[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 44 (Thursday, March 5, 2020)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 12864-12865]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-03474]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 25

[Docket No. FAA-2019-0329; Special Conditions No. 25-760-SC]


Special Conditions: The Boeing Company (Boeing) Model 777-9 
Series Airplane; Interior Design To Facilitate Searches Above Passenger 
Cabin High Wall Suites

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final special conditions.

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SUMMARY: These special conditions are issued for The Boeing Company 
(Boeing) Model 777-9 series 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. These design features are passenger cabins with high wall 
suites (HWS). 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: Effective April 6, 2020.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shannon Lennon, Airframe and Cabin 
Safety Section, 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 206-231-3209; email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On April 24, 2018, Boeing applied for an amendment to Type 
Certificate No. T00001SE to include the new Model 777-9 series 
airplane. The Boeing Model 777-9 series airplane, which is a derivative 
of the 777-300ER currently approved under Type Certificate No. 
T00001SE, is a twin-engine, transport category airplane with seating 
for up to 495 passengers depending upon airplane configuration, and a 
maximum takeoff weight of approximately 775,000 lbs.

Type Certification Basis

    Under the provisions of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 
CFR) 21.101, Boeing must show that the Model 777-9 series airplane 
continues to meet the applicable provisions of part 25, through 
amendment 139, and 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.
    If the Administrator finds that the applicable airworthiness 
regulations (e.g., 14 CFR part 25) do not contain adequate or 
appropriate safety standards for the Boeing Model 777-9 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 type certificate for that model be amended 
later to include any other model that incorporates 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 777-9 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

    The Boeing Model 777-9 series airplane will incorporate the 
following novel or unusual design features:
    This airplane will include a passenger cabin with six HWS arranged 
in two rows of three suites each in a 1-1-1 configuration. Each HWS has 
a door and walls that extend from the floor to the ceiling or close to 
the ceiling. The characteristics of the HWS design are novel or unusual 
in that the suites are within, but not fully open to the cabin (such as 
for conventional mini-suites with partial height surrounds). They are 
not remote from the main cabin, as are overhead crew rest areas.

Discussion

    This Boeing Model 777-9 series airplane HWS with interfacing 
ceiling design is novel or unusual since its design was not 
specifically considered during the development of Sec.  25.795(c)(3), 
which requires that certain areas of the airplane incorporate features 
that deter the concealment, or promote the discovery, of weapons, 
explosives, or other objects. The areas regulated by that rule are 
toilets, life preservers and their storage areas, and the areas above 
overhead bins. These areas are not readily visible, but are readily 
accessible. For example, areas above overhead bins may not be easily 
visible when conducting a search due to light fixtures that could 
inhibit both the visual and physical inspection, but these areas could 
be accessible places to hide an explosive device.
    The wall-to-ceiling interface presented in the HWS design in this 
application is similar to overhead bin designs with respect to such 
challenges associated with conducting searches. These special 
conditions address those challenges.
    However, as opposed to areas above overhead bins, which often exist 
in continuous sections in the passenger

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cabin, the search challenges associated with HWS designs, and therefore 
the particular conditions necessary, may be limited when there are a 
relatively small number of installed suites, and therefore a smaller 
amount of area in which objects could be concealed.
    In consideration of the HWS design and ceiling interface, an 
installation incorporating six suites or less limits the search 
challenge due to the limited overhead area involved, which is similar 
to the search area presented by installation of a combined galley and 
lavatory area. Installations incorporating more than six suites present 
a large overhead area that more closely resembles the search challenges 
presented by the large overhead bin areas currently addressed by the 
rule. Since the development of HWS designs such as this one were not 
specifically considered during development of the rule, special 
conditions are needed for interior configurations incorporating HWS.
    Special Conditions 25-703-SC were previously issued for HWS 
installations on Model 777-300ER. Those special conditions, however, 
did not address the novel wall-to-ceiling interface design proposed for 
Model 777-9 HWS installations. In order to ensure that the Model 777-9 
design facilitates a search for dangerous objects, these additional 
special conditions were proposed for Boeing Model 777-9 airplanes.
    The associated guidance material presented in Advisory Circular 
25.795-8, Interior Design to Facilitate Searches, dated October 24, 
2008, specific to overhead bins designs can also be applied to the 
Model 777-9 HWS designs.
    The 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.

Discussion of Comments

    The FAA issued Notice of Proposed Special Conditions No. 25-19-06-
SC for The Boeing Company (Boeing) Model 777-9 series airplane, which 
was published in the Federal Register on August 9, 2019 (84 FR 39234). 
No comments were received, and the special conditions are adopted as 
proposed, except that information about the availability of AC 25.795-8 
as a method of compliance was moved from required text to the preceding 
general discussion.

Applicability

    As discussed above, these special conditions are applicable to the 
Boeing Model 777-9 series airplanes with HWS installations that 
interface with the ceiling. Should Boeing apply at a later date for a 
change to the type certificate to include another model incorporating 
the same novel or unusual design feature, these special conditions 
would apply to that model as well.

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.

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 Boeing Model 777-9 series airplanes 
with HWS installed. These conditions are in addition to existing FAA 
Special Condition No. 25-703-SC published in the Federal Register on 
October 26, 2017 (82 FR 49492).

Interior Design To Facilitate Searches Above Passenger Cabin High Wall 
Suites

    1. The area above each HWS must be designed such that there should 
be no hazards to a person performing a physical search above the HWS 
(e.g., no hot surfaces, no sharp edges, and no corners).
    2. Where there are more than six (6) HWS installed on the aircraft, 
design features must be incorporated that will deter concealment or 
promote discovery of weapons, explosives, or objects from a simple 
inspection. Areas above the HWS must be designed to prevent objects 
from being hidden from view in a simple, visual search from the aisle.

    Issued in Des Moines, Washington, on February 14, 2020.
James E. Wilborn,
Acting Manager, Transport Standards Branch, Policy and Innovation 
Division, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-03474 Filed 3-4-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P