81 FR 51095 - Special Conditions: Associated Air Center, Boeing Model 747-8 Airplane; Installation of an Airbag System To Limit the Axial Rotation of the Upper Leg on Single-Place Side-Facing Seats

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 149 (August 3, 2016)

Page Range		51095-51097
FR Document		2016-18398

These special conditions are issued for the Boeing Model 747- 8 airplane. This airplane, as modified by Associated Air Center, 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 an airbag system to limit axial rotation of the upper leg, due to leg flail, of occupants in single-place side-facing seats. The applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for these design features. 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 81 Issue 149 (Wednesday, August 3, 2016)

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 149 (Wednesday, August 3, 2016)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 51095-51097]
From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-18398]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 25

[Docket No. FAA-2016-7851; Special Conditions No. 25-625-SC]

Special Conditions: Associated Air Center, Boeing Model 747-8
Airplane; Installation of an Airbag System To Limit the Axial Rotation
of the Upper Leg on Single-Place Side-Facing Seats

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 Boeing Model 747-
8 airplane. This airplane, as modified by Associated Air Center, 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 an airbag system to limit
axial rotation of the upper leg, due to leg flail, of occupants in
single-place side-facing seats. The applicable airworthiness
regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for
these design features. 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 Associated Air Center on August 3,
2016. We must receive your comments by September 19, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by docket number FAA-2016-7851
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: Jayson Claar, FAA, Airframe and Cabin
Safety Branch, ANM-115, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft
Certification Service, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 98057-
3356; telephone 425-227-2194; facsimile 425-227-1320.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The substance of these special conditions
has been subject to the public comment process with no comments
received. 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 February 15, 2014, Associated Air Center applied for a
supplemental type certificate for inflatable airbag systems in the
Boeing Model 747-8 airplane. This airplane, currently approved under
type certificate no. A20WE, is a private, not-for-hire, not-for-common-
carriage business jet with a head-of-state interior. This airplane has
a maximum passenger seating capacity of 113. Twelve of the passenger-
seating positions include single-place side-facing seats, each of which
include an airbag system to protect against leg-flail injuries.

Type Certification Basis

Under the provisions of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14
CFR) 21.101, Associated Air Center must show that the Model 747-8
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

[[Page 51096]]

adequate or appropriate safety standards for the 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 Boeing Model 747-8 airplane, as modified by Associated Air
Center, will incorporate the following novel or unusual design
features: An airbag system to limit axial rotation of the upper leg,
due to leg flail, of occupants in single-place side-facing seats.

Discussion

The Boeing Model 747-8 airplane has an interior configuration that
includes single-place side-facing seats. These seats include an airbag
system in the shoulder belt, per Special Conditions no. 25-606-SC; and
an airbag system to limit the axial rotation of the upper leg (femur).
Side-facing seats are considered a novel design for transport-
category airplanes that include title 14, Code of Federal Regulations
(14 CFR) part 25, Amendment 25-64, in their certification bases and
were not anticipated when those airworthiness standards were issued.
Therefore, the existing regulations do not provide adequate or
appropriate safety standards for occupants of side-facing seats. The
FAA issued Special Conditions no. 25-606-SC to address the
certification of single- and multiple-place side facing seats for
Boeing 747-8 airplanes. Those special conditions include condition
2(e), which requires the axial rotation of the upper-leg (femur) to be
limited to 35 degrees in either direction from the nominal seat
position. Associated Air Center has developed an airbag system that
will be installed close to the floor and that is designed to limit the
axial rotation of the upper-leg.
Serious leg injuries, such as femur fracture, can occur in aviation
side-facing seats, injuries that could threaten the occupant's life
directly or eliminate the occupant's ability to evacuate the airplane.
Limiting upper-leg axial rotation to a conservative limit of 35 degrees
(approximately the 50-percentile range of motion) should also limit the
risk of serious leg injury. Research suggests that the angle of
rotation can be determined by observing lower-leg flailing in typical
high-speed video of the dynamic tests. Alternately, the anthropomorphic
test dummy could be instrumented to directly measure upper-leg axial
rotation. This requirement complies with the intent of the Sec.
25.562(a) injury criteria in preventing serious leg injury.
To comply with special condition 2(e) on some seat positions,
Associated Air Center proposes to install leg-flail airbags. This
airbag is not addressed in Special Conditions no. 25-606-SC. Therefore,
the FAA must issue new special conditions to address this leg-flail
airbag installation. These special conditions are similar to other
special conditions previously issued for airbags.
Special Conditions no. 25-606-SC for the airbag system in the
shoulder belt are based on previous special conditions for airbag
systems on forward-facing seat lap belts with some changes to address
the specific issues of side-facing seats.
These special conditions for the leg-flail airbag 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 747-8 airplane as modified by Associated Air Center.
Should Associated Air Center 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 certain novel or unusual design features
on one model series 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.
The substance of these special conditions previously has been
subjected to the notice and comment period and has been derived without
substantive change from those previously issued. It is unlikely that
prior public comment would result in a significant change from the
substance contained herein. Therefore, the FAA has determined that
prior public notice and comment are unnecessary, and good cause exists
for adopting these special conditions upon publication in the Federal
Register. The FAA is requesting comments to allow interested persons to
submit views that may not have been submitted in response to the prior
opportunities for comment described above.

