[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 161 (Tuesday, August 20, 2019)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 43037-43039]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-17696]



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 Rules and Regulations
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  Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 161 / Tuesday, August 20, 2019 / 
Rules and Regulations  

[[Page 43037]]



DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 25

[Docket No. FAA-2019-0632; Special Conditions No. 25-19-08-SC]


Special Conditions: The Boeing Company Model 747-8 Series 
Airplane; Certification of Cooktops

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final special conditions; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: These special conditions are issued for the The Boeing Company 
(Boeing) Model 747-8 series airplane. This airplane, as modified by 
Boeing 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 associated with 
the replacement and re-certification of existing cooktops with advanced 
technology induction coil cooktops in the main deck galleys on a Boeing 
Model 747-8 series airplane. The proposed modification is limited to 
removing the existing cooktops and replacing them with new technology 
cooktops. No changes to the galley surfaces, smoke detection system, 
ventilation system, warning systems, and fire suppression systems are 
included in this modification. The applicable airworthiness regulations 
do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design 
feature. 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.

DATES: This action is effective on The Boeing Company on August 20, 
2019. Send comments on or before October 4, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by Docket No. FAA-2019-0632 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 website, 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).
    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: Alan Sinclair, FAA, Airframe/Cabin 
Safety Branch, AIR-675, Transport Standards Branch, Policy and 
Innovation Division, Aircraft Certification Service, Federal Aviation 
Administration, 2200 South 216th Street, Des Moines, Washington 98198; 
telephone and fax 206-231-3215; email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The substance of these special conditions 
has been published in the Federal Register for public comment in 
several prior instances with no substantive comments received. 
Therefore, the FAA has determined that prior public notice and comment 
are unnecessary, and finds that, for the same reason, good cause exists 
for adopting these special conditions upon publication in the Federal 
Register.

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 July 2, 2018, Boeing applied for a supplemental type certificate 
for the replacement of existing cooktops in the Boeing Model 747-8 
series airplane. The Boeing Model 747-8 currently approved under Type 
Certificate No. A20WE, is an extended range passenger version of the 
Boeing Model 747-400 series airplanes with four General Electric 
engines having changes to increase its strength and fuel capacity.
    The modification incorporates the installation of an electrically 
heated surface, called a cooktop. Cooktops introduce high heat, smoke, 
and the possibility of fire into the passenger cabin environment. These 
potential hazards to the airplane and its occupants must be 
satisfactorily addressed. Since existing airworthiness regulations do 
not contain safety standards addressing cooktops, special conditions 
are therefore needed.

Type Certification Basis

    Under the provisions of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 
CFR) 21.101, Boeing must show that the 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., 14 CFR part 25) do not contain adequate or 
appropriate safety standards

[[Page 43038]]

for the Boeing Model 747-8 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 747-8 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 modification of the Boeing Model 747-8 series airplane will 
incorporate a novel or unusual design feature, which is the 
installation of cooktops in the passenger cabin. Cooktops introduce 
high heat, smoke, and the possibility of fire into the passenger cabin 
environment. The current airworthiness standards of part 25 do not 
contain adequate or appropriate safety standards to protect the 
airplane and its occupants from these potential hazards.

Discussion

    Currently, ovens are the prevailing means of heating food on 
airplanes. Ovens are characterized by an enclosure that contains both 
the heat source and the food being heated. The hazards represented by 
ovens are thus inherently limited, and are well understood through 
years of service experience. Cooktops, on the other hand, are 
characterized by exposed heat sources and the presence of relatively 
unrestrained hot cookware and heated food, which may represent 
unprecedented hazards to both occupants and the airplane. Cooktops 
could have serious passenger and airplane safety implications if 
appropriate requirements are not established for their installation and 
use. These special conditions apply to cooktops with electrically 
powered burners. The use of an open flame cooktop (for example, natural 
gas) is beyond the scope of these special conditions and would require 
separate rulemaking action. The requirements identified in these 
special conditions are in addition to those considerations identified 
in Advisory Circular (AC) 20-168, Certification Guidance for 
Installation of Non-Essential, Non-Required Aircraft Cabin Systems & 
Equipment (CS&E), dated July 22, 2010, and those in AC 25-17A, 
Transport Airplane Cabin Interiors Crashworthiness Handbook, Change 1, 
dated May 24, 2016. The intent of these special conditions is to 
provide a level of safety that is consistent with that on similar 
airplanes without cooktops.
    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.

Applicability

    As discussed above, these special conditions are applicable to the 
Boeing 747-8 series airplane as modified by Boeing. Should Boeing 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.

Conclusion

    This action affects only a certain novel or unusual design feature 
on the Boeing Model 747-8 series 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.

List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 25

    Aircraft, Aviation safety, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements.

Authority Citation

    The authority citation for these special conditions is as follows:

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

The Special Conditions

    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 747-8 series 
airplane, as modified by The Boeing Company:

Cooktop Installations With Electrically-Powered Burner

    1. Means, such as conspicuous burner-on indicators, physical 
barriers, or handholds, must be installed to minimize the potential for 
inadvertent personnel contact with hot surfaces of both the cooktop and 
cookware. Conditions of turbulence must be considered.
    2. Sufficient design means must be included to restrain cookware 
while in place on the cooktop, as well as representative contents, 
e.g., soup, sauces, etc., from the effects of flight loads and 
turbulence. Restraints must be provided to preclude hazardous movement 
of cookware and contents. These restraints must accommodate any 
cookware that is identified for use with the cooktop. Restraints must 
be designed to be easily utilized and effective in service. The 
cookware restraint system should also be designed so that it will not 
be easily disabled, thus rendering it unusable. Placarding must be 
installed which prohibits the use of cookware that can not be 
accommodated by the restraint system.
    3. Placarding must be installed which prohibits the use of cooktops 
(i.e., power on any burner) during taxi, takeoff, and landing.
    4. One of the following options must be provided to address the 
possibility of a fire occurring on or in the immediate vicinity of the 
cooktop:
    a. Placarding must be installed that prohibits any burner from 
being powered when the cooktop is unattended (Note: That this would 
prohibit a single person from cooking on the cooktop and intermittently 
serving food to passengers while any burner is powered). A fire 
detector must be installed in the vicinity of the cooktop, which 
provides an audible warning in the passenger cabin, and a fire 
extinguisher of appropriate size and extinguishing agent must be 
installed in the immediate vicinity of the cooktop. Access to the 
extinguisher must not be blocked by a fire on or around the cooktop.
    b. An automatic, thermally activated fire suppression system must 
be installed to extinguish a fire at the cooktop and immediately 
adjacent surfaces. The agent used in the system must be an approved 
total flooding agent suitable for use in an occupied area. The fire 
suppression system must have a manual override. The automatic 
activation of the fire suppression system must also automatically shut 
off power to the cooktop.
    5. The surfaces of the galley surrounding the cooktop, which could 
be exposed to a fire on the cooktop surface or in cookware on the 
cooktop must be constructed of materials that comply with the 
flammability requirements of Part III of Appendix F of part 25. This 
requirement is in addition to the flammability requirements typically 
required of the materials in these galley surfaces.

[[Page 43039]]

During the selection of these materials, consideration must also be 
given to ensure that the flammability characteristics of the materials 
will not be adversely affected by the use of cleaning agents and 
utensils used to remove cooking stains.
    6. The cooktop must be ventilated with a system independent of the 
airplane cabin and cargo ventilation system. Procedures and time 
intervals must be established to inspect and clean or replace the 
ventilation system to prevent a fire hazard from the accumulation of 
flammable oils and be included in the instructions for continued 
airworthiness. [Note: The applicant may find additional useful 
information in Society of Automotive Engineers, Aerospace Recommended 
Practice 85, Rev. E, entitled ``Air Conditioning Systems for Subsonic 
Airplanes,'' dated August 1, 1991.]
    7. Means must be provided to contain spilled foods or fluids in a 
manner that will prevent the creation of a slipping hazard to occupants 
and will not lead to the loss of structural strength due to corrosion.
    8. Cooktop installations must provide adequate space for the user 
to immediately escape a hazardous cooktop condition.
    9. A means to shut off power to the cooktop must be provided at the 
galley containing the cooktop and in the cockpit. If additional 
switches are introduced in the cockpit, revisions to smoke or fire 
emergency procedures of the AFM will be required.
    10. If the cooktop is required to have a lid to enclose the 
cooktop, there must be a means to automatically shut off power to the 
cooktop when the lid is enclosed.

    Issued in Des Moines, Washington, on August 13, 2019
Mary A. Schooley,
Acting Manager, Transport Standards Branch, Policy and Innovation 
Division, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-17696 Filed 8-19-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P