Proposed Rule2022-22494
Special Conditions: Airbus A320-200 Series Model A320-251N, -252N, -253N, -271N, -272N, -273N Airplanes and A321-200 Series Model A321-251NX, -252NX, -253NX, -271NX, -272NX Airplanes; Flight Attendant Seat Mounted on Movable Interior Structure
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
October 17, 2022
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Aviation Administration
Abstract
This action proposes special conditions for the Airbus A320- 200 Series Model -251N, -252N, -253N, -271N, -272N, -273N (known as A320neo) airplanes and A321-200 Series Model -251NX, -252NX, -253NX, - 271NX, -272NX (known as A321neo) airplanes. The airplanes 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 flight attendant seats mounted on movable lavatory doors. 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.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 199 (Monday, October 17, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 199 (Monday, October 17, 2022)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 62739-62741]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-22494]
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Proposed Rules
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 199 / Monday, October 17, 2022 /
Proposed Rules
[[Page 62739]]
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 25
[Docket No. FAA-2022-0532; Notice No. 25-22-03-SC]
Special Conditions: Airbus A320-200 Series Model A320-251N, -
252N, -253N, -271N, -272N, -273N Airplanes and A321-200 Series Model
A321-251NX, -252NX, -253NX, -271NX, -272NX Airplanes; Flight Attendant
Seat Mounted on Movable Interior Structure
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of proposed special conditions.
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SUMMARY: This action proposes special conditions for the Airbus A320-
200 Series Model -251N, -252N, -253N, -271N, -272N, -273N (known as
A320neo) airplanes and A321-200 Series Model -251NX, -252NX, -253NX, -
271NX, -272NX (known as A321neo) airplanes. The airplanes 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 flight attendant seats
mounted on movable lavatory doors. 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 December 1, 2022.
ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by Docket No. FAA-2022-0532 using
any of the following methods:
<bullet> Federal eRegulations Portal: Go to <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/">https://www.regulations.gov/</a> and follow the online instructions for sending
your comments electronically.
<bullet> 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.
<bullet> 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.
<bullet> Fax: Fax comments to Docket Operations at 202-493-2251.
Privacy: Except for Confidential Business Information (CBI) as
described in the following paragraph, and other information as
described in title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR), Sec.
11.35, the FAA will post all comments received without change to
<a href="https://www.regulations.gov/">https://www.regulations.gov/</a>, including any personal information you
provide. The FAA will also post a report summarizing each substantive
verbal contact received about these special conditions.
Confidential Business Information: Confidential Business
Information (CBI) is commercial or financial information that is both
customarily and actually treated as private by its owner. Under the
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from
public disclosure. If your comments responsive to these special
conditions contain commercial or financial information that is
customarily treated as private, that you actually treat as private, and
that is relevant or responsive to these special conditions, it is
important that you clearly designate the submitted comments as CBI.
Please mark each page of your submission containing CBI as ``PROPIN.''
The FAA will treat such marked submissions as confidential under the
FOIA, and the indicated comments will not be placed in the public
docket of these special conditions. Send submissions containing CBI to
the Information Contact below. Comments the FAA receives, which are not
specifically designated as CBI, will be placed in the public docket for
these special conditions.
Docket: Background documents or comments received may be read at
<a href="https://www.regulations.gov/">https://www.regulations.gov/</a> 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: Shannon Lennon, Human Machine
Interface, 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 206-231-3209; email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e7948f8689898889c98b8289898889a7818686c9808891"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c7b4afa6a9a9a8a9e9aba2a9a9a8a987a1a6a6e9a0a8b1">[email protected]</span></a>.
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 October 27, 2020, Airbus SAS applied for a change to Type
Certificate No. A28NM for flight attendant seats mounted on movable
lavatory doors in A320-200 Series Model A320-251N, -252N, -253N, -271N,
-272N, and -273N (known as A320neo) airplanes and A321-200 Series Model
A321-251NX, -252NX, -253NX, -271NX, and -272NX (known as A321neo)
airplanes. These airplanes are twin-engine, transport category
airplanes. The A320neo has a maximum passenger seating capacity of 179
and the A321neo has a maximum passenger seating capacity of 244.
