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(2) The percentage of castings inspected by nonvisual methods may be reduced below that specified in paragraph (d)(1) of this section when an approved quality control procedure is established.

(3) For castings procured to a specification that guarantees the mechanical properties of the material in the casting and provides for demonstration of these properties by test of coupons cut from the castings on a sampling basis—

(i) A casting factor of 1.0 may be used; and

(ii) The castings must be inspected as provided in paragraph (d)(1) of this section for casting factors of “1.25 through 1.50” and tested under paragraph (c)(2) of this section.

[Doc. No. 5084, 29 FR 16150, Dec. 3, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 29–41, 62 FR 46173, Aug. 29, 1997]

§ 29.623   Bearing factors.

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, each part that has clearance (free fit), and that is subject to pounding or vibration, must have a bearing factor large enough to provide for the effects of normal relative motion.

(b) No bearing factor need be used on a part for which any larger special factor is prescribed.

§ 29.625   Fitting factors.

For each fitting (part or terminal used to join one structural member to another) the following apply:

(a) For each fitting whose strength is not proven by limit and ultimate load tests in which actual stress conditions are simulated in the fitting and surrounding structures, a fitting factor of at least 1.15 must be applied to each part of—

(1) The fitting;

(2) The means of attachment; and

(3) The bearing on the joined members.

(b) No fitting factor need be used—

(1) For joints made under approved practices and based on comprehensive test data (such as continuous joints in metal plating, welded joints, and scarf joints in wood); and

(2) With respect to any bearing surface for which a larger special factor is used.

(c) For each integral fitting, the part must be treated as a fitting up to the point at which the section properties become typical of the member.

(d) Each seat, berth, litter, safety belt, and harness attachment to the structure must be shown by analysis, tests, or both, to be able to withstand the inertia forces prescribed in §29.561(b)(3) multiplied by a fitting factor of 1.33.

[Doc. No. 5084, 29 FR 16150, Dec. 3, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 29–42, 63 FR 43285, Aug. 12, 1998]

§ 29.629   Flutter and divergence.

Each aerodynamic surface of the rotorcraft must be free from flutter and divergence under each appropriate speed and power condition.

[Doc. No. 28008, 61 FR 21907, May 10, 1996]

§ 29.631   Bird strike.

The rotorcraft must be designed to ensure capability of continued safe flight and landing (for Category A) or safe landing (for Category B) after impact with a 2.2-lb (1.0 kg) bird when the velocity of the rotorcraft (relative to the bird along the flight path of the rotorcraft) is equal to V_NE or V_H (whichever is the lesser) at altitudes up to 8,000 feet. Compliance must be shown by tests or by analysis based on tests carried out on sufficiently representative structures of similar design.

[Doc. No. 28008, 61 FR 21907, May 10, 1996; 61 FR 33963, July 1, 1996]

Rotors

§ 29.653   Pressure venting and drainage of rotor blades.

(a) For each rotor blade—

(1) There must be means for venting the internal pressure of the blade;

(2) Drainage holes must be provided for the blade; and

(3) The blade must be designed to prevent water from becoming trapped in it.

(b) Paragraphs (a)(1) and (2) of this section does not apply to sealed rotor blades capable of withstanding the maximum pressure differentials expected in service.

[Amdt. 29–3, 33 FR 967, Jan. 26, 1968]

§ 29.659   Mass balance.

(a) The rotor and blades must be mass balanced as necessary to—

(1) Prevent excessive vibration; and

(2) Prevent flutter at any speed up to the maximum forward speed.

(b) The structural integrity of the mass balance installation must be substantiated.

[Amdt. 29–3, 33 FR 967, Jan. 26, 1968]

§ 29.661   Rotor blade clearance.

There must be enough clearance between the rotor blades and other parts of the structure to prevent the blades from striking any part of the structure during any operating condition.

[Amdt. 29–3, 33 FR 967, Jan. 26, 1968]

§ 29.663   Ground resonance prevention means.

(a) The reliability of the means for preventing ground resonance must be shown either by analysis and tests, or reliable service experience, or by showing through analysis or tests that malfunction or failure of a single means will not cause ground resonance.

(b) The probable range of variations, during service, of the damping action of the ground resonance prevention means must be established and must be investigated during the test required by §29.241.

[Amdt. 27–26, 55 FR 8003, Mar. 6, 1990]

Control Systems

§ 29.671   General.

(a) Each control and control system must operate with the ease, smoothness, and positiveness appropriate to its function.

(b) Each element of each flight control system must be designed, or distinctively and permanently marked, to minimize the probability of any incorrect assembly that could result in the malfunction of the system.

(c) A means must be provided to allow full control movement of all primary flight controls prior to flight, or a means must be provided that will allow the pilot to determine that full control authority is available prior to flight.

[Doc. No. 5084, 29 FR 16150, Dec. 3, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 29–24, 49 FR 44437, Nov. 6, 1984]

§ 29.672   Stability augmentation, automatic, and power-operated systems.

