80 FR 23441 - Special Conditions: Boeing Model 787-9, Dynamic Test Requirements for Single-Occupant Oblique (Side-Facing) Seats With Airbag Devices

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 81 (April 28, 2015)

These special conditions are issued for the Boeing Model 787-9 airplane. This airplane has a novel or unusual design feature associated with side-facing, oblique seats. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for occupants of seats installed at an angle of greater than 18 degrees, but substantially less than 90 degrees, to the centerline of the airplane, nor for airbag devices. 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.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 81 (Tuesday, April 28, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 23441-23443]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-09784]



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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 81 / Tuesday, April 28, 2015 / Rules 
and Regulations

[[Page 23441]]



DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 25

[Docket No. FAA-2015-0692; Special Conditions No. 25-580-SC]


Special Conditions: Boeing Model 787-9, Dynamic Test Requirements 
for Single-Occupant Oblique (Side-Facing) Seats With Airbag Devices

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Final special condition; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: These special conditions are issued for the Boeing Model 787-9 
airplane. This airplane has a novel or unusual design feature 
associated with side-facing, oblique seats. The applicable 
airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety 
standards for occupants of seats installed at an angle of greater than 
18 degrees, but substantially less than 90 degrees, to the centerline 
of the airplane, nor for airbag devices. 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 April 28, 2015. We must receive your 
comments by June 12, 2015.

ADDRESSES:  Send comments identified by docket number FAA-2015-0692 
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:  Jeff Gardlin, Airframe and Cabin 
Safety, ANM-115, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; telephone 
425-227-2136; 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.
    The FAA therefore finds that good cause exists for making these 
special conditions effective 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 5, 2009, The Boeing Company applied for an amendment to 
Type Certificate No. T00021SE to include the new Model 787-9 airplane. 
The Model 787-9, which is a derivative of the Model 787 airplane 
currently approved under Type Certificate No. T00021SE, is a wide-body 
twin-jet with wing-mounted engines. It has a 420-passenger capacity, a 
maximum takeoff weight of 553,000 lb, and is equipped with two Rolls-
Royce Trent T1000 or General Electric GENx engines.
    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 sideward-facing seats to require that each occupant of a 
seat that is positioned at more than an 18-degree angle to the vertical 
plane containing the airplane centerline must be protected from head 
injury by a safety belt and an energy-absorbing rest that supports the 
arms, shoulders, head, and spine; or by a safety belt and shoulder 
harness that prevents the head from contacting injurious objects. The 
FAA concluded that a maximum 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 
Sec.  25.561, and added a new Sec.  25.562 that required 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

[[Page 23442]]

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, 
``Side-facing Seats on Transport Category Airplanes,'' and PS-ANM-100-
2000-00123 ``Guidance for Demonstrating Compliance with Seat Dynamic 
Testing for Plinths and Pallets,'' to provide the additional guidance 
necessary to demonstrate the level of safety required by the 
regulations for fully side-facing seats.
    To reflect current research findings, the FAA developed a 
methodology to address all fully side-facing seats (i.e, seats oriented 
in the airplane with the occupant facing 90 degrees to the direction of 
airplane travel) and has documented those requirements in a set of 
proposed new special conditions. The FAA issued Policy Statement PS-
ANM-25-03-R1 to document the injury criteria associated with neck and 
leg injuries for fully side-facing seats that will be used in special 
conditions issued after the implementation of the policy.
    The criteria described in the above policy statements were written 
for fully side-facing seats and do not fully address the complex 
occupant-loading conditions introduced by a seat that is at an oblique 
angle to the centerline of the airplane. The Model 787-9 business-class 
seat installation is novel such that the current Model 787 side-facing 
seat special conditions do not adequately convey occupant protection 
expectations for an oblique-seat installation. Therefore, the 
configuration Boeing proposes requires new special conditions.

