[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 175 (Monday, September 11, 2006)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 53313-53315]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-15011]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 25

[Docket No. NM318; Special Conditions No. 25-329-SC]


Special Conditions: Airbus Model A380-800 Airplane, Escape 
Systems Installed in Non-Pressurized Compartments

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 escape 
systems installed in non-pressurized compartments. 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

[[Page 53314]]

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

    All of the escape systems on the upper deck and one pair of the 
escape systems on the main deck of this airplane are installed in non-
pressurized compartments. These non-pressurized compartments will be 
exposed to extremely cold temperatures on every flight.
    When the certification testing was conducted for previous airplane 
programs, the FAA considered that the extreme environmental conditions 
to which the escape systems can be exposed would be independent of one 
another. For example, the escape system would be tested under 
conditions of extreme cold in one test and exposed to 25-knot winds at 
ambient temperature in a separate test. On the Model A380-800 airplane, 
however, all the upper deck escape systems and one pair of the main 
deck escape systems are located in non-pressurized compartments. As a 
result, these escape systems will be exposed to extremely cold 
temperatures on every flight. Therefore, they must be tested under 
conditions of both extremely cold temperatures and strong winds.
    In the past, several airplanes have had a pair of escape systems 
installed in non-pressurized compartments. These escape systems were 
off-wing systems that are less affected by wind than are other escape 
systems, and only one pair of exits was affected. Testing the combined 
effects of extremely cold temperature and strong winds was not required 
for these systems. On the A380, however, one-half of the escape systems 
are installed in non-pressurized compartments. Therefore, the adverse 
effects of a failure of the escape system--due to the combination of 
extremely cold temperatures and strong wind--would be much more severe.
    The regulations do not adequately address escape systems installed 
in non-pressurized compartments; therefore, a special condition is 
needed to require the applicant to demonstrate that escape systems in 
non-pressurized compartments function properly when exposed to both 
extremely cold temperatures and strong winds.

Discussion of Comments

    Notice of Proposed Special Conditions No. 25-05-13-SC, pertaining 
to escape systems installed in non-pressurized compartments, was 
published in the Federal Register on August 9, 2005 (70 FR 46099). 
Comments were received from the Airline Pilots Association (ALPA) and 
from an individual commenter.
    Requested change 1: ALPA suggests that the special conditions 
``should be amended to ensure that the testing done to evaluate that 
the escape system functions correctly after exposure to cold soak and 
high altitude also evaluates the repeated cycling of these parameters. 
In addition, exposure to heat and humidity, water intrusion and the 
introduction of precipitation propelled at and past the slide 
compartment at speeds equal to those used in approaches and departures 
should also be evaluated.''
    FAA response: Evaluation of the response of the escape systems 
installed in non-pressurized compartments to these environmental 
conditions is required by 14 CFR 25.1309 and will be addressed as part 
as the compliance demonstration for the escape systems. Accordingly, we 
have not changed the special condition, as proposed.
    Requested change 2: The individual commenter addresses the stowage 
of survival kits with the slide/rafts in non-

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pressurized locations. He states that, ``The safety issue is that the 
life/raft items are not immediately ready and attached to the slide/
raft in a ditching as they are on slide/rafts stored in the pressurized 
section of aircraft.''
    FAA response: Stowage of survival kits has not yet been resolved 
for the upper deck slide/rafts. In the case of portable life rafts, the 
entire raft must be retrieved for ditching; with slide/rafts, the raft 
is available automatically when the exit is opened. It may be feasible 
to stow the survival kit separately from the slide/raft and maintain 
the same level of safety as that provided by portable rafts, and that 
would be an acceptable design alternative. This can be addressed within 
the existing regulations. Therefore, no change has been made to the 
special conditions, as proposed.

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 conditions are issued as part of 
the type certification basis for the Airbus A380-800 airplane.
    In addition to the requirements of Sec. Sec.  25.810, 25.1301 and 
25.1309, the following special condition applies:
    For the escape systems on the Model A380-800 airplane that are 
installed in non-pressurized compartments and thus are exposed to 
extremely cold temperatures on every flight, it must be demonstrated 
that the escape systems function properly in the combination of the 
cold soak associated with long flight at altitude and a 25-knot wind 
from the critical angle.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on August 28, 2006.
Ali Bahrami,
Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. E6-15011 Filed 9-8-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P