[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 212 (Tuesday, November 3, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 67621-67623]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-27936]



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  Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 212 / Tuesday, November 3, 2015 / 
Rules and Regulations  

[[Page 67621]]



DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 25

[Docket No. FAA-2015-2123; Special Conditions No. 25-604-SC]


Special Conditions: TIMCO Aerosystems, Boeing Model 777-300ER 
Series Airplanes; Dynamic Test Requirements for Single-Occupant, 
Oblique (Side-Facing) Seats with Airbag Devices

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final special conditions; request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: These special conditions are issued for Boeing Model 777-300ER 
series airplanes. This airplane, as modified by TIMCO Aerosystems, will 
have novel or unusual design features associated with oblique-angled, 
single-occupant seats equipped with airbag systems. The applicable 
airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety 
standards for these design features. These special conditions contain 
the additional safety standards the Administrator considers necessary 
to establish a level of safety equivalent to that established by the 
existing airworthiness standards.

DATES: The effective date of these special conditions is November 3, 
2015. We must receive your comments by December 18, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by docket number FAA-2015-2123 
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/.
    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:  John Shelden, Airframe and Cabin 
Safety, ANM-115, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; telephone 
425-227-2785; facsimile 425-227-1149.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA has determined that notice of, and 
opportunity for, prior public comment on these special conditions are 
impracticable because these procedures would significantly delay 
issuance of the design approval and thus delivery of the affected 
airplane.
    In addition, the substance of these special conditions has been 
subject to the public-comment process in several prior instances with 
no substantive comments received. The FAA therefore finds that good 
cause exists for making these special conditions effective upon 
issuance.

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 August 20, 2014, through FAA project no. ST14746AT-T, 
certification plan no. 13T422R006, TIMCO Aerosystems applied for a 
supplemental type certificate to allow the installation of oblique 
passenger seats, positioned at 30 degrees to the vertical plane of the 
airplane longitudinal centerline, and to include inflatable lap belts, 
in Boeing Model 777-300ER airplanes. The Boeing Model 777-300ER 
airplane is a wide-body, swept-wing, conventional-tail, twin-engine, 
turbofan-powered transport airplane, with seating capacity for 550 
passengers and 11 crew members.
    TIMCO Aerosystems proposes the installation of oblique (side-
facing) B/E Aerospace Super Diamond Business Class (B/C) seats. These 
seats will include airbag devices for occupant restraint and injury 
protection.

Type Certification Basis

    Under the provisions of Sec.  21.101, TIMCO Aerosystems must show 
that the 777-300ER, as changed, continues to meet the applicable 
provisions of the regulations listed in type certificate no. T00001SE, 
or the applicable regulations in effect on the date of application for 
the change, except for earlier amendments as agreed upon by the FAA. 
The regulations listed in the type certificate are commonly referred to 
as the ``original type-certification basis.'' The regulations listed in 
type certificate no. T00001SE are as follows:
    The type-certification basis for the Model 777-300ER airplane is 14 
CFR part 25, effective February 1, 1965, as amended by Amendments 25-1 
through 25-98, including special conditions 25-295-SC and 25-187A-SC. 
In addition, the certification basis includes certain special 
conditions, exemptions, or later

[[Page 67622]]

amended sections of the applicable part that are not relevant to these 
proposed special conditions.
    If the Administrator finds that the applicable airworthiness 
regulations (i.e., 14 CFR part 25) do not contain adequate or 
appropriate safety standards for the Boeing Model 777-300ER 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 a supplemental type 
certificate 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 777-300ER 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