The applicable airworthiness requirements do not contain adequate
or appropriate safety standards for this new lavatory door-mounted
flight attendant seat. Section 25.785 of title 14, Code of Federal
Regulations (14 CFR) specifies certain requirements for flight
attendant seats but did not consider flight attendant seats mounted on
movable structure such as lavatory doors and, therefore, does not
[[Page 62740]]
specifically address additional concerns associated with ensuring the
flight attendant seats are safe to occupy when necessary. Therefore,
special conditions are necessary to establish a level of safety
equivalent to that established by the existing airworthiness standards.
Type Certification Basis
Under the provisions of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14
CFR), Sec. 21.101, Airbus must show that the A320neo and A321neo
airplanes, as changed, continue to meet the applicable provisions of
the regulations listed in Type Certificate No. A28NM 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 A320neo and A321neo
airplanes 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, 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 A320neo and A321neo airplanes 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 A320neo and A321neo airplanes will incorporate the
following novel or unusual design features:
Flight attendant seats mounted on movable lavatory doors.
Discussion
Airbus will install, in A320neo and A321neo airplanes, flight
attendant seats on lavatory doors. The lavatory door-mounted flight
attendant seat is intended to be occupied during all phases of flight,
including takeoff and landing.
Flight attendant seats are typically floor-mounted or wall-mounted
on a non-movable structure (e.g., mounted on monument walls) which is
attached to the airplane structure. The installation of a flight
attendant seat on movable structure, such as a lavatory door,
introduces certain issues that must be addressed to ensure safety of
the attendant seat occupant. Such considerations include ensuring that
the lavatory door is closed (fixed) when the flight attendant seat is
to be occupied and ensuring that the lavatory door lock mechanism is
reliable after frequent use of the lavatory door. Additionally, the
lavatory door, door locking mechanism, and door housing will need to
withstand certain loading conditions as that structure is part of the
load path between seat structure and airplane structure.
Other issues include ensuring that the flight attendant seat is
available to use when necessary, which requires a way to ensure the
lavatory is not occupied when the flight attendant seat must be
occupied. Also, additional maintenance requirements will need to be
considered to establish the reliability of the lavatory door locking
mechanism, as it is a feature that will be frequently used.
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
A320 Series Model -251N, -252N, -253N, -271N, -272N, -273N (known as
A320neo) and A321 Series Model -251NX, -252NX, -253NX, -271NX, -272NX
(known as A321neo) airplanes. Should Airbus 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 a certain novel or unusual design feature
on A320 Series Model -251N, -252N, -253N, -271N, -272N, -273N (known as
A320neo) and A321 Series Model -251NX, -252NX, -253NX, -271NX, -272NX
(known as A321neo) 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 Proposed Special Conditions
[ssquf] Accordingly, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
proposes the following special conditions as part of the type
certification basis for A320 Series Model -251N, -252N, -253N, -271N, -
272N, -273N (known as A320neo) and A321 Series Model -251NX, -252NX, -
253NX, -271NX, -272NX (known as A321neo).
(a) The lavatory door-mounted flight attendant seat-system primary
load path, including the flight attendant seat, seat attachment means,
the lavatory door, and lavatory door attachment to the lavatory
housing--including the locking mechanism--must be shown to be capable
of withstanding the emergency landing dynamic loads in accordance with
Sec. 25.562. The lavatory housing and the lavatory attachment to the
airplane structure must comply with the requirements of Sec. 25.561.
(b) Means must be provided to ensure that the flight attendant seat
can only be used if the lavatory door is securely locked in the closed
position.
(1) The procedures for establishing that the lavatory door is
closed and locked prior to use of the flight attendant seat must become
part of the cabin crew training.
(2) The effects of structural deformation of the lavatory door and
lavatory door housing must be addressed to prevent unlocking or failure
of the locking mechanism.
(c) Means must be provided to ensure that the lavatory is not
occupied so that the flight attendant seat is available when necessary.
(d) Means must be provided to ensure that no one is inadvertently
trapped inside the lavatory when the lavatory door is locked to
facilitate use of the flight attendant seat.
(e) The lavatory door locking mechanism must be shown to withstand
frequent use. Potential deterioration of moving parts must be addressed
to show that the locking mechanism is reliable within its established
life cycle. Accordingly, instructions for continued airworthiness must
also be defined for the locking mechanism.
[[Page 62741]]
Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on October 11, 2022.
Patrick R. Mullen,
Manager, Technical Innovation Policy Branch, Policy and Innovation
Division, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-22494 Filed 10-14-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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