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 747-8 airplanes modified
by Associated Air Center.
In addition to the requirements of Sec. Sec. 25.562 and 25.785,
and Special Conditions no. 25-606-SC, the following special conditions
are part of the type certification basis for Boeing 747-8 airplanes
with leg-flail airbag systems installed on side-facing seats.
1. For seats with leg-flail airbag systems, these systems must
deploy and provide protection under crash conditions where it is
necessary to prevent serious injury. The means of protection must take
into consideration a range of stature from a 2-year-old child to a
95th-percentile male. At some buttock popliteal length and effective
seat-bottom depth, the lower legs will not be able to form a 90-degree
angle with the upper leg; at this point, the lower-leg flail would not
occur. The leg-flail airbag system must provide a consistent approach
to prevention of leg flail throughout that range of occupants whose
lower legs can form a 90-degree angle relative to the upper legs when
seated upright in the seat. Items that need to be considered include,
but are not limited to, the range of occupants' popliteal height, the
range of occupants' buttock popliteal length, the design of the seat
effective height above the floor, and the effective depth of the seat
bottom cushion.
2. The leg-flail airbag system must not be susceptible to
inadvertent

[[Page 51097]]

deployment as a result of wear and tear, or inertial loads resulting
from in-flight or ground maneuvers (including gusts and hard landings),
and other operating and environmental conditions (vibrations, moisture,
etc.) likely to occur in service.
3. Deployment of the leg-flail airbag system must not introduce
injury mechanisms to the seated occupant, or result in injuries that
could impede rapid egress.
4. Inadvertent deployment of the leg-flail airbag system, during
the most critical part of the flight, must either meet the requirement
of Sec. 25.1309(b), or not cause a hazard to the airplane or its
occupants. This also includes preventing inadvertent airbag deployment
from a static discharge.
5. The leg-flail airbag system must not impede rapid egress of
occupants from the airplane 10 seconds after airbag deployment.
6. The leg-flail airbag system must be protected from lightning and
high-intensity radiated fields (HIRF). The threats to the airplane
specified in existing regulations regarding lightning (Sec. 25.1316)
and HIRF (Sec. 25.1317) are incorporated by reference for the purpose
of measuring lightning and HIRF protection.
7. The leg-flail airbag system must function properly after loss of
normal airplane electrical power, and after a transverse separation of
the fuselage at the most critical location. A separation at the
location of the leg-flail airbag system does not have to be considered.
8. The leg-flail airbag system must not release hazardous
quantities of gas, sharp injurious metal fragments, or particulate
matter into the cabin.
9. The leg-flail airbag system installation must be protected from
the effects of fire such that no hazard to occupants will result.
10. A means must be available to verify the integrity of the leg-
flail airbag system's activation system prior to each flight, or the
leg-flail airbag system's activation system must reliably operate
between inspection intervals. The FAA considers that the loss of the
leg-flail airbag system's deployment function alone (i.e., independent
of the conditional event that requires the leg-flail airbag system's
deployment) is a major-failure condition.
11. The airbag inflatable material may not have an average burn
rate of greater than 2.5 inches per minute when tested using the
horizontal flammability test defined in part 25, appendix F, part I,
paragraph (b)(5).
12. The leg-flail airbag system, once deployed, must not adversely
affect the emergency-lighting system (i.e., block floor-proximity
lights to the extent that the lights no longer meet their intended
function).