    The Boeing Model 777-300ER airplane will incorporate the following 
novel or unusual design features:
    Installation of B/E Aerospace Super Diamond Business Class (B/C) 
seats manufactured by B/E Aerospace in ``J'' class, to be installed at 
an angle of 30 degrees to the airplane centerline. These seats will 
include airbag devices for occupant restraint and injury protection. 
The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or 
appropriate safety standards for occupants of seats installed in the 
proposed configuration.
    The seating configuration TIMCO Aerosystems proposes is novel and 
unusual due to the seat installation at 30 degrees to the airplane 
centerline, the airbag-system installation, and the seat/occupant 
interface with the surrounding furniture that introduces occupant 
alignment and loading concerns.
    Ongoing research is progressing to establish acceptable occupant-
injury limits. Until those limits become available, the FAA proposes a 
set of interim limits based on the current literature available, 
current National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 
regulations, and preliminary test data from the research program.
    The existing regulations do not provide adequate or appropriate 
safety standards for occupants of oblique-angled seats with airbag 
systems. To provide a level of safety that is equivalent to that 
afforded occupants of forward- and aft-facing seats, additional 
airworthiness standards, in the form of special conditions, are 
necessary. These special conditions supplement part 25 and, more 
specifically, supplement Sec. Sec.  25.562 and 25.785. The requirements 
contained in these special conditions consist of both test conditions 
and injury pass/fail criteria.

Discussion

    Amendment 25-15 to part 25, dated October 24, 1967, introduced the 
subject of side-facing seats, and a requirement that each occupant in a 
side-facing seat must be protected from head injury by a safety belt 
and a cushioned rest that will support the arms, shoulders, head, and 
spine.
    Subsequently, Amendment 25-20, dated April 23, 1969, clarified the 
definition of side-facing seats to require that each occupant of a 
seat, positioned at more than an 18-degree angle to the vertical plane 
of the airplane longitudinal centerline, must be protected from head 
injury by a safety belt and an energy-absorbing rest that will support 
the arms, shoulders, head, and spine; or by a safety belt and shoulder 
harness that will prevent the head from contacting any injurious 
object. The FAA concluded that an 18-degree angle would provide an 
adequate level of safety based on tests that were performed at that 
time, and thus adopted that standard.
    Part 25 was amended June 16, 1988, by Amendment 25-64, to revise 
the emergency-landing conditions that must be considered in the design 
of the airplane. Amendment 25-64 revised the static-load conditions in 
14 CFR 25.561, and added the new Sec.  25.562 that requires dynamic 
testing for all seats approved for occupancy during takeoff and 
landing. The intent of Amendment 25-64 is to provide an improved level 
of safety for occupants on transport-category airplanes. Because most 
seating is forward-facing on transport-category airplanes, the pass/
fail criteria developed in Amendment 25-64 focused primarily on these 
seats. As a result, the FAA issued Policy Memorandums ANM-03-115-30 and 
PS-ANM-100-2000-00123 to provide the additional guidance necessary to 
demonstrate the level of safety required by the regulations for side-
facing seats, and their mounting plates and adapters.
    Special conditions 25-295-SC were issued on August 9, 2005, for the 
Boeing Model 777, with injury criteria for seats installed at an 
oblique angle; however, those injury criteria were developed for a seat 
configuration that provided body support for the occupant, and do not 
directly address the complex occupant-loading conditions introduced by 
the oblique seat configuration that is the subject of these new special 
conditions.
    To reflect current research findings, the FAA developed a 
methodology to address all fully side-facing seats (i.e., seats 
positioned in the airplane with the occupant facing 90 degrees to the 
vertical plane of the airplane centerline), and has documented those 
requirements in a set of new special conditions. The FAA issued Policy 
Statement PS-ANM-25-03-R1 to define revised injury criteria associated 
with neck and leg injuries as they relate to fully side-facing seats, 
i.e., seats installed 90 degrees to the airplane centerline. That 
policy statement does not address oblique seat installations. Some of 
those criteria are applicable to oblique seats but others are not, 
because the motion of an occupant in an oblique seat is different from 
the motion of an occupant in a fully side-facing seat during emergency-
landing conditions.
    Most recently, on September, 30, 2015, the FAA issued special 
conditions 25-594-SC and 25-596-SC, applicable to the Boeing 747-8 and 
777-200, for oblique seats. These new special conditions are identical 
to both of those special conditions. No public comments were received 
for those special conditions.

Applicability

    As discussed above, these special conditions are applicable to the 
Boeing Model 777-300ER airplane. Should TIMCO 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, these special conditions would apply to the other model 
as well.