Type Certification Basis

    Under the provisions of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 
CFR) 21.101, Boeing must show that the 787-9, as changed, continues to 
meet the applicable provisions of the regulations listed in Type 
Certificate No. T00021SE, 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 T00021SE are as follows:
    The type-certification basis for the Model 787-9 airplane is 14 CFR 
part 25, effective February 1, 1965, as amended by Amendments 25-1 
through 25-128, except Sec.  25.795, Security Considerations, at 
Amendment 25-106; and Sec.  25.125, Landing, at Amendment 25-108.
    In addition, the certification basis includes certain special 
conditions, exemptions, or later amended sections of the applicable 
part that are not relevant to these 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 787-9 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, or should any other model already included on 
the same type certificate be modified to incorporate the same novel or 
unusual design feature, the special conditions would also apply to the 
other model.
    In addition to the applicable airworthiness regulations and special 
conditions, the Boeing Model 787-9 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 787-9 airplane will incorporate the following 
novel or unusual design features:
    Installation of Zodiac Seats France Cirrus III model oblique 
business-class passenger seats manufactured by Zodiac Seats UK, which 
are seats installed at an angle of 30 degrees to the airplane 
centerline. These seats will include airbag devices for occupant 
restraint and injury protection. This particular design allows for the 
upper torso to align with the impact vector, but may restrict the 
knees/legs from fully aligning. The applicable airworthiness 
regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for 
occupants of seats installed in the proposed configuration.
    To provide a level of safety equivalent to that afforded to 
occupants of forward- and aft-facing seats, additional airworthiness 
standards, in the form of special conditions, are necessary. Although 
we have issued side-facing-seat special conditions applicable to the 
787, these existing special conditions do not fully address the complex 
occupant-loading conditions introduced by a seat that is at an oblique 
angle to the centerline of the airplane. Special Conditions 25-458-SC, 
``Boeing Model 787 Series Airplanes; Single-place Side-facing Seats 
with Inflatable Lapbelts,'' apply to fully side-facing (90 degree) 
seats installed on the 787. Special Conditions 25-552-SC, ``Boeing 
Model 787-9, Side-Facing Seats,'' were applicable to a specific 49-
degree oblique seat installation, and do not contain sufficient 
criteria for general oblique seat installations.
    Boeing is installing airbag devices on these seats, either in the 
lapbelts or mounted in the structure around the seats. Airbag devices 
installed in lapbelts on the 787 are addressed by Special Conditions 
25-431-SC, ``Boeing Model 787 Series Airplanes; Seats With Inflatable 
Lapbelts.'' We are currently developing special conditions to apply to 
structure-mounted airbag devices installed on the 787.

Discussion

    The business-class seating configuration proposed by Boeing is 
unique due to the seat installation at a 30-degree angle to the 
airplane centerline. Special Conditions 25-458-SC and 25-552-SC were 
not intended to address this configuration, nor is this configuration 
specifically addressed by Policy Statement PS-ANM-25-03-R1 (which is 
intended to address fully side-facing seats, i.e., 90-degree 
installation angle). However, we believe the occupant-injury criteria 
conveyed in this policy statement is applicable to this type of 
configuration as it applies to evaluating neck injuries. Due to the 
unique seat-installation angle, these special conditions also include 
spinal-loading injury criteria.
    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 Model 787-9 airplane. These special conditions can be applied to 
oblique seats installed at an angle greater than 18 degrees but less 
than 46 degrees to the vertical plane containing the airplane 
centerline. 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, the special conditions would apply to that 
model as

[[Page 23443]]

well. The angle of installation and detailed design features will 
determine the nature of the occupant response. The FAA will amend these 
special conditions or issue new special conditions, should unusual 
occupant response in the required dynamic tests, or additional research 
into occupant-injury mechanisms, indicate these special conditions are 
inadequate. Any future special conditions would include due public 
notice.

Conclusion

    This action affects only certain novel or unusual design features 
on one model of airplane. It is not a rule of general applicability.
    Under standard practice, the effective date of final special 
conditions would be 30 days after the date of publication in the 
Federal Register; however, as the certification date for the Boeing 
Model 787-9 airplane is imminent, the FAA finds that good cause exists 
to make these special conditions effective upon publication in the 
Federal Register.

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

    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 787-9 airplanes modified 
by Boeing.

Side-Facing Seats Conditions

    In addition to the requirements of Sec.  25.562:
    1. Existing 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 
inflatable restraint, a head-injury criterion (HIC) unlimited score in 
excess of 1000 is acceptable, provided the HIC15 score 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 which an 
occupant could contact. For example, if different yaw angles could 
result in different inflatable-restraint 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 inflatable restraint activated unless 
there is reason to also consider that the neck-injury potential would 
be higher below the inflatable-restraint threshold.
    a. The Nij 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 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.
    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. 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), as necessary, must be performed with the 
FAA Hybrid III ATD, undeformed floor, most-critical yaw case(s) for 
injury, and with all lateral structural supports (armrests/walls) 
installed. For the pass/fail injury assessments, see the criteria 
listed in special conditions 1 through 4, above.
    Note: Boeing 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 lapbelt(s) must meet Special Conditions 25-431-
SC.

    Issued in Renton, Washington, on April 14, 2015.
Michael Kaszycki,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-09784 Filed 4-27-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P