If the functioning of stability augmentation or other automatic or power-operated system is necessary to show compliance with the flight characteristics requirements of this part, the system must comply with §29.671 of this part and the following:

(a) A warning which is clearly distinguishable to the pilot under expected flight conditions without requiring the pilot's attention must be provided for any failure in the stability augmentation system or in any other automatic or power-operated system which could result in an unsafe condition if the pilot is unaware of the failure. Warning systems must not activate the control systems.

(b) The design of the stability augmentation system or of any other automatic or power-operated system must allow initial counteraction of failures without requiring exceptional pilot skill or strength, by overriding the failure by moving the flight controls in the normal sense, and by deactivating the failed system.

(c) It must be show that after any single failure of the stability augmentation system or any other automatic or power-operated system—

(1) The rotorcraft is safely controllable when the failure or malfunction occurs at any speed or altitude within the approved operating limitations;

(2) The controllability and maneuverability requirements of this part are met within a practical operational flight envelope (for example, speed, altitude, normal acceleration, and rotorcraft configurations) which is described in the Rotorcraft Flight Manual; and

(3) The trim and stability characteristics are not impaired below a level needed to allow continued safe flight and landing.

[Amdt. 29–24, 49 FR 44437, Nov. 6, 1984]

§ 29.673   Primary flight controls.

Primary flight controls are those used by the pilot for immediate control of pitch, roll, yaw, and vertical motion of the rotorcraft.

[Amdt. 29–24, 49 FR 44437, Nov. 6, 1984]

§ 29.674   Interconnected controls.

Each primary flight control system must provide for safe flight and landing and operate independently after a malfunction, failure, or jam of any auxiliary interconnected control.

[Amdt. 27–26, 55 FR 8003, Mar. 6, 1990]

§ 29.675   Stops.

(a) Each control system must have stops that positively limit the range of motionof the pilot's controls.

(b) Each stop must be located in the system so that the range of travel of its control is not appreciably affected by—

(1) Wear;

(2) Slackness; or

(3) Takeup adjustments.

(c) Each stop must be able to withstand the loads corresponding to the design conditions for the system.

(d) For each main rotor blade—

(1) Stops that are appropriate to the blade design must be provided to limit travel of the blade about its hinge points; and

(2) There must be means to keep the blade from hitting the droop stops during any operation other than starting and stopping the rotor.

(Secs. 313(a), 601, 603, 604, Federal Aviation Act of 1958 (49 U.S.C. 1354(a), 1421, 1423, 1424), sec. 6(c), Dept. of Transportation Act (49 U.S.C. 1655(c)))

[Doc. No. 5084, 29 FR 16150. Dec. 3, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 29–17, 43 FR 50599, Oct. 30, 1978]

§ 29.679   Control system locks.

If there is a device to lock the control system with the rotorcraft on the ground or water, there must be means to—

(a) Automatically disengage the lock when the pilot operates the controls in a normal manner, or limit the operation of the rotorcraft so as to give unmistakable warning to the pilot before takeoff; and

(b) Prevent the lock from engaging in flight.

§ 29.681   Limit load static tests.

(a) Compliance with the limit load requirements of this part must be shown by tests in which—

(1) The direction of the test loads produces the most severe loading in the control system; and

(2) Each fitting, pulley, and bracket used in attaching the system to the main structure is included;

(b) Compliance must be shown (by analyses or individual load tests) with the special factor requirements for control system joints subject to angular motion.

§ 29.683   Operation tests.

It must be shown by operation tests that, when the controls are operated from the pilot compartment with the control system loaded to correspond with loads specified for the system, the system is free from—

(a) Jamming;

(b) Excessive friction; and

(c) Excessive deflection.

§ 29.685   Control system details.

(a) Each detail of each control system must be designed to prevent jamming, chafing, and interference from cargo, passengers, loose objects, or the freezing of moisture.

(b) There must be means in the cockpit to prevent the entry of foreign objects into places where they would jam the system.

(c) There must be means to prevent the slapping of cables or tubes against other parts.

(d) Cable systems must be designed as follows:

(1) Cables, cable fittings, turnbuckles, splices, and pulleys must be of an acceptable kind.

(2) The design of cable systems must prevent any hazardous change in cable tension throughout the range of travel under any operating conditions and temperature variations.

(3) No cable smaller than 1/8 inch diameter may be used in any primary control system.

(4) Pulley kinds and sizes must correspond to the cables with which they are used. The pulley-cable combinations and strength values specified in MIL-HDBK-5 must be used unless they are inapplicable.

(5) Pulleys must have close fitting guards to prevent the cables from being displaced or fouled.

(6) Pulleys must lie close enough to the plane passing through the cable to prevent the cable from rubbing against the pulley flange.

(7) No fairlead may cause a change in cable direction of more than three degrees.

(8) No clevis pin subject to load or motion and retained only by cotter pins may be used in the control system.

(9) Turnbuckles attached to parts having angular motion must be installed to prevent binding throughout the range of travel.

(10) There must be means for visual inspection at each fairlead, pulley, terminal, and turnbuckle.

(e) Control system joints subject to angular motion must incorporate the following special factors with respect to the ultimate bearing strength of the softest material used as a bearing:

(1) 3.33 for push-pull systems other than ball and roller bearing systems.

(2) 2.0 for cable systems.

