[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 222 (Friday, November 16, 2001)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 57650-57653]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-28733]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 25

[Docket No. NM195; Special Conditions No. 25-192-SC]


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

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final special conditions.

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SUMMARY: These special conditions are issued for Boeing Model 777-200 
series airplanes, modified by the Boeing Commercial Airplane Group, 
Wichita. The proposed modification consists of the installation of an 
overhead flightcrew rest (OFCR) and an overhead attendant rest (OAR). 
The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or 
appropriate safety standards for these design features. These 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.

EFFECTIVE DATE: November 6, 2001.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On September 18, 2000, the Boeing Commercial Airplane Group 
(BCAG)--Wichita Division Designated Alteration Station (DAS) applied 
for a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) from the Wichita Aircraft 
Certification Office (ACO). The STC is to install an overhead 
flightcrew rest (OFCR) and an overhead attendant rest (OAR) on Boeing 
Model 777-200 series airplanes. The OFCR compartment adjacent to door 
one will include a maximum of two private berths and two seats. 
Occupancy of the OFCR will be limited to a maximum of four occupants. 
The OAR compartment, adjacent to door three, will include a combination 
of private berths and seats for a maximum of twelve occupants. 
Occupancy of the OAR will be limited to a maximum of twelve occupants. 
Follow-on designs may locate the OAR at either door three, or door four 
depending on the Model 777-200 airplane and option(s) selected by the 
customer.
    Both crew rests, OFCR and OAR, will be accessed from the main deck 
by stairs. In addition, an emergency hatch which opens directly into 
the cabin area will be provided for each compartment. A smoke detection 
system, an oxygen system, and occupant amenities will also be provided. 
These compartments will only be occupied in flight, not during taxi, 
takeoff, or landing.
    The Boeing Model 777-200 series airplanes are large twin engine 
airplanes with various passenger capacities and ranges depending upon 
airplane configuration, and currently do not incorporate OFCR and OAR 
compartments in production. While the installation of a 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. Crew rest compartments have 
been installed and certified in the main passenger area, above the main 
passenger area and below the passenger cabin area within the cargo 
compartment of the Boeing Model 777-200/-300 series airplanes. Also, 
overhead crew rest compartments have been installed on the Boeing Model 
747 series airplanes.
    The FAA has previously issued special conditions, which contain the 
additional safety standards that must be met for the overhead crew 
rests on Boeing Model 747 series airplanes. The FAA certified the lower 
lobe attendant rest on the Boeing Model 777-200 series airplanes by 
equivalent level of safety finding to the requirements of Sec. 25.819. 
In addition, the FAA issued Special Conditions No. 25-169-SC, dated 
December 1, 2000, for 777-200 series airplanes for overhead crew rest 
to support a STC for Flight Structures Inc (FSI) of Arlington, 
Washington. The Flight Structures, Inc. (FSI) Special Conditions No. 
25-169-SC were amended on May 2, 2001.
    These 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. Certification requirements for pilot ``sleeping quarters'' 
per the requirements of Sec. 121.485 are not addressed in these special 
conditions. The applicant must work directly with the Aircraft 
Evaluation Group (AEG) with regard to the adequacy of onboard sleeping 
quarters/facilities for compliance with Secs. 121.485(a), 121.523(b) 
and 135.269(b)(5). The AEG is responsible for making this finding.

Type Certification Basis

    Under the provisions of Sec. 21.101, Boeing must show that the 
Model 777-200 series airplanes, as changed, continue 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 21.17 
and 21.29 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 Boeing Model 777-200 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, the Boeing Model 777-200 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.
    Special conditions, as appropriate, are issued in accordance with 
Sec. 11.19, after public notice, as required by Sec. 11.38, 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).

[[Page 57651]]

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 and the overhead area 
of the passenger compartment of the 777-200. Other crew rest 
compartments have been installed below the passenger cabin area, 
adjacent to the cargo compartment. Similar overhead crew rest 
compartments have also been 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 all the requirements for 
crew rest compartments within the overhead area of the passenger 
compartment. Further, these special conditions do not negate the need 
to address other applicable part 25 regulations.
    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 Comments

    Notice of Proposed Special Conditions No. 25-01-04-SC for the 
Boeing Model 777-200 series airplanes, was published in the Federal 
Register on September 24, 2001 (66 FR 48836). Two commenters responded 
to the notice. One commenter finds the proposed special conditions to 
be satisfactory. The other commenter disagrees with aspects of the 
requirements of four of the proposed special conditions, however, no 
justification for the disagreement is provided. Therefore, the special 
conditions are issued as proposed.

