[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 62 (Tuesday, March 31, 2020)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 17786-17788]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-06362]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 25

[Docket No. FAA-2019-1102; Notice No. 25-20-03-SC]


Special Conditions: Qantas Airways Limited, Boeing Model 737-800 
Airplane; Personal Electronic-Device Straps Installed on Seat Backs

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 
737-800 airplane. This airplane, as modified by Qantas Airways Limited 
(Qantas), 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 personal 
electronic-device (PED) retention straps installed on the backs of 
passenger seats. 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 comments on or before May 15, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by Docket No. FAA-2019-1102 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.

[[Page 17787]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Shelden, 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 206-231-3214; email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited

    The FAA invites 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.
    The FAA will consider all comments received by the closing date for 
comments. The FAA may change these special conditions based on the 
comments received.

Background

    On June 12, 2019, Qantas applied for a supplemental type 
certificate to install PED retention straps on passenger seat backs in 
Boeing Model 737-800 airplanes. The Boeing Model 737-800 airplane is a 
twin-engine transport airplane with seating for 189 passengers, and a 
maximum takeoff weight of 174,200 pounds.

Type Certification Basis

    Under the provisions of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 
CFR) 21.101, Qantas must show that the Boeing Model 737-800 series 
airplane, as changed, continues to meet the applicable provisions of 
the regulations incorporated by reference in Type Certificate No. 
A16WE, or the applicable regulations in effect on the date of 
application for the change.
    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 737-800 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 737-800 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 737-800 airplane, as modified by Qantas, will 
incorporate the following novel or unusual design feature:
    Personal electronic-device (PED) retention straps installed on the 
backs of passenger seats.

Discussion

    In recent years, PEDs have been known to cause smoke and fires 
inside the fuselage due to the PED falling into areas of the cabin 
where it cannot be retrieved. The installation of a PED retention strap 
is intended to reduce the possibly of smoke or fire in flight due to 
PED loss throughout the cabin.
    The addition of a PED strap on the backs of passenger seats will be 
a functional design feature to enable passengers to view their own 
device without losing them throughout the cabin. The PED strap's 
practical use is envisaged particularly during the meal service where 
meal tray space is limited.
    Tablet devices and related PED designs are continually evolving, so 
it is challenging to find a suitable method of retention. These special 
conditions address the design and integration of a PED strap installed 
onto the back of the headrest cover of the B/E Aerospace Millennium (J 
class) and B/E Aerospace Innovator II (Y class) seats. The PED strap 
will allow passengers to view a tablet device without having to hold 
the device during the inflight phase. The PED strap must not be used 
during taxi, takeoff, and landing. The PED strap is also subject to 
certain load limits to ensure the strap can accommodate different PED 
sizes.
    The 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 special conditions are applicable to the 
Boeing Model 737-800 airplane, as modified by Qantas. Should Qantas 
apply at a later date for a supplemental type certificate to modify any 
other model included on Type Certificate No. A16WE 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 one model 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.

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 Proposed Special Conditions

0
Accordingly, the FAA proposes the following special conditions as part 
of the type certification basis for Boeing Model 737-800 airplanes, as 
modified by Qantas.
    1. The PED strap must meet the requirements of Sec.  3.1 (Abuse 
Loads) of SAE International Aerospace Recommended Practice ``Aircraft 
Seat Design Guidance and Clarifications'' document no. ARP5526C.
    2. The limitations section of the airplane flight manual must 
prohibit use of PED straps during taxi, takeoff, and landing phases of 
flight. Operational procedures may be used to achieve this.
    3. A means must be provided to limit the use of the PED strap to 
passenger tablets and related PEDs. Placards may be used to achieve 
this.
    4. The PED strap must be designed to support a 2.2-pound (1.0 Kg) 
PED.
    5. Placards indicating the 2.2-pound (1.0 Kg) load limit of the PED 
straps must be conspicuously posted.
    6. The PED straps must not impede egress, including in emergency-
exit passageways.
    7. Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA) must be 
incorporated into the design, including wear and stretch limitations, 
to ensure that strap wear is detected.
    a. PED straps must be inspected every 4,000 flight hours to ensure 
that strap retraction and PED retention are maintained.
    b. The strap must not protrude beyond the dress cover by more than 
1 inch (2.54 cm) to ensure that passengers do not use the strap as a 
handle.
    c. Defective head-rest covers must be changed in accordance with B/
E Aerospace component maintenance manual (CMM) 25-20-82 (Millennium J

[[Page 17788]]

Class Seats) and CMM 25-21-42 (Innovator II Y Class Seats). Reference: 
Qantas Engineering Controlled Report C7246--B738 +6Y Reconfiguration 
2015--Instruction for Continued Airworthiness.

    Issued in Des Moines, Washington, on March 20, 2020.
James E. Wilborn,
Acting Manager, Transport Standards Branch, Policy and Innovation 
Division, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-06362 Filed 3-30-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P