Issued in Renton, Washington, on July 26, 2016.
Victor Wicklund,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-18398 Filed 8-2-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P

Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 149 / Wednesday, August 3, 2016 / Rules and Regulations 51097

deployment as a result of wear and tear, floor-proximity lights to the extent that tech.solutions@hs.utc.com; Internet
or inertial loads resulting from in-flight the lights no longer meet their intended http://www.hamiltonsundstrand.com.
or ground maneuvers (including gusts function). You may view this referenced service
and hard landings), and other operating Issued in Renton, Washington, on July 26,
information at the FAA, Transport
and environmental conditions 2016. Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue
(vibrations, moisture, etc.) likely to Victor Wicklund,
SW., Renton, WA. For information on
occur in service. the availability of this material at the
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane
3. Deployment of the leg-flail airbag Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
FAA, call 425–227–1221. It is also
system must not introduce injury available on the Internet at http://
[FR Doc. 2016–18398 Filed 8–2–16; 8:45 am]
mechanisms to the seated occupant, or www.regulations.gov by searching for
BILLING CODE 4910–13–P
result in injuries that could impede and locating Docket No. FAA–2016–
rapid egress. 3983.
4. Inadvertent deployment of the leg-
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Examining the AD Docket
flail airbag system, during the most
critical part of the flight, must either You may examine the AD docket on
Federal Aviation Administration
meet the requirement of § 25.1309(b), or the Internet at http://
not cause a hazard to the airplane or its www.regulations.gov; or in person at the
14 CFR Part 39
occupants. This also includes Docket Management Facility between 9
preventing inadvertent airbag [Docket No. FAA–2016–3983; Directorate a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through
deployment from a static discharge. Identifier 2015–NM–009–AD; Amendment Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD
5. The leg-flail airbag system must not 39–18582; AD 2016–14–01] docket contains this AD, the regulatory
impede rapid egress of occupants from RIN 2120–AA64 evaluation, any comments received, and
the airplane 10 seconds after airbag other information. The address for the
deployment. Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Docket Office (phone: 800–647–5527) is
6. The leg-flail airbag system must be Airplanes Docket Management Facility, U.S.
protected from lightning and high- Department of Transportation, Docket
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Operations, M–30, West Building
intensity radiated fields (HIRF). The
Administration (FAA), DOT. Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 1200
threats to the airplane specified in
existing regulations regarding lightning ACTION: Final rule; correction. New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington,
(§ 25.1316) and HIRF (§ 25.1317) are DC 20590.
SUMMARY: The FAA is correcting an
incorporated by reference for the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
airworthiness directive (AD) that
purpose of measuring lightning and published in the Federal Register. That Vladimir Ulyanov, Aerospace Engineer,
HIRF protection. AD applies to certain Airbus Model International Branch, ANM–116,
7. The leg-flail airbag system must A330–200 Freighter series airplanes; Transport Airplane Directorate, FAA,
function properly after loss of normal Model A330–200 and A330–300 series 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA
airplane electrical power, and after a airplanes; Model A340–200 and A340– 98057–3356; telephone 425–227–1138;
transverse separation of the fuselage at fax 425–227–1149.
300 series airplanes; Model A340–500
the most critical location. A separation series airplanes; and Model A340–600 SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
at the location of the leg-flail airbag series airplanes. Table 1 to paragraph (j) Airworthiness Directive 2016–14–01,
system does not have to be considered. of the regulatory text contains Amendment 39–18582 (81 FR 44983,
8. The leg-flail airbag system must not July 12, 2016) (‘‘AD 2016–14–01’’),
typographical errors regarding certain
release hazardous quantities of gas, currently requires identification of the
part numbers (P/Ns). This document
sharp injurious metal fragments, or manufacturer, part number, and serial
corrects those errors. In all other
particulate matter into the cabin. number of the ram air turbine (RAT),
9. The leg-flail airbag system respects, the original document remains
the same. and re-identification and modification
installation must be protected from the of the RAT if necessary, for certain
effects of fire such that no hazard to DATES: This final rule is effective August
Airbus Model A330–200 Freighter series
occupants will result. 16, 2016.
airplanes; Model A330–200 and A330–
10. A means must be available to The Director of the Federal Register
300 series airplanes; Model A340–200
verify the integrity of the leg-flail airbag approved the incorporation by reference
and A340–300 series airplanes; Model
system’s activation system prior to each of certain publications listed in this AD
A340–500 series airplanes; and Model
flight, or the leg-flail airbag system’s as of August 16, 2016 (81 FR 44983, July
A340–600 series airplanes.
activation system must reliably operate 12, 2016).
between inspection intervals. The FAA ADDRESSES: For Airbus service Need for the Correction
considers that the loss of the leg-flail information identified in this final rule, As published, table 1 to paragraph (j)
airbag system’s deployment function contact Airbus SAS, Airworthiness of the regulatory text contains
alone (i.e., independent of the Office—EAL, 1 Rond Point Maurice typographical errors in two part
conditional event that requires the leg- Bellonte, 31707 Blagnac Cedex, France; numbers. Table 1 to paragraph (j) of the
flail airbag system’s deployment) is a telephone +33 5 61 93 36 96; fax +33 5 AD incorrectly refers to RAT P/Ns
major-failure condition. 61 93 45 80; email airworthiness.A330- 1720934C and 1720934D. Those part
11. The airbag inflatable material may A340@airbus.com; Internet http:// numbers should have been 1702934C
not have an average burn rate of greater www.airbus.com. and 1702934D.
For Hamilton Sundstrand service
rmajette on DSK2TPTVN1PROD with RULES