Conclusion

    This action affects only certain novel or unusual design features 
on one model of airplane. 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.
    The substance of these special conditions has been subjected to the 
notice and comment period in several prior instances, and has been 
derived without substantive change from those previously issued. It is 
unlikely that prior public comment would result in a significant change 
from the substance

[[Page 67623]]

contained herein. Therefore, because a delay would significantly affect 
the certification of the airplane, the FAA has determined that prior 
public notice and comment are unnecessary and impracticable, and good 
cause exists for adopting these special conditions upon publication in 
the Federal Register. The FAA is requesting comments to allow 
interested persons to submit views that may not have been submitted in 
response to the prior opportunities for comment described above.

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

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 Boeing Model 777-300ER airplane as 
modified by TIMCO Aerosystems.

Side-Facing Seats Special Conditions

    In addition to the requirements of Sec.  25.562:

1. Head-Injury Criteria

    Compliance with Sec.  25.562(c)(5) is required, except that, if the 
anthropomorphic test device (ATD) has no apparent contact with the 
seat/structure but has contact with an airbag, a head-injury criterion 
(HIC) unlimited score in excess of 1000 is acceptable, provided the 
HIC15 score (calculated in accordance with 49 CFR 571.208) for that 
contact is less than 700.

2. Body-to-Wall/Furnishing Contact

    If a seat is installed aft of structure (e.g., an interior wall or 
furnishing) that does not provide a homogenous contact surface for the 
expected range of occupants and yaw angles, then additional analysis 
and/or test(s) may be required to demonstrate that the injury criteria 
are met for the area that an occupant could contact. For example, if 
different yaw angles could result in different airbag performance, then 
additional analysis or separate test(s) may be necessary to evaluate 
performance.

3. Neck Injury Criteria

    The seating system must protect the occupant from experiencing 
serious neck injury. The assessment of neck injury must be conducted 
with the airbag device activated, unless there is reason to also 
consider that the neck-injury potential would be higher for impacts 
below the airbag-device deployment threshold.
    a. The Nij (calculated in accordance with 49 CFR 
571.208) must be below 1.0, where Nij =Fz/
Fzc + My/Myc, and Nij 
critical values are:

i. Fzc = 1530 lb for tension
ii. Fzc = 1385 lb for compression
iii. Myc = 229 lb-ft in flexion
iv. Myc = 100 lb-ft in extension

    b. In addition, peak upper-neck Fz must be below 937 lb 
of tension and 899 lb of compression.
    c. Rotation of the head about its vertical axis, relative to the 
torso, is limited to 105 degrees in either direction from forward-
facing.
    d. The neck must not impact any surface that would produce 
concentrated loading on the neck.

4. Spine and Torso Injury Criteria

    a. The shoulders must remain aligned with the hips throughout the 
impact sequence, or support for the upper torso must be provided to 
prevent forward or lateral flailing beyond 45 degrees from the vertical 
during significant spinal loading. Alternatively, the lumbar spine 
tension (Fz) cannot exceed 1200 lb.
    b. Significant concentrated loading on the occupant's spine, in the 
area between the pelvis and shoulders during impact, including rebound, 
is not acceptable. During this type of contact, the interval for any 
rearward (X-direction) acceleration exceeding 20g must be less than 3 
milliseconds as measured by the thoracic instrumentation specified in 
49 CFR part 572, subpart E, filtered in accordance with SAE 
International (SAE) J211-1.
    c. Occupant must not interact with the armrest or other seat 
components in any manner significantly different than would be expected 
for a forward-facing seat installation.
    5. Longitudinal test(s), conducted to measure the injury criteria 
above, must be performed with the FAA Hybrid III ATD, as described in 
SAE 1999-01-1609. The test(s) must be conducted with an undeformed 
floor, at the most-critical yaw case(s) for injury, and with all 
lateral structural supports (armrests/walls) installed.

    Note: TIMCO Aerosystems must demonstrate that the installation 
of seats via plinths or pallets meets all applicable requirements. 
Compliance with the guidance contained in FAA Policy Memorandum PS-
ANM-100-2000-00123, dated February 2, 2000, titled ``Guidance for 
Demonstrating Compliance with Seat Dynamic Testing for Plinths and 
Pallets,'' is acceptable to the FAA.

Inflatable Lap Belt Special Conditions

    If inflatable lap belts are installed on single-place side-facing 
seats, the lap belts must meet Special Conditions no. 25-187A-SC.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on October 28, 2015.
Michael Kaszycki,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-27936 Filed 11-2-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P