[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 83 (Thursday, April 30, 2015)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 24225-24226]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-10103]


 ========================================================================
 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
 the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
 notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
 the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
 
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 

  Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 83 / Thursday, April 30, 2015 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 24225]]



DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 25

[Docket No. FAA-2015-0758; Notice No. 25-15-05-SC]


Special Conditions: L-3 Communications Integrated Systems, Boeing 
Model 747-8 Series Airplanes; Therapeutic Oxygen for Medical Use

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed special conditions.

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SUMMARY: This action proposes special conditions for the Boeing Model 
747-8 series airplanes. This airplane, as modified by L-3 
Communications Integrated Systems (L-3), will have a novel or unusual 
design feature when compared to the state of technology envisioned in 
the airworthiness standards for transport-category airplanes. This 
design feature is therapeutic oxygen for medical use installed in an 
executive-interior airplane. 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: Send your comments on or before May 20, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by docket number FAA-2015-0758 
using any of the following methods:
     Federal eRegulations Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/ and follow the online instructions for sending 
your comments electronically.
     Mail: Send comments to Docket Operations, M-30, U.S. 
Department of Transportation (DOT), 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Room 
W12-140, West Building Ground Floor, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
     Hand Delivery or Courier: Take comments to Docket 
Operations in Room W12-140 of the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 
New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
     Fax: Fax comments to Docket Operations at 202-493-2251.
    Privacy: The FAA will post all comments it receives, without 
change, to http://www.regulations.gov/, including any personal 
information the commenter provides. Using the search function of the 
docket Web site, anyone can find and read the electronic form of all 
comments received into any FAA docket, including the name of the 
individual sending the comment (or signing the comment for an 
association, business, labor union, etc.). DOT's complete Privacy Act 
Statement can be found in the Federal Register published on April 11, 
2000 (65 FR 19477-19478), as well as at http://DocketsInfo.dot.gov/ gov/.
    Docket: Background documents or comments received may be read at 
http://www.regulations.gov/ at any time. Follow the online instructions 
for accessing the docket or go to Docket Operations in Room W12-140 of 
the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 
Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Hettman, FAA, Propulsion and 
Mechanical Systems, ANM-112, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft 
Certification Service, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington, 98057-
3356; telephone 425-227-2683; facsimile 425-227-1320.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

    We invite interested people to take part in this rulemaking by 
sending written comments, data, or views. The most helpful comments 
reference a specific portion of the special conditions, explain the 
reason for any recommended change, and include supporting data.
    We will consider all comments we receive by the closing date for 
comments. We may change these special conditions based on the comments 
we receive.

Background

    On May 10, 2011, L-3 applied for a supplemental type certificate 
(STC) for therapeutic oxygen for medical use in the Boeing Model 747-8 
series airplanes equipped with executive interiors. The Boeing Model 
747-8 series airplane, which is a derivative of the Boeing Model 747-
400 airplane currently approved under Type Certificate No. A20WE, is a 
four-engine jet-transport airplane that will have a maximum takeoff 
weight of 970,000 lbs. The Model 747-8 airplane will have 153 seats 
approved for taxi, takeoff, and landing (19 crewmembers and 134 
passengers).
    Section 25.1445 includes standards for oxygen-distribution systems 
when oxygen is supplied to flightcrew and passengers. If a common 
source of supply is used, Sec.  25.1445(a)(2) requires a means to 
separately reserve the minimum supply required by the flightcrew. This 
requirement was included in Sec.  25.1445 when the regulations were 
codified, and was originally added to Civil Air Regulations 4b.831 at 
Amendment 4b-13, effective September 21, 1949.
    It is apparent that the regulation is intended to protect the 
flightcrew by ensuring that an adequate supply of oxygen is available 
to complete a descent and landing following a loss of cabin pressure. 
When the regulation was written, the only passenger-oxygen system 
designs were supplemental-oxygen systems intended to protect passengers 
from hypoxia in the event of a decompression. Existing passenger-oxygen 
systems did not include design features that would allow the flightcrew 
to control oxygen to passengers during flight. There are no similar 
requirements when oxygen is supplied from the same source to passengers 
for use during a decompression and for discretionary/first-aid use any 
time during the flight. In the proposed design, the passenger and 
therapeutic-oxygen systems use the same source of oxygen. The 
flightcrew-oxygen emergency system uses a dedicated source of oxygen 
independent from the passenger-oxygen system. An oxygen-duration chart 
and operation procedures will be incorporated into the ``Flight Crew 
Operating Manual'' and ``Flight Manual Supplement,'' as part of the 
STC, to provide information to the flightcrew to determine when to 
cease operation of the therapeutic system as a

[[Page 24226]]

means by which to reserve the minimum supply of supplemental passenger 
oxygen.

