05-11410. Acceptable Methods of Compliance With Section 25.562(c)(5) for Front Row Passenger Seats

AGENCY:

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION:

Notice of proposed policy; request for comments; reopening of comment period.

SUMMARY:

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announces the reopening of the comment period on a proposed policy on Acceptable Methods of Compliance with Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 25.562(c)(5) for Front Row Passenger Seats. This reopening is necessary to afford all interested parties an opportunity to further present their views on the proposed policy.

DATES:

Send your comments on or before July 11, 2005.

ADDRESSES:

Address your comments to the individual identified under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

John Piccola, Federal Aviation Administration, Transport Airplane Directorate, Transport Standards Staff, Standardization Branch, ANM-113, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA 98055-4056; telephone [phone]; fax [phone]; e-mail: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments Invited

The proposed policy is available on the Internet at the following address: http://www.airweb.faa.gov/​rgl. If you do not have access to the Internet, you can obtain a copy of the policy by contacting the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

The FAA invites your comments on this proposed policy. We will accept your comments, data, views, or arguments by letter, fax, or e-mail. Send your comments to the person indicated in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Mark your comments, “Comments to Policy Statement No. ANM-115-05-14.”

Use the following format when preparing your comments:

• Organize your comments issue-by-issue.
• For each issue, state what specific change you are requesting to the proposed policy.
• Include justification, reasons, or data for each change you are requesting.

We also welcome comments in support of the proposed policy.

We will consider all communications received on or before the closing date for comments. We may change the proposed policy because of the comments received.

Background

On April 26, 2005, the FAA published a Notice of proposed policy; request for comments, on the subject of available methods of compliance with § 25.9562(c)(5) for front row passenger seats (70 FR 21343). The purpose of the proposed policy memorandum is to clarify FAA certification policy of the acceptable substantiation methods used to provide protection under § 25.562(a) when meeting the performance standards in § 25.562(c) for “front row” seats. Front row seats are those seats which are located directly all of a partition, monument, or other commodity, including all passenger seats not considered “row-to-row.” The policy is not directed toward other seats. The FAA has determined that the proposed policy provides an acceptable means of protection for front row occupants. The comment period closed on May 26, 2005.

Since publication of that notice, the FAA received a request from a manufacturing association for additional time to comment. That association indicated that additional time is needed to provide an opportunity for the industry members of the FAA/Industry 16G Seat Certification Streamlining group to disposition specific issues and work together to develop a single consensus set of industry comments and recommendations for consideration by the FAA. The FAA agreed with their request to reopen the comment period, and is doing so not only for that manufacturing association, but also for any interested party. The reopened comment period will be for 30 days after the date of publication in the Federal Register.

Issued in Renton, Washington, on May 25, 2005.

Aki Bahrami,

Manager, Transport Airplane Directorate; Aircraft Certification Service.