanes lower lobe crew rest compartment; it 
was not applied to the overhead crew rest compartment in earlier 
certification programs such as the Boeing Model 747. The Model 747 
special conditions were issued before the new flammability requirements 
were developed. This requirement originated from a concern that a fire 
in an unoccupied crew rest compartment could spread into the passenger 
compartment, or affect other vital systems, before it could be 
extinguished. The proposed special conditions would require either the 
installation of a manually activated fire containment system that is 
accessible from outside the crew rest compartment, or a demonstration 
that the crew could satisfactorily perform the function of 
extinguishing a fire under the prescribed conditions. The manually 
activated fire containment system would be required only if it could 
not be demonstrated that a crewmember responding to the alarm could not 
locate the fire source and successfully extinguish the fire.
    These proposed special conditions provide the regulatory 
requirements necessary for certification of this modification. Other 
special conditions may be developed, as needed, based on further FAA 
review and discussions with the applicant, manufacturer, and civil 
aviation authorities.

Applicability

    As discussed above, these special conditions are applicable to 
Boeing Model 777-200 series airplanes. Should Flight Structures, Inc., 
apply at a later date for a supplemental type certificate to modify any 
other model included on Type Certificate No. T00001SE to incorporate 
the same novel or unusual design feature, the special conditions would 
apply to that model as well under the provisions of Sec. 21.101(a)(1).

Conclusion

    This action affects only certain novel or unusual design features 
on Boeing Model 777-200 series airplanes. It is not a rule of general 
applicability, and it 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.

    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, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposes the 
following special conditions as part of the type certification basis 
for Boeing Model 777-200 series airplanes, as modified by Flight 
Structures, Inc., with overhead crew rest compartments.

[[Page 57566]]

    1. Occupancy of the overhead crew rest compartment is limited to a 
maximum of ten occupants. There must be an approved seat or berth able 
to withstand the maximum flight loads when occupied for each occupant 
permitted in the crew rest compartment.
    (a) There must be appropriate placards, inside and outside to 
indicate:
    (1) The maximum number of occupants allowed,
    (2) That occupancy is restricted to crewmembers,
    (3) That occupancy is prohibited during taxi, take-off and landing, 
and
    (4) That smoking is prohibited in the crew rest compartment.
    (b) There must be at least one ashtray on the inside and outside of 
any entrance to the crew rest compartment.
    (c) There must be a means to prevent passengers from entering the 
compartment in the event of an emergency or when no flight attendant is 
present.
    (d) There must be a means for any door installed between the crew 
rest compartment and passenger cabin to be capable of being quickly 
opened, even when crowding occurs at each side of the door.
    (e) For all doors installed, there must be a means to preclude 
anyone from being trapped inside the compartment. If a locking 
mechanism is installed, it must be capable of being unlocked from the 
outside without the aid of special tools. The lock must not prevent 
opening from the inside of the compartment at any time.
    2. There must be at least two emergency evacuation routes that 
could be used by each occupant of the crew rest compartment to rapidly 
evacuate to the main cabin. In addition--
    (a) The routes must be located on opposite sides of the crew rest 
compartment with sufficient separation within the compartment, and 
between the evacuation routes, to minimize the possibility of an event 
rendering both routes inoperative.
    (b) The routes must be designed to minimize the possibility of 
blockage, which might result from fire, mechanical or structural 
failure, or persons standing below or against the escape route. One of 
two evacuation routes may not be located where normal movement by 
passengers occurs (i.e., main aisle, cross aisle, or galley complex) 
that would impede egress of the crew rest compartment. If there is low 
headroom at or near the evacuation route, provisions must be made to 
prevent or to protect occupants from head injury. The use of evacuation 
routes must not be dependent on any powered device.
    (c) Emergency evacuation procedures must be established and 
transmitted to the operators for incorporation into their 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 
person (representative of a ninety-fifth percentile male) from the crew 
rest compartment to the passenger cabin floor. The evacuation must be 
demonstrated for all evacuation routes. A flight attendant or other 
crewmember may provide assistance in the evacuation. Procedures for the 
evacuation of an incapacitated person from the crew rest compartment 
must be established.
    4. The following signs and placards must be provided in the crew 
rest compartment:
    (a) At least one exit sign, located near each exit, meeting the 
requirements of Sec. 25.812(b)(1)(i).
    (b) An appropriate placard defining the location and the operating 
instructions for each evacuation route.
    (c) Placards must be readable from a distance of 30 inches under 
emergency lighting conditions.
    (d) The exit handles and instruction placards must be illuminated 
to at least 160 microlamberts under emergency lighting conditions.
    5. There must be a means in the event of failure of the airplane's 
main power system, or of the normal crew rest compartment lighting 
system, for emergency illumination to be automatically provided for the 
crew rest 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 crew rest compartment to locate and transfer to the main passenger 
cabin floor by means of each evacuation route.
    6. There must be means for two-way voice communications between the 
crewmembers on the flight deck and the occupants of the crew rest 
compartment. There must also be two-way communications between the 
occupants of the crew rest compartment and each flight attendant 
station required to have a public address system microphone per 
Sec. 25.1423(g) in the passenger cabin.
    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 flight deck and at each pair of required 
floor level emergency exits to alert occupants of the crew rest 
compartment of an emergency situation. Use of a public address or crew 
interphone system would be acceptable, providing an adequate means of 
differentiating between normal and emergency communications is 
incorporated. The system must be powered in flight, after the shutdown 
or failure of all engines and auxiliary power units, or the 
disconnection or failure of all power sources dependent on their 
continued operation, for a period of at least ten minutes.
    8. There must be a means, readily detectable by seated or standing 
occupants of the crew rest compartment, which indicates when seat belts 
should be fastened. Seat belt type restraints must be provided for 
berths and must be compatible for the sleeping attitude during cruise 
conditions. There must be a placard on each berth requiring that seat 
belts must be fastened when occupied. If compliance with any of the 
other requirements of these special conditions is predicated on 
specific head location, there must be a placard identifying the head 
position. In the event there are no seats, at least one sign must be 
provided to cover anticipated turbulence.
    9. The following equipment must be provided in the crew rest 
compartment:
    (a) At least one approved hand-held fire extinguisher appropriate 
for the kinds of fires likely to occur;
    (b) One protective breathing equipment device approved to TSO-C116 
or equivalent, suitable for fire fighting; and
    (c) One flashlight.
    10. A smoke detection system (or systems) must be provided that 
monitors each area within the crew rest including those areas 
partitioned by curtains. Flight tests must be conducted to show 
compliance with this requirement. Each system (or systems) must 
provide:
    (a) A visual indication to the 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