(f) For control system joints, the manufacturer's static, non-Brinell rating of ball and roller bearings may not be exceeded.

[Doc. No. 5084, 29 FR 16150, Dec. 3, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 29–12, 41 FR 55471, Dec. 20, 1976]

§ 29.687   Spring devices.

(a) Each control system spring device whose failure could cause flutter or other unsafe characteristics must be reliable.

(b) Compliance with paragraph (a) of this section must be shown by tests simulating service conditions.

§ 29.691   Autorotation control mechanism.

Each main rotor blade pitch control mechanism must allow rapid entry into autorotation after power failure.

§ 29.695   Power boost and power-operated control system.

(a) If a power boost or power-operated control system is used, an alternate system must be immediately available that allows continued safe flight and landing in the event of—

(1) Any single failure in the power portion of the system; or

(2) The failure of all engines.

(b) Each alternate system may be a duplicate power portion or a manually operated mechanical system. The power portion includes the power source (such as hydrualic pumps), and such items as valves, lines, and actuators.

(c) The failure of mechanical parts (such as piston rods and links), and the jamming of power cylinders, must be considered unless they are extremely improbable.

Landing Gear

§ 29.723   Shock absorption tests.

The landing inertia load factor and the reserve energy absorption capacity of the landing gear must be substantiated by the tests prescribed in §§29.725 and 29.727, respectively. These tests must be conducted on the complete rotorcraft or on units consisting of wheel, tire, and shock absorber in their proper relation.

§ 29.725   Limit drop test.

The limit drop test must be conducted as follows:

(a) The drop height must be at least 8 inches.

(b) If considered, the rotor lift specified in §29.473(a) must be introduced into the drop test by appropriate energy absorbing devices or by the use of an effective mass.

(c) Each landing gear unit must be tested in the attitude simulating the landing condition that is most critical from the standpoint of the energy to be absorbed by it.

(d) When an effective mass is used in showing compliance with paragraph (b) of this section, the following formulae may be used instead of more rational computations.

where:

[Doc. No. 5084, 29 FR 16150, Dec. 3, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 29–3, 33 FR 967, Jan. 26. 1968]

§ 29.727   Reserve energy absorption drop test.

The reserve energy absorption drop test must be conducted as follows:

(a) The drop height must be 1.5 times that specified in §29.725(a).

(b) Rotor lift, where considered in a manner similar to that prescribed in §29.725(b), may not exceed 1.5 times the lift allowed under that paragraph.

(c) The landing gear must withstand this test without collapsing. Collapse of the landing gear occurs when a member of the nose, tail, or main gear will not support the rotorcraft in the proper attitude or allows the rotorcraft structure, other than landing gear and external accessories, to impact the landing surface.

[Doc. No. 5084, 29 FR 16150, Dec. 3, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 27–26, 55 FR 8003, Mar. 6, 1990]

§ 29.729   Retracting mechanism.

For rotorcraft with retractable landing gear, the following apply:

(a) Loads. The landing gear, retracting mechanism, wheel well doors, and supporting structure must be designed for—

(1) The loads occurring in any maneuvering condition with the gear retracted;

(2) The combined friction, inertia, and air loads occurring during retraction and extension at any airspeed up to the design maximum landing gear operating speed; and

(3) The flight loads, including those in yawed flight, occurring with the gear extended at any airspeed up to the design maximum landing gear extended speed.

(b) Landing gear lock. A positive means must be provided to keep the gear extended.

(c) Emergency operation. When other than manual power is used to operate the gear, emergency means must be provided for extending the gear in the event of—

(1) Any reasonably probable failure in the normal retraction system; or

(2) The failure of any single source of hydraulic, electric, or equivalent energy.

(d) Operation tests. The proper functioning of the retracting mechanism must be shown by operation tests.

(e) Position indicator. There must be means to indicate to the pilot when the gear is secured in the extreme positions.

(f) Control. The location and operation of the retraction control must meet the requirements of §§29.777 and 29.779.

(g) Landing gear warning. An aural or equally effective landing gear warning device must be provided that functions continuously when the rotorcraft is in a normal landing mode and the landing gear is not fully extended and locked. A manual shutoff capability must be provided for the warning device and the warning system must automatically reset when the rotorcraft is no longer in the landing mode.

[Doc. No. 5084, 29 FR 16150, Dec. 3, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 29–24, 49 FR 44437, Nov. 6, 1984]

§ 29.731   Wheels.

(a) Each landing gear wheel must be approved.

(b) The maximum static load rating of each wheel may not be less than the corresponding static ground reaction with—

(1) Maximum weight; and

(2) Critical center of gravity.

(c) The maximum limit load rating of each wheel must equal or exceed the maximum radial limit load determined under the applicable ground load requirements of this part.

§ 29.733   Tires.

Each landing gear wheel must have a tire—

(a) That is a proper fit on the rim of the wheel; and

(b) Of a rating that is not exceeded under—

(1) The design maximum weight;

(2) A load on each main wheel tire equal to the static ground reaction corresponding to the critical center of gravity; and

(3) A load on nose wheel tires (to be compared with the dynamic rating established for those tires) equal to the reaction obtained at the nose wheel, assuming that the mass of the rotorcraft acts as the most critical center of gravity and exerts a force of 1.0 g downward and 0.25 g forward, the reactions being distributed to the nose and main wheels according to the principles of statics with the drag reaction at the ground applied only at wheels with brakes.