Applicability

    As discussed above, these special conditions are applicable to 
Boeing Model 777-200 series airplanes. Should Boeing Commercial 
Airplane Group, Wichita Division Designated Alternation Station, 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).
    Under standard practice, the effective date of final special 
conditions would be 30 days after the date of publication in the 
Federal Register; however, as the certification date for the Boeing 
Model 777-200 series airplanes is imminent, the FAA finds that good 
cause exists to make these special conditions effective upon issuance.

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 Special Conditions

    Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the 
Administrator, the following special conditions are issued as part of 
the type certification basis for Boeing Model 777-200 series airplanes, 
as modified by Boeing Commercial Airplane Group, Wichita Division 
Designated Alteration Station, with overhead crew rest compartments, 
OFCR and/or OAR compartments.
    1. Occupancy of the overhead crew rest compartment is limited to 
the total number of installed bunks and seats in each compartment. 
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. The maximum occupancy is four in the OFCR and 12 for the 
OAR.
    (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 that are trained in 
the evacuation procedures for the overhead crew rest compartment,
    (3) That occupancy is prohibited during taxi, take-off and landing, 
and
    (4) That smoking is prohibited in the crew rest compartment.
    (5) That hazardous quantities of flammable fluids, explosives, or 
other dangerous cargo are prohibited from 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 from inside the compartment, 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, which 
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 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 should not be located where, during times in 
which occupancy is allowed, normal movement by passengers occurs (i.e. 
main aisle, cross aisle or galley complex) that would impede egress of 
the crew rest compartment. 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 there is 
low headroom at or near the evacuation route, provisions must be made 
to prevent or to protect occupants (of the crew rest area) from head 
injury. The use of evacuation routes must not be dependent on any 
powered device. If the evacuation path is over an area where there are 
passenger seats, a maximum of one row of passengers may be displaced 
from their seats temporarily during the evacuation process. If the 
evacuation procedure involves the evacuee stepping on seats, the seats 
must not be damaged to the extent that they would not be acceptable

[[Page 57652]]

for occupancy during an emergency landing.
    (c) Emergency evacuation procedures and the emergency evacuation of 
incapacitated occupant procedures must be established and transmitted 
to the operator for incorporation into their training programs and 
appropriate operational manuals. If the evacuation path is over an area 
where there are passenger seats, a maximum of one row of passengers may 
be displaced from their seats temporarily during the evacuation 
process.
    (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.
    (a) The evacuation must be demonstrated for all evacuation routes. 
A flight attendant or other crewmember (a total of one assistant within 
the crew rest area) may provide assistance in the evacuation. 
Additional assistance may be provided by up to three persons in the 
main passenger compartment. These additional assistants must be 
standing on the floor while providing assistance, except that for 
evacuation routes having stairways, the additional assistants may 
ascend up to one half the elevation change from the main deck to the 
overhead compartment, or to the first landing, whichever is lower.
    (b) 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), except that a sign of reduced 
background area with 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 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 evacuation path operating 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. In the event there are no seats, at least one means 
must be provided to cover anticipated turbulence. 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.
    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 Technical 
Standard Order (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 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 five minutes after closing the access to the crew 
rest compartment. Flight tests must be conducted to show compliance 
with this requirement.

[[Page 57653]]

    If a built-in fire extinguishing system is used in lieu of manual 
fire fighting, then the fire extinguishing system must be designed so 
that no hazardous quantities of extinguishing agent will enter other 
compartments occupied by passengers or crew; the system must have 
adequate capacity to suppress any fire occurring in the crew rest 
compartment, considering the fire threat, volume of the compartment and 
the ventilation rate.
    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 an aural and visual warning 
to warn the occupants of the crew rest compartment 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 until a reset push button 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. A 
minimum of 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 oxygen masks can be manually deployed 
from the flight deck.
    (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. 10).
    (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) 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, it must be shown 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. An exit sign with reduced background area as 
described in Special Condition No. 4(a) may be used to meet this 
requirement.
    (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. 10).
    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 November 6, 2001.
Jeff Duven,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 01-28733 Filed 11-15-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P