[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 166 (Monday, August 29, 2022)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 52661-52663]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-18568]
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Rules and Regulations
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains regulatory documents
having general applicability and legal effect, most of which are keyed
to and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations, which is published
under 50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510.
The Code of Federal Regulations is sold by the Superintendent of Documents.
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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 166 / Monday, August 29, 2022 / Rules
and Regulations
[[Page 52661]]
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 25
[Docket No. FAA-2020-0476; Special Conditions No. 25-780A-SC]
Special Conditions: TC Inter-Informatics A.S., Airbus Model A330-
243 Airplane; Single-Occupant, Oblique (Side-Facing) Seats With
Inflatable Lap Belts
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Final special conditions; amendment.
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SUMMARY: These amended special conditions are issued for the Airbus
Model A330-243 series airplane, as modified by TC Inter-Informatics
A.S. (TC Inter-Informatics). This airplane 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 single-occupant, oblique, B/E Aerospace Super Diamond
seats, equipped with inflatable lap belts. 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 TC Inter-Informatics on August 29,
2022.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alan Sinclair, Human-Machine Interface
Section, AIR-626, Technical Innovation Policy 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:
Background
On March 21, 2017, TC Inter-Informatics applied for a supplemental
type certificate to install B/E Aerospace Super Diamond specific Model
1031301 seats, equipped with inflatable restraint systems, at oblique
angles of 27.25 and 30 degrees to the longitudinal centerline on Airbus
Model A330-243 airplanes. The Airbus Model A330-243 airplane, which is
a derivative of the Airbus Model A330 airplane currently approved under
Type Certificate No. A46NM, is a twin-engine, transport-category
airplane with a maximum takeoff weight of 507,063 pounds and seating
for 375 passengers.
Type Certification Basis
Under the provisions of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14
CFR), Sec. 21.101, TC Inter-Informatics must show that the Airbus
Model A330-243 airplane, as changed, continues to meet the applicable
provisions of the regulations listed in Type Certificate No. A46NM 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 Airbus Model A330-243 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 Airbus Model A330-243 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 Airbus Model A330-243 airplane, as modified by TC Inter-
Informatics, will incorporate the following novel or unusual design
feature:
Single-occupant, oblique seats equipped with inflatable lapbelts.
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 Statement ANM-03-115-30,
``Side-facing Seats on Transport Category Airplanes,'' and Policy
Memorandum PS-ANM100-2000-00123, ``Guidance for Demonstrating
Compliance with Seat Dynamic Testing for Plinths and Pallets,'' to
provide the
[[Page 52662]]
additional guidance necessary to demonstrate the level of safety
required by the regulations for side-facing seats.
To reflect current research findings, the FAA issued Policy
Statement PS-ANM-25-03-R1, ``Technical Criteria for Approving Side-
Facing Seats,'' on November 5, 2012, which updates injury criteria for
fully side-facing seats. This policy statement was issued to define
revised injury criteria associated with neck and leg injuries.
The proposed Airbus Model A330-243 airplane, with an oblique
seating configuration by TC Inter-Informatics, is novel such that the
Airbus Model A330-243 airplane certification basis does not adequately
address protection of the occupant's neck and spine for seat
configurations that are positioned at an angle greater than 18 degrees
from the airplane centerline. Therefore, the TC Inter-Informatics
proposed configuration requires new special conditions.
These special conditions will provide head-injury criteria, neck-
injury criteria, spine-injury criteria, and body-to-wall contact
criteria. They 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 Final Special Conditions, Request for Comment,
Special Conditions No. 25-780-SC for the Airbus Model A330-243
airplane, as modified by TC Inter-Informatics, which was published in
the Federal Register on February 2, 2021 (86 FR 7799). The FAA received
responses from two commenters.
One commenter recommended changing Condition no. 5 to require
longitudinal tests to be conducted with the Hybrid III anthropomorphic
test dummy (ATD), versus tests ``as necessary,'' stating that, as
written, the wording implies that the tests are optional. The FAA
concurs with the comment and has changed ``as necessary'' to ``as
required.''