(c) Each tire installed on a retractable landing gear system must, at the maximum size of the tire type expected in service, have a clearance to surrounding structure and systems that is adequate to prevent contact between the tire and any part of the structure or systems.

[Doc. No. 5084, 29 FR 16150, Dec. 3, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 29–12, 41 FR 55471, Dec. 20, 1976]

§ 29.735   Brakes.

For rotorcraft with wheel-type landing gear, a braking device must be installed that is—

(a) Controllable by the pilot;

(b) Usable during power-off landings; and

(c) Adequate to—

(1) Counteract any normal unbalanced torque when starting or stopping the rotor; and

(2) Hold the rotorcraft parked on a 10-degree slope on a dry, smooth pavement.

[Doc. No. 5084, 29 FR 16150, Dec. 3, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 29–24, 49 FR 44437, Nov. 6, 1984]

§ 29.737   Skis.

(a) The maximum limit load rating of each ski must equal or exceed the maximum limit load determined under the applicable ground load requirements of this part.

(b) There must be a stabilizing means to maintain the ski in an appropriate position during flight. This means must have enough strength to withstand the maximum aerodynamic and inertia loads on the ski.

Floats and Hulls

§ 29.751   Main float buoyancy.

(a) For main floats, the buoyancy necessary to support the maximum weight of the rotorcraft in fresh water must be exceeded by—

(1) 50 percent, for single floats; and

(2) 60 percent, for multiple floats.

(b) Each main float must have enough water-tight compartments so that, with any single main float compartment flooded, the mainfloats will provide a margin of positive stability great enough to minimize the probability of capsizing.

[Doc. No. 5084, 29 FR 16150, Dec. 3, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 29–3, 33 FR 967, Jan. 26, 1968]

§ 29.753   Main float design.

(a) Bag floats. Each bag float must be designed to withstand—

(1) The maximum pressure differential that might be developed at the maximum altitude for which certification with that float is requested; and

(2) The vertical loads prescribed in §29.521(a), distributed along the length of the bag over three-quarters of its projected area.

(b) Rigid floats. Each rigid float must be able to withstand the vertical, horizontal, and side loads prescribed in §29.521. An appropriate load distribution under critical conditions must be used.

§ 29.755   Hull buoyancy.

Water-based and amphibian rotorcraft. The hull and auxiliary floats, if used, must have enough watertight compartments so that, with any single compartment of the hull or auxiliary floats flooded, the buoyancy of the hull and auxiliary floats, and wheel tires if used, provides a margin of positive water stability great enough to minimize the probability of capsizing the rotorcraft for the worst combination of wave heights and surface winds for which approval is desired.

[Amdt. 29–3, 33 FR 967, Jan. 26, 1968; as amended by Amdt. 27–26, 55 FR 8003, Mar. 6, 1990]

§ 29.757   Hull and auxiliary float strength.

The hull, and auxiliary floats if used, must withstand the water loads prescribed by §29.519 with a rational and conservative distribution of local and distributed water pressures over the hull and float bottom.

[Amdt. 29–3, 33 FR 967, Jan. 26, 1968]

Personnel and Cargo Accommodations

§ 29.771   Pilot compartment.

For each pilot compartment—

(a) The compartment and its equipment must allow each pilot to perform his duties without unreasonable concentration or fatigue;

(b) If there is provision for a second pilot, the rotorcraft must be controllable with equal safety from either pilot position. Flight and powerplant controls must be designed to prevent confusion or inadvertent operation when the rotorcraft is piloted from either position;

(c) The vibration and noise characteristics of cockpit appurtenances may not interfere with safe operation;

(d) Inflight leakage of rain or snow that could distract the crew or harm the structure must be prevented.

[Doc. No. 5084, 29 FR 16150, Dec. 3, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 29–3, 33 FR 967, Jan. 26, 1968; Amdt. 29–24, 49 FR 44437, Nov. 6, 1984]

§ 29.773   Pilot compartment view.

(a) Nonprecipitation conditions. For nonprecipitation conditions, the following apply:

(1) Each pilot compartment must be arranged to give the pilots a sufficiently extensive, clear, and undistorted view for safe operation.

(2) Each pilot compartment must be free of glare and reflection that could interfere with the pilot's view. If certification for night operation is requested, this must be shown by night flight tests.

(b) Precipitation conditions. For precipitation conditions, the following apply:

(1) Each pilot must have a sufficiently extensive view for safe operation—

(i) In heavy rain at forward speeds up to VH; and

(ii) In the most severe icing condition for which certification is requested.

(2) The first pilot must have a window that—

(i) Is openable under the conditions prescribed in paragraph (b)(1) of this section; and

(ii) Provides the view prescribed in that paragraph.

[Doc. No. 5084, 29 FR 16150, Dec. 3, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 29–3, 33 FR 967, Jan. 26, 1968]

§ 29.775   Windshields and windows.

