[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 26 (Tuesday, February 9, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6416-6417]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-3136]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
Proposed Advisory Circular 25.803-1A, Emergency Evacuation
Demonstrations
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of availability of proposed Advisory Circular (AC)
25.803-1A and request for comments; reopening of comment period.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice announces the reopening of the comment period for
Notice of availability of proposed Advisory Circular (AC) 25.803-1A,
and request for comments, which was published in the Federal Register
on October 20, 1998 (63 FR 56059), and closed on December 21, 1998. In
that notice, the FAA invited public comment on a proposed AC which
provides guidance on a means, but not the only means, of compliance
with the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) concerning (1) conduct of
full-scale emergency evacuation demonstrations, and (2) use of analysis
and tests in lieu of conducting an actual demonstration. This reopening
of the comment period is necessary to give all interested persons an
opportunity to present their views on the proposed AC.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before May 7, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Send all comments on proposed AC to: Federal Aviation
Administration, Attention: Terry Rees, Airframe and Cabin Safety
Branch, ANM-115, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service, 1601 Lind Avenue SW, Renton, WA 98055-4056. Comments may be
inspected at the above address between 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
weekdays, except Federal holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Katherine Burks, Transport Standards
Staff, at the address above, telephone (206) 227-2114.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
A copy of the draft AC may be obtained by contacting the person
named above under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Interested
[[Page 6417]]
persons are invited to comment on the proposed AC by submitting such
written data, views, or arguments as they may desire. Commenters should
identify AC 25.803-1A and submit comments, in duplicate, to the address
specified above. All communications received on or before the closing
date for comments will be considered by the Transport Standards Staff
before issuing the final AC.
Background
On October 20, 1998, the FAA published a Notice of availability of
proposed AC 25.803-1A, and request for comments. In that notice, the
FAA invited public comment on a proposed advisory circular (AC) which
provides guidance on a means, but not the only means, of compliance
with the Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) concerning (1) conduct of
full-scale emergency evacuation demonstrations, and (2) use of analysis
and tests in lieu of conducting an actual demonstration.
Section 25.803(c) requires that for airplanes with a passenger
seating capacity of more than 44 passengers, it must be shown that the
passengers and required crewmembers can be evacuated to the ground in
90 seconds under simulated emergency conditions. Compliance can be
shown by conducting a full-scale emergency evacuation demonstration
under the test conditions specified in Appendix J of part 25 or a
combination of analysis and testing found acceptable by the FAA.
Advisory Circular 25.803-1, issued on November 13, 1989, provided
guidance on how to conduct a full-scale emergency evacuation
demonstration and the use of analysis and testing in lieu of conducting
a full-scale demonstration. This proposed revision to the AC provides
additional guidance on how to conduct a full-scale demonstration,
including information on the test start signal, briefing of test
participants, obtaining informed consent, and flight attendant
training. In addition, the proposed revision expands the discussion on
the determination on whether a combination of analysis and testing may
be used in lieu of the full-scale demonstration, including the types of
testing which may be necessary to support an analysis. Finally,
additional guidance is provided on what and how information and test
data should be provided in an analysis.
Since publication of that notice, the FAA has received a request
that the comment period for the notice be extended past its original
closing date of December 21, 1998, to allow more time in which to study
the proposal and to prepare comments on this very important issue.
Reopening of Comment Period
The FAA has reviewed the request for consideration of an additional
amount of time to comment on proposed AC 25.803-1A, and has determined
that reopening the comment period would be in the public interest and
that good cause exists for taking this action. Accordingly, the comment
period of Notice of availability of proposed AC 25.803-1A, and request
for comments, is reopened until May 7, 1999.
Issued in Renton, Washington, on February 1, 1999.
John J. Hickey,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification
Service, ANM-100.
[FR Doc. 99-3136 Filed 2-8-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M