The Boeing Company submitted eight comments, each requesting
clarification in keeping with corresponding text from FAA Policy PS-
AIR-25-27, ``Technical Criteria for Approving Oblique Seats,'' dated
July 11, 2018. The certification project to which these Special
Conditions apply is a validation of a supplemental type certificate
issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) prior to the
issuance of FAA Policy PS-AIR-25-27. The certification basis for the
project is based on the date of application for the EASA design
approval in accordance with the Technical Implementation Procedures for
Airworthiness and Environmental Certification between the FAA and the
EASA.
The FAA agrees to incorporate six comments affecting Condition nos.
1, 2, 3, 3.a, 3.b, and 3.d., and has made the changes. These six
comments better align the wording of these Conditions with FAA Policy
PS-AIR-25-27, but do not alter the criteria or intent of the
Conditions, thus do not affect the certification basis of this
supplemental type certificate.
Boeing recommended changing the Condition no. 4.a, Lumbar Spine, to
include, ``The lumbar spine tension (Fz) cannot exceed 1,200
lbs.'' Boeing also recommended adding conditions for pelvis criteria
and femur criteria.
The FAA does not concur because these criteria were established by
FAA Policy PS-AIR-25-27, and, as mentioned previously, the
certification basis for the project is based on the date of application
for the EASA design approval pursuant to the Technical Implementation
Procedures for Airworthiness and Environmental Certification between
the FAA and the EASA, which is before that policy was established.
These special conditions are being amended as discussed above. All
other special conditions are adopted as issued.
Applicability
These special conditions are applicable to Airbus Model A330-243
airplanes with B/E Aerospace Super Diamond business class seats
installed, per TC Inter-Informatics project-specific certification plan
JD-45AC01-1. Should TC Inter-Informatics apply at a later date for a
supplemental type certificate to modify any other model included on
Type Certificate No. A46NM 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 airplane. It is not a rule of general applicability,
and affects only the applicant who applied to the FAA for approval of
this feature 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 Airbus Model A330-243 airplanes, as
modified by TC Inter-Informatics.
Single-Occupant, Oblique (Side-Facing) Seats Special Conditions
1. Existing Criteria
All injury protection criteria of Sec. 25.562(c)(1) through (6)
apply to the occupant of an oblique (side-facing) seat. Head-injury
criterion (HIC) assessments are only required for head contact with the
seat and adjacent structures. If the ATD has no apparent contact with a
seat or structure, but does have contact with an airbag, a HIC
unlimited score in excess of 1000 is acceptable, provided that the
HIC15 score for that contact is less than 700.
2. Body-to-Wall/Furnishing Contact Criteria
If an oblique 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 or tests may be required to demonstrate that the injury
criteria are met for the area which an occupant could contact. For
example, if different yaw angles could result in different airbag
performance, then additional analysis or separate tests 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 activated, unless there is reason to also consider that
the neck-injury potential would be higher below the inflatable
restraint threshold. If so, additional tests may be required.
a. The Nij (calculated in accordance with 49 CFR
571.208) must be below 1.0, where Nij =Fz/
Fzc + My/Myc, and Nij
intercepts limited to:
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.
in tension and 899 lb. in 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.
[[Page 52663]]
d. The neck must not impact any surface.
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.
b. Significant concentrated loading on the occupant's spine, in the
area between the pelvis and shoulders during impact, including rebound,
is not acceptable.
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 Tests
These must be performed, as required, with the Hybrid III ATD, as
described in SAE 1999-01-1609, ``A Lumbar Spine Modification to the
Hybrid III ATD for Aircraft Seat Tests.'' The tests must be conducted
with an undeformed floor, most critical yaw cases for injury, and with
all lateral structural supports (armrests and walls) installed. For the
pass/fail injury assessments, see the criteria listed in special
conditions 1 through 4, above.
Note: TC Inter-Informatics A.S. 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 Lapbelt Conditions
If inflatable lapbelts are installed on single-place side-facing
seats, the inflatable lapbelts must meet the requirements of Special
Conditions No. 25-395-SC.
Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on August 24, 2022.
Patrick R. Mullen,
Manager, Technical Innovation Policy Branch, Policy and Innovation
Division, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-18568 Filed 8-26-22; 8:45 am]
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