Windshields and windows must be made of material that will not break into dangerous fragments.

[Amdt. 29–31, 55 FR 38966, Sept. 21, 1990]

§ 29.777   Cockpit controls.

Cockpit controls must be—

(a) Located to provide convenient operation and to prevent confusion and inadvertent operation; and

(b) Located and arranged with respect to the pilot's seats so that there is full and unrestricted movement of each control without interference from the cockpit structure or the pilot's clothing when pilots from 5′2&inch; to 6′0&inch; in height are seated.

§ 29.779   Motion and effect of cockpit controls.

Cockpit controls must be designed so that they operate in accordance with the following movements and actuation:

(a) Flight controls, including the collective pitch control, must operate with a sense of motion which corresponds to the effect on the rotorcraft.

(b) Twist-grip engine power controls must be designed so that, for lefthand operation, the motion of the pilot's hand is clockwise to increase power when the hand is viewed from the edge containing the index finger. Other engine power controls, excluding the collective control, must operate with a forward motion to increase power.

(c) Normal landing gear controls must operate downward to extend the landing gear.

[Amdt. 29–24, 49 FR 44437, Nov. 6, 1984]

§ 29.783   Doors.

(a) Each closed cabin must have at least one adequate and easily accessible external door.

(b) Each external door must be located, and appropriate operating procedures must be established, to ensure that persons using the door will not be endangered by the rotors, propellers, engine intakes, and exhausts when the operating procedures are used.

(c) There must be means for locking crew and external passenger doors and for preventing their opening in flight inadvertently or as a result of mechanical failure. It must be possible to open external doors from inside and outside the cabin with the rotorcraft on the ground even though persons may be crowded against the door on the inside of the rotorcraft. The means of opening must be simple and obvious and so arranged and marked that it can be readily located and operated.

(d) There must be reasonable provisions to prevent the jamming of any external doors in a minor crash as a result of fuselage deformation under the following ultimate inertial forces except for cargo or service doors not suitable for use as an exit in an emergency:

(1) Upward—1.5g.

(2) Forward—4.0g.

(3) Sideward—2.0g.

(4) Downward—4.0g.

(e) There must be means for direct visual inspection of the locking mechanism by crewmembers to determine whether the external doors (including passenger, crew, service, and cargo doors) are fully locked. There must be visual means to signal to appropriate crewmembers when normally used external doors are closed and fully locked.

(f) For outward opening external doors usable for entrance or egress, there must be an auxiliary safety latching device to prevent the door from opening when the primary latching mechanism fails. If the door does not meet the requirements of paragraph (c) of this section with this device in place, suitable operating procedures must be established to prevent the use of the device during takeoff and landing.

(g) If an integral stair is installed in a passenger entry door that is qualified as a passenger emergency exit, the stair must be designed so that under the following conditions the effectiveness of passenger emergency egress will not be impaired:

(1) The door, integral stair, and operating mechanism have been subjected to the inertial forces specified in paragraph (d) of this section, acting separately relative to the surrounding structure.

(2) The rotorcraft is in the normal ground attitude and in each of the attitudes corresponding to collapse of one or more legs, or primary members, as applicable, of the landing gear.

(h) Nonjettisonable doors used as ditching emergency exits must have means to enable them to be secured in the open position and remain secure for emergency egress in sea state conditions prescribed for ditching.

[Doc. No. 5084, 29 FR 16150, Dec. 3, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 29–20, 45 FR 60178, Sept. 11, 1980; Amdt. 29–29, 54 FR 47320, Nov. 13, 1989; Amdt. 27–26, 55 FR 8003, Mar. 6, 1990; Amdt. 29–31, 55 FR 38966, Sept. 21, 1990]

§ 29.785   Seats, berths, litters, safety belts, and harnesses.

(a) Each seat, safety belt, harness, and adjacent part of the rotorcraft at each station designated for occupancy during takeoff and landing must be free of potentially injurious objects, sharp edges, protuberances, and hard surfaces and must be designed so that a person making proper use of these facilities will not suffer serious injury in an emergency landing as a result of the inertial factors specified in §29.561(b) and dynamic conditions specified in §29.562.

(b) Each occupant must be protected from serious head injury by a safety belt plus a shoulder harness that will prevent the head from contacting any injurious object, except as provided for in §29.562(c)(5). A shoulder harness (upper torso restraint), in combination with the safety belt, constitutes a torso restraint system as described in TSO-C114.

(c) Each occupant's seat must have a combined safety belt and shoulder harness with a single-point release. Each pilot's combined safety belt and shoulder harness must allow each pilot when seated with safety belt and shoulder harness fastened to perform all functions necessary for flight operations. There must be a means to secure belt and harness when not in use to prevent interference with the operation of the rotorcraft and with rapid egress in an emergency.

(d) If seat backs do not have a firm handhold, there must be hand grips or rails along each aisle to let the occupants steady themselves while using the aisle in moderately rough air.

(e) Each projecting object that would injure persons seated or moving about in the rotorcraft in normal flight must be padded.