than 2.5 inches per minute when tested
using the horizontal flammability test information identified in this final rule, Related Service Information Under 1
defined in part 25, appendix F, part I, contact Hamilton Sundstrand, Technical CFR Part 51
paragraph (b)(5). Publications, Mail Stop 302–9, 4747 Airbus has issued the following
12. The leg-flail airbag system, once Harrison Avenue, P.O. Box 7002, service information, which describes
deployed, must not adversely affect the Rockford, IL 61125–7002; telephone procedures for identifying the supplier,
emergency-lighting system (i.e., block 860–654–3575; fax 860–998–4564; email part number, and serial number of the

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Document Created: 2016-08-02 23:44:11
Document Modified: 2016-08-02 23:44:11

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Rules and Regulations
Action		Final special conditions; request for comments.
Dates		This action is effective on Associated Air Center on August 3, 2016. We must receive your comments by September 19, 2016.
Contact		Jayson Claar, FAA, Airframe and Cabin Safety Branch, ANM-115, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 98057- 3356; telephone 425-227-2194; facsimile 425-227-1320.
FR Citation		81 FR 51095
CFR Associated		Aircraft; Aviation Safety and Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements

81 FR 51095 - Special Conditions: Associated Air Center, Boeing Model 747-8 Airplane; Installation of an Airbag System To Limit the Axial Rotation of the Upper Leg on Single-Place Side-Facing Seats

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATIONFederal Aviation Administration

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 149 (August 3, 2016)

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration