[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 94 (Wednesday, May 14, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27887-27888]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-10555]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Crewmember Demand Oxygen Mask

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of Technical Standard 
Order (TSO) C-78a, Crewmember Demand Oxygen Mask. This TSO tells 
persons seeking a TSO authorization (TSOA) or letter of design approval 
(LODA) what minimum performance standards (MPS) their crewmember demand 
oxygen mask must meet to be identified with the appropriate TSO 
marking. This TSO has been revised to address a general requirement for 
oxygen masks to be supplied with an oxygen supply tube.

DATES: TSO-C78a will be available on or before June 13, 2008.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. John Petrakis, AIR-120, Room 815, 
Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20591. Telephone (202) 267-9274, fax (202) 267-5340, or 
e-mail at: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    TSO C-78a addresses crewmember demand oxygen masks and breathing 
valves that use either panel mounted or mask mounted demand and 
pressure-demand oxygen regulators.
    This ``a'' revision to TSO-C78, became effective on February 13, 
2008. Shortly after its release, we determined that the general 
requirement to provide an oxygen supply tube for Type II and Type IV 
oxygen masks needed to be revised. While an oxygen supply tube is a 
required component of the Type II and Type IV oxygen mask, the original 
TSO C-78 manufacturers are approved to provide oxygen supply tubes of 
different lengths. The lengths of those oxygen tubes provided by the 
manufacturer are aircraft specific. As is the case with all FAA 
approved TSO articles, which are only design and production approvals, 
the installation of a TSO C-78 or C-78a approved crewmember demand 
oxygen mask requires a separate installation approval. Therefore, to 
eliminate any confusion, we revised appendix 1 of TSO C-78a by removing 
changes we made to paragraph 3.9, Oxygen Supply Tube, regarding the 
length of the oxygen supply tube.

How to Obtain Copies

    You can view or download TSO C-78a from its online location at: 
http://

[[Page 27888]]

www.faa.gov/regulations--policies/orders--notices/. At this Web page, 
select Technical Standard Orders (TSO) Database. At the TSO page, 
select ``Current.'' For a paper copy, contact the person listed in For 
Further Information Contact. Note that referenced SAE International 
documents are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without the written 
consent of SAE International. You may purchase copies of SAE 
International documents from: SAE International, 400 Commonwealth 
Drive, Warrendale, PA 15096-0001, or directly from their Web site: 
http://www.sae.org/.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on May 7, 2008.
Susan J. M. Cabler,
Assistant Manager, Aircraft Engineering Division, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. E8-10555 Filed 5-13-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M