(f) Each seat and its supporting structure must be designed for an occupant weight of at least 170 pounds, considering the maximum load factors, inertial forces, and reactions between the occupant, seat, and safety belt or harness corresponding with the applicable flight and ground-load conditions, including the emergency landing conditions of §29.561(b). In addition—

(1) Each pilot seat must be designed for the reactions resulting from the application of the pilot forces prescribed in §29.397; and

(2) The inertial forces prescribed in §29.561(b) must be multiplied by a factor of 1.33 in determining the strength of the attachment of—

(i) Each seat to the structure; and

(ii) Each safety belt or harness to the seat or structure.

(g) When the safety belt and shoulder harness are combined, the rated strength of the safety belt and shoulder harness may not be less than that corresponding to the inertial forces specified in §29.561(b), considering the occupant weight of at least 170 pounds, considering the dimensional characteristics of the restraint system installation, and using a distribution of at least a 60-percent load to the safety belt and at least a 40-percent load to the shoulder harness. If the safety belt is capable of being used without the shoulder harness, the inertial forces specified must be met by the safety belt alone.

(h) When a headrest is used, the headrest and its supporting structure must be designed to resist the inertia forces specified in §29.561, with a 1.33 fitting factor and a head weight of at least 13 pounds.

(i) Each seating device system includes the device such as the seat, the cushions, the occupant restraint system and attachment devices.

(j) Each seating device system may use design features such as crushing or separation of certain parts of the seat in the design to reduce occupant loads for the emergency landing dynamic conditions of §29.562; otherwise, the system must remain intact and must not interfere with rapid evacuation of the rotorcraft.

(k) For purposes of this section, a litter is defined as a device designed to carry a nonambulatory person, primarily in a recumbent position, into and on the rotorcraft. Each berth or litter must be designed to withstand the load reaction of an occupant weight of at least 170 pounds when the occupant is subjected to the forward inertial factors specified in §29.561(b). A berth or litter installed within 15° or less of the longitudinal axis of the rotorcraft must be provided with a padded end-board, cloth diaphragm, or equivalent means that can withstand the forward load reaction. A berth or litter oriented greater than 15° with the longitudinal axis of the rotorcraft must be equipped with appropriate restraints, such as straps or safety belts, to withstand the forward reaction. In addition—

(1) The berth or litter must have a restraint system and must not have corners or other protuberances likely to cause serious injury to a person occupying it during emergency landing conditions; and

(2) The berth or litter attachment and the occupant restraint system attachments to the structure must be designed to withstand the critical loads resulting from flight and ground load conditions and from the conditions prescribed in §29.561(b). The fitting factor required by §29.625(d) shall be applied.

[Doc. No. 5084, 29 FR 16150, Dec. 3, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 29–24, 49 FR 44437, Nov. 6, 1984; Amdt. 29–29, 54 FR 47320, Nov. 13, 1989; Amdt. 29–42, 63 FR 43285, Aug. 12, 1998]

§ 29.787   Cargo and baggage compartments.

(a) Each cargo and baggage compartment must be designed for its placarded maximum weight of contents and for the critical load distributions at the appropriate maximum load factors corresponding to the specified flight and ground load conditions, except the emergency landing conditions of §29.561.

(b) There must be means to prevent the contents of any compartment from becoming a hazard by shifting under the loads specified in paragraph (a) of this section.

(c) Under the emergency landing conditions of §29.561, cargo and baggage compartments must—

(1) Be positioned so that if the contents break loose they are unlikely to cause injury to the occupants or restrict any of the escape facilities provided for use after an emergency landing; or

(2) Have sufficient strength to withstand the conditions specified in §29.561, including the means of restraint and their attachments required by paragraph (b) of this section. Sufficient strength must be provided for the maximum authorized weight of cargo and baggage at the critical loading distribution.

(d) If cargo compartment lamps are installed, each lamp must be installed so as to prevent contact between lamp bulb and cargo.

[Doc. No. 5084, 29 FR 16150, Dec. 3, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 29–12, 41 FR 55472, Dec. 20, 1976; Amdt. 29–31, 55 FR 38966, Sept. 21, 1990]

§ 29.801   Ditching.

(a) If certification with ditching provisions is requested, the rotorcraft must meet the requirements of this section and §§29.807(d), 29.1411 and 29.1415.

(b) Each practicable design measure, compatible with the general characteristics of the rotorcraft, must be taken to minimize the probability that in an emergency landing on water, the behavior of the rotorcraft would cause immediate injury to the occupants or would make it impossible for them to escape.

(c) The probable behavior of the rotorcraft in a water landing must be investigated by model tests or by comparison with rotorcraft of similar configuration for which the ditching characteristics are known. Scoops, flaps, projections, and any other factors likely to affect the hydrodynamic characteristics of the rotorcraft must be considered.

(d) It must be shown that, under reasonably probable water conditions, the flotation time and trim of the rotorcraft will allow the occupants to leave the rotorcraft and enter the liferafts required by §29.1415. If compliance with this provision is shown by bouyancy and trim computations, appropriate allowances must be made for probable structural damage and leakage. If the rotorcraft has fuel tanks (with fuel jettisoning provisions) that can reasonably be expected to withstand a ditching without leakage, the jettisonable volume of fuel may be considered as bouyancy volume.