[[Page 57567]]

passenger compartment during various phases of flight.
    11. The crew rest compartment must be designed such that fires 
within the compartment can be controlled without a crewmember having to 
enter the compartment, or the design of the access provisions must 
allow crewmembers equipped for firefighting to have unrestricted access 
to the compartment. The time for a crewmember on the main deck to react 
to the fire alarm, to don the fire fighting equipment, and to gain 
access must not exceed the time for the compartment to become smoke-
filled, making it difficult to locate the fire source.
    12. There must be a means provided to exclude hazardous quantities 
of smoke or extinguishing agent originating in the crew rest 
compartment from entering any other compartment occupied by crewmembers 
or passengers. The means must include the time periods during the 
evacuation of the crew rest compartment and, if applicable, when 
accessing the crew rest compartment to manually fight a fire. Smoke 
entering any other compartment occupied by crewmembers or passengers 
must dissipate within 5 minutes after closing the access to the crew 
rest compartment. Flight tests must be conducted to show compliance 
with this requirement.
    13. There must be a supplemental oxygen system equivalent to that 
provided for main deck passengers for each seat and berth in the crew 
rest compartment. The system must provide:
    (a) An aural and visual warning to the occupants of the crew rest 
compartment to don oxygen masks in the event of decompression; and
    (b) A decompression warning that activates before the cabin 
pressure altitude exceeds 15,000 feet. The warning must sound 
continuously until a reset pushbutton in the crew rest compartment is 
depressed.
    14. The following requirements apply to a crew rest compartment 
that is divided into several sections by the installation of curtains 
or partitions:
    (a) To compensate for sleeping occupants, there must be an aural 
alert that can be heard in each section of the crew rest compartment 
that accompanies automatic presentation of supplemental oxygen masks. 
Two supplemental oxygen masks are required in each section whether or 
not seats or berths are installed in each section. There must also be a 
means by which the occupants can manually deploy the oxygen masks.
    (b) A placard is required adjacent to each curtain that visually 
divides or separates, for privacy purposes, the overhead crew rest 
compartment into small sections. The placard must require that the 
curtain(s) remain open when the private section it creates is 
unoccupied. The vestibule section adjacent to the stairway is not 
considered a private area and, therefore, does not require a placard.
    (c) For each crew rest section created by the installation of a 
curtain, the following requirements of these special conditions must be 
met with the curtain open or closed:
    (1) No smoking placard (special condition no. 1),
    (2) Emergency illumination (special condition no. 5),
    (3) Emergency alarm system (special condition no. 7),
    (4) Seat belt fasten signal (special condition no. 8), and
    (5) The smoke or fire detection system (special condition no.'s 10, 
11, and 12).
    (d) Overhead crew rest compartments visually divided to the extent 
that evacuation could be affected must have exit signs that direct 
occupants to the primary stairway exit. The exit signs must be provided 
in each separate section of the crew rest compartment, and must meet 
the requirements of Sec. 25.812(b)(1)(i).
    (e) For sections within an overhead crew rest compartment that are 
created by the installation of a rigid partition with a door physically 
separating the sections, the following requirements of these special 
conditions must be met with the door open or closed:
    (1) There must be a secondary evacuation route from each section to 
the main deck, or alternatively, the evacuation route must show that 
any door between the sections has been designed to preclude anyone from 
being trapped inside the compartment.
    (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 meeting the 
requirements of Sec. 25.812(b)(1)(i) that direct occupants to the 
primary stairway exit.
    (f) For each smaller section within the main crew rest compartment 
created by the installation of a partition with a door, the following 
requirements of these special conditions must be met with the door open 
or closed:
    (1) No smoking placards (special condition no. 1),
    (2) Emergency illumination (special condition no. 5),
    (3) Two-way voice communication (special condition no. 6),
    (4) Emergency alarm system (special condition no. 7),
    (5) Seat belt fasten signal (special condition no. 8),
    (6) Emergency fire fighting and protective equipment (special 
condition no. 9), and
    (7) Smoke or fire detection system (special condition no.'s 10, 11, 
and 12).
    15. The requirements of two-way voice communication with the flight 
deck and provisions for emergency firefighting and protective equipment 
are not applicable to lavatories or other small areas that are not 
intended to be occupied for extended periods of time.
    16. Where a waste disposal receptacle is fitted, it must be 
equipped with an automatic fire extinguisher that meets the performance 
requirements of Sec. 25.854(b).
    17. Materials (including finishes or decorative surfaces applied to 
the materials) must comply with the flammability requirements of 
Sec. 25.853(a), as amended by Amendment 25-83. Mattresses must comply 
with the flammability requirements of Sec. 25.853(c), as amended by 
Amendment 25-83.

    Issued in Renton, Washington on September 6, 2000.
Donald L. Riggin,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 00-23677 Filed 9-22-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P