[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 175 (Monday, September 11, 2006)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 53309-53310]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-15005]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 25

[Docket No. NM315; Special Conditions No. 25-327-SC]


Special Conditions: Airbus Model A380-800 Airplane; Emergency 
Exit Arrangement--Outside Viewing

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final special conditions.

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SUMMARY: These special conditions are issued for the Airbus A380-800 
airplane. This airplane will have novel or unusual design features when 
compared to the state of technology envisioned in the airworthiness 
standards for transport category airplanes. Many of these novel or 
unusual design features are associated with the complex systems and the 
configuration of the airplane, including its full-length double deck. 
For these design features, the applicable airworthiness regulations do 
not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards regarding outside 
viewing from emergency exits. 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. Additional special conditions will be 
issued for other novel or unusual design features of the Airbus Model 
A380-800 airplane.

DATES: Effective Date: The effective date of these special conditions 
is August 28, 2006.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

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

Type Certification Basis

    Under the provisions of 14 CFR 21.17, Airbus must show that the 
Model A380-800 airplane meets the applicable provisions of 14 CFR part 
25, as amended by Amendments 25-1 through 25-98. If the Administrator 
finds that the applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain 
adequate or appropriate safety standards for the Airbus A380-800 
airplane because of novel or unusual design features, special 
conditions are prescribed under the provisions of 14 CFR 21.16.
    In addition to the applicable airworthiness regulations and special 
conditions, the Airbus Model A380-800 airplane must comply with the 
fuel vent and exhaust emission requirements of 14 CFR part 34 and the 
noise certification requirements of 14 CFR part 36. In addition, the 
FAA must issue a finding of regulatory adequacy pursuant to section 611 
of Public Law 93-574, the ``Noise Control Act of 1972.''
    Special conditions, as defined in 14 CFR 11.19, are issued in 
accordance with 14 CFR 11.38 and become part of the type certification 
basis in accordance with 14 CFR 21.17(a)(2).
    Special conditions are initially applicable to the model for which 
they are issued. Should the type certificate for that model be amended 
later to include any other model that incorporates the same novel or 
unusual design feature, the special conditions would also apply to the 
other model under the provisions of 14 CFR 21.101.

Discussion of Novel or Unusual Design Features

    Emergency evacuations are generally associated with adverse 
conditions, such as a fire outside the airplane. Because those adverse 
conditions may pose an immediate threat to the occupants of the 
airplane, it is often necessary to avoid opening emergency exits that 
would otherwise be usable. For this reason, it would be extremely 
useful to have a viewing window or other means of assessing the outside 
conditions to determine whether to open a particular emergency exit.
    The regulations governing the certification of the A380 do not 
adequately address a full-length double deck airplane in terms of the 
exit of passengers in an emergency and a viewing window or other means 
of assessing the outside conditions to determine whether to open an 
emergency exit. Therefore, special conditions are needed to ensure that 
each emergency exit has a means to permit viewing of the conditions 
outside the exit when the exit is closed. These special conditions are 
based upon Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) 96-9 and Amendment 25-
116, effective November 26, 2004, which adopted a similar requirement 
into Sec.  25.809(a).

Discussion of Comments

    Notice of Proposed Special Conditions No. 25-05-10-SC, pertaining 
to Emergency Exit Arrangement--Outside Viewing, was published in the 
Federal Register on

[[Page 53310]]

August 9, 2005 (70 FR 46112). Comments were received from the Airline 
Pilots Association (ALPA) and the Boeing Company.
    Requested change 1: ALPA recommends that ``* * * a special 
condition should be added to require that each [emergency] exit provide 
rescue personnel on the exterior of the aircraft a means to either 
determine whether the exit's emergency assist means (slide) is armed or 
disarmed or a means to disarm the emergency assist means from outside 
the aircraft.
    ``Consideration must be given to the exits located on the lower 
deck just aft of the wing (Doors 3L & 3R). A sufficient view to 
determine slide usability must be ensured from inside the cabin when 
the exits above them have been activated and their slides deployed.''
    FAA response: A means to know whether the exits are disarmed when 
opened from the outside is covered in Sec.  25.810(a)(1)(i). That is, 
the slides must automatically disarm when opened from the outside. 
Regarding the second point, the means to view conditions outside the 
exit must be sufficient to determine slide usability regardless of 
whether other slides have been deployed. This requirement is implicit 
in Sec.  25.809(a). Therefore, we have not changed the special 
condition, as proposed.
    Requested change 2: The Boeing Company makes the following comment:
    ``The certification basis for the Airbus Model A380 does not 
include Amendment 25-116, which included changes to 14 CFR 25.809 
(Emergency Exit Arrangement). It appears, however that the FAA is now 
proposing to apply the requirements of Amendment 25-116 through Special 
Conditions, without any novel or unusual design features. This is 
contrary to part 21, which clearly specifies how the type certification 
basis of the airplane is to be established and when Special Conditions 
are warranted.''
    FAA response: The FAA does not agree. The full upper deck is a 
novel design and warrants enhanced visibility, since passengers will be 
evacuating from both decks and the slides deploy close to each other. 
Amendment 25-116 was adopted after the special condition was initiated.
    This process is very similar to the way the first widebody 
requirements evolved: Notice of Proposed Rulemaking 69-33 contained 
many proposals similar to special conditions for the 747, DC-10, and 
L1011 airplanes and was later adopted in large part by Amendment 25-32.

Applicability

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

Conclusion

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

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 25

    Aircraft, Aviation safety, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements.


0
The authority citation for these special conditions is as follows:

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701, 44702, 44704.

The Special Conditions

0
Accordingly, pursuant to the authority delegated to me by the 
Administrator, the following special condition is issued as part of the 
type certification basis for the Airbus A380-800 airplane.
    In addition to the requirements of Sec.  25.809(a) at Amendment 25-
72, the following special condition applies:
    Each emergency exit must have means to permit viewing of the 
conditions outside the exit when the exit is closed. The viewing means 
may be on the exit or adjacent to it, provided that no obstructions 
exist between the exit and the viewing means. Means must also be 
provided to permit viewing of the likely areas of evacuee ground 
contact with the landing gear extended as well as in all conditions of 
landing gear collapse. A single device that satisfies both objectives 
is acceptable.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on August 28, 2006.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
 [FR Doc. E6-15005 Filed 9-8-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P