(e) Unless the effects of the collapse of external doors and windows are accounted for in the investigation of the probable behavior of the rotorcraft in a water landing (as prescribed in paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section), the external doors and windows must be designed to withstand the probable maximum local pressures.

[Amdt. 29–12, 41 FR 55472, Dec. 20, 1976]

§ 29.803   Emergency evacuation.

(a) Each crew and passenger area must have means for rapid evacuation in a crash landing, with the landing gear (1) extended and (2) retracted, considering the possibility of fire.

(b) Passenger entrance, crew, and service doors may be considered as emergency exits if they meet the requirements of this section and of §§29.805 through 29.815.

(c) [Reserved]

(d) Except as provided in paragraph (e) of this section, the following categories of rotorcraft must be tested in accordance with the requirements of appendix D of this part to demonstrate that the maximum seating capacity, including the crewmembers required by the operating rules, can be evacuated from the rotorcraft to the ground within 90 seconds:

(1) Rotorcraft with a seating capacity of more than 44 passengers.

(2) Rotorcraft with all of the following:

(i) Ten or more passengers per passenger exit as determined under §29.807(b).

(ii) No main aisle, as described in §29.815, for each row of passenger seats.

(iii) Access to each passenger exit for each passenger by virtue of design features of seats, such as folding or break-over seat backs or folding seats.

(e) A combination of analysis and tests may be used to show that the rotorcraft is capable of being evacuated within 90 seconds under the conditions specified in §29.803(d) if the Administrator finds that the combination of analysis and tests will provide data, with respect to the emergency evacuation capability of the rotorcraft, equivalent to that which would be obtained by actual demonstration.

[Doc. No. 5084, 29 FR 16150, Dec. 3, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 29–3, 33 FR 967, Jan. 26, 1968; Amdt. 27–26, 55 FR 8004, Mar. 6, 1990]

§ 29.805   Flight crew emergency exits.

(a) For rotorcraft with passenger emergency exits that are not convenient to the flight crew, there must be flight crew emergency exits, on both sides of the rotorcraft or as a top hatch, in the flight crew area.

(b) Each flight crew emergency exit must be of sufficient size and must be located so as to allow rapid evacuation of the flight crew. This must be shown by test.

(c) Each exit must not be obstructed by water or flotation devices after a ditching. This must be shown by test, demonstration, or analysis.

[Amdt. 29–3, 33 FR 968, Jan. 26, 1968; as amended by Amdt. 27–26, 55 FR 8004, Mar. 6, 1990]

§ 29.807   Passenger emergency exits.

(a) Type. For the purpose of this part, the types of passenger emergency exit are as follows:

(1) Type I. This type must have a rectangular opening of not less than 24 inches wide by 48 inches high, with corner radii not greater than one-third the width of the exit, in the passenger area in the side of the fuselage at floor level and as far away as practicable from areas that might become potential fire hazards in a crash.

(2) Type II. This type is the same as Type I, except that the opening must be at least 20 inches wide by 44 inches high.

(3) Type III. This type is the same as Type I, except that—

(i) The opening must be at least 20 inches wide by 36 inches high; and

(ii) The exits need not be at floor level.

(4) Type IV. This type must have a rectangular opening of not less than 19 inches wide by 26 inches high, with corner radii not greater than one-third the width of the exit, in the side of the fuselage with a step-up inside the rotorcraft of not more than 29 inches.

Openings with dimensions larger than those specified in this section may be used, regardless of shape, if the base of the opening has a flat surface of not less than the specified width.

(b) Passenger emergency exits; side-of-fuselage. Emergency exits must be accessible to the passengers and, except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section, must be provided in accordance with the following table:

(c) Passenger emergency exits; other than side-of-fuselage. In addition to the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section—

(1) There must be enough openings in the top, bottom, or ends of the fuselage to allow evacuation with the rotorcraft on its side; or

(2) The probability of the rotorcraft coming to rest on its side in a crash landing must be extremely remote.

(d) Ditching emergency exits for passengers. If certification with ditching provisions is requested, ditching emergency exits must be provided in accordance with the following requirements and must be proven by test, demonstration, or analysis unless the emergency exits required by paragraph (b) of this section already meet these requirements.

(1) For rotorcraft that have a passenger seating configuration, excluding pilots seats, of nine seats or less, one exit above the waterline in each side of the rotorcraft, meeting at least the dimensions of a Type IV exit.

(2) For rotorcraft that have a passenger seating configuration, excluding pilots seats, of 10 seats or more, one exit above the waterline in a side of the rotorcraft meeting at least the dimensions of a Type III exit, for each unit (or part of a unit) of 35 passenger seats, but no less than two such exits in the passenger cabin, with one on each side of the rotorcraft. However, where it has been shown through analysis, ditching demonstrations, or any other tests found necessary by the Administrator, that the evacuation capability of the rotorcraft during ditching is improved by the use of larger exits, or by other means, the passenger seat to exit ratio may be increased.

(3) Flotation devices, whether stowed or deployed, may not interfere with or obstruct the exits.