Type Certification Basis

    Under the provisions of Sec.  21.101, L-3 must show that the Boeing 
Model 747-8 series airplane, as changed, continues to meet the 
applicable provisions of the regulations listed in Type Certificate No. 
A20WE, or the applicable regulations in effect on the date of 
application for the change, except for earlier amendments as agreed 
upon by the FAA.
    If the Administrator finds that the applicable airworthiness 
regulations (i.e., Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 
25) do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for the 
Boeing Model 747-8 series airplane because of a novel or unusual design 
feature, special conditions are prescribed under the provisions of 
Sec.  21.16.
    Special conditions are initially applicable to the model for which 
they are issued. Should the applicant apply for an STC to modify any 
other model included on the same type certificate to incorporate the 
same novel or unusual design feature, these special conditions would 
also apply to the other model under Sec.  21.101.
    In addition to the applicable airworthiness regulations and special 
conditions, the Boeing Model 747-8 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.
    The FAA issues special conditions, as defined in 14 CFR 11.19, in 
accordance with Sec.  11.38, and they become part of the type-
certification basis under Sec.  21.101.

Novel or Unusual Design Features

    L-3 is seeking certification of an interior modification to Boeing 
Model 747-8 series airplanes to include executive and medical-patient 
transport. As a part of the executive-interior installation, the 
airplane will be outfitted with a therapeutic-oxygen system. The 
therapeutic-oxygen system shares the same supply of oxygen with the 
existing passenger-oxygen system and consists of multiple constant-flow 
oxygen outlets located throughout the cabin. The flightcrew can turn 
the therapeutic-oxygen system on and off from the flight deck to allow 
use at any point during the flight, and to preserve a sufficient 
remaining oxygen reserve, in the event therapeutic oxygen is used for 
medical purposes, to accommodate the passengers in the event of an 
emergency-oxygen situation.
    The gaseous passenger-oxygen system will be modified to accommodate 
additional supply cylinders and several therapeutic-oxygen outlets 
located throughout the cabin. Each therapeutic outlet will provide a 
constant flow of oxygen at either 2 or 4 liters per minute. The 
flightcrew will be able to control the flow of therapeutic oxygen at 
any time during flight. Therapeutic-oxygen systems previously have been 
certified, and were generally considered an extension of the passenger-
oxygen system for the purpose of defining the applicable regulations. 
As a result, the applicable regulations included those that applied to 
oxygen systems in general, or supplemental-oxygen systems.

Discussion

    No specific regulations address the design and installation of 
oxygen systems used specifically for therapeutic applications. Existing 
requirements, such as Sec. Sec.  25.1309, 25.1441(b) and (c), 25.1451, 
and 24.1453, in the Boeing Model 747-8 airplane certification basis 
applicable to this STC project, provide some design standards 
appropriate for oxygen-system installations. However, additional design 
standards for systems supplementing the existing oxygen system are 
needed to complement the existing applicable requirements. The addition 
of equipment involved in this installation, and the unsafe conditions 
that can exist when the oxygen content of an enclosed area becomes too 
high because of system leaks, malfunction, or damage from external 
sources, make it necessary to ensure that adequate safety standards are 
applied to the design and installation of the oxygen system in Boeing 
Model 747-8 series airplanes. These potential hazards also necessitate 
development and application of appropriate additional design and 
installation standards.
    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.

Applicability

    As discussed above, these proposed special conditions are 
applicable to the Boeing Model 747-8 series airplanes. Should L-3 apply 
at a later date for a supplemental type certificate to modify any other 
model included on Type Certificate No. A20WE to incorporate the same 
novel or unusual design feature, these special conditions would apply 
to that model as well.
    Certification of these Boeing Model 747-8 series airplanes is 
currently scheduled for June 2015. Therefore, because a delay would 
significantly affect the applicant's installation of the system and the 
certification of the airplane, we are shortening the public-comment 
period to 20 days.

Conclusion

    This action affects only certain novel or unusual design features 
on one model series of airplanes. It is not a rule of general 
applicability, and 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 747-8 series airplanes as modified by L-3 
Communications Integrated Systems.
    The distribution system for the therapeutic-oxygen system must be 
designed and installed as follows:
    When oxygen is supplied to passengers for both supplemental and 
therapeutic purposes, the distribution system must be designed for 
either--
    1. A source of supplemental supply for protection from hypoxia 
following a loss of cabin pressure, and a separate source for 
therapeutic purposes, or
    2. A common source of supply, with means to separately reserve the 
minimum supply required by the passengers for supplemental use 
following a loss of cabin pressure.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on April 17, 2015.
Victor Wicklund,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-10103 Filed 4-29-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P