(e) Ramp exits. One Type I exit only, or one Type II exit only, that is required in the side of the fuselage under paragraph (b) of this section, may be installed instead in the ramp of floor ramp rotorcraft if—

(1) Its installation in the side of the fuselage is impractical; and

(2) Its installation in the ramp meets §29.813.

(f) Tests. The proper functioning of each emergency exit must be shown by test.

[Amdt. 29–3, 33 FR 968, Jan. 26, 1968, as amended by Amdt. 29–12, 41 FR 55472, Dec. 20, 1976; Amdt. 27–26, 55 FR 8004, Mar. 6, 1990]

§ 29.809   Emergency exit arrangement.

(a) Each emergency exit must consist of a movable door or hatch in the external walls of the fuselage and must provide an unobstructed opening to the outside.

(b) Each emergency exit must be openable from the inside and from the outside.

(c) The means of opening each emergency exit must be simple and obvious and may not require exceptional effort.

(d) There must be means for locking each emergency exit and for preventing opening in flight inadvertently or as a result of mechanical failure.

(e) There must be means to minimize the probability of the jamming of any emergency exit in a minor crash landing as a result of fuselage deformation under the ultimate inertial forces in §29.783(d).

(f) Except as provided in paragraph (h) of this section, each land-based rotorcraft emergency exit must have an approved slide as stated in paragraph (g) of this section, or its equivalent, to assist occupants in descending to the ground from each floor level exit and an approved rope, or its equivalent, for all other exits, if the exit threshold is more that 6 feet above the ground—

(1) With the rotorcraft on the ground and with the landing gear extended;

(2) With one or more legs or part of the landing gear collapsed, broken, or not extended; and

(3) With the rotorcraft resting on its side, if required by §29.803(d).

(g) The slide for each passenger emergency exit must be a self-supporting slide or equivalent, and must be designed to meet the following requirements:

(1) It must be automatically deployed, and deployment must begin during the interval between the time the exit opening means is actuated from inside the rotorcraft and the time the exit is fully opened. However, each passenger emergency exit which is also a passenger entrance door or a service door must be provided with means to prevent deployment of the slide when the exit is opened from either the inside or the outside under nonemergency conditions for normal use.

(2) It must be automatically erected within 10 seconds after deployment is begun.

(3) It must be of such length after full deployment that the lower end is self-supporting on the ground and provides safe evacuation of occupants to the ground after collapse of one or more legs or part of the landing gear.

(4) It must have the capability, in 25-knot winds directed from the most critical angle, to deploy and, with the assistance of only one person, to remain usable after full deployment to evacuate occupants safely to the ground.

(5) Each slide installation must be qualified by five consecutive deployment and inflation tests conducted (per exit) without failure, and at least three tests of each such five-test series must be conducted using a single representative sample of the device. The sample devices must be deployed and inflated by the system's primary means after being subjected to the inertia forces specified in §29.561(b). If any part of the system fails or does not function properly during the required tests, the cause of the failure or malfunction must be corrected by positive means and after that, the full series of five consecutive deployment and inflation tests must be conducted without failure.

(h) For rotorcraft having 30 or fewer passenger seats and having an exit threshold more than 6 feet above the ground, a rope or other assist means may be used in place of the slide specified in paragraph (f) of this section, provided an evacuation demonstration is accomplished as prescribed in §29.803(d) or (e).

(i) If a rope, with its attachment, is used for compliance with paragraph (f), (g), or (h) of this section, it must—

(1) Withstand a 400-pound static load; and

(2) Attach to the fuselage structure at or above the top of the emergency exit opening, or at another approved location if the stowed rope would reduce the pilot's view in flight.

[Amdt. 29–3, 33 FR 968, Jan. 26, 1968, as amended by Amdt. 29–29, 54 FR 47321, Nov. 13, 1989; Amdt. 27–26, 55 FR 8004, Mar. 6, 1990]

§ 29.811   Emergency exit marking.

(a) Each passenger emergency exit, its means of access, and its means of opening must be conspicuously marked for the guidance of occupants using the exits in daylight or in the dark. Such markings must be designed to remain visible for rotorcraft equipped for overwater flights if the rotorcraft is capsized and the cabin is submerged.

(b) The identity and location of each passenger emergency exit must be recognizable from a distance equal to the width of the cabin.

(c) The location of each passenger emergency exit must be indicated by a sign visible to occupants approaching along the main passenger aisle. There must be a locating sign—

(1) Next to or above the aisle near each floor emergency exit, except that one sign may serve two exits if both exists can be seen readily from that sign; and

(2) On each bulkhead or divider that prevents fore and aft vision along the passenger cabin, to indicate emergency exits beyond and obscured by it, except that if this is not possible the sign may be placed at another appropriate location.

(d) Each passenger emergency exit marking and each locating sign must have white letters 1 inch high on a red background 2 inches high, be self or electrically illuminated, and have a minimum luminescence (brightness) of at least 160 microlamberts. The colors may be reversed if this will increase the emergency illumination of the passenger compartment.

(e) The location of each passenger emergency exit operating handle and instructions for opening must be shown—

(1) For each emergency exit, by a marking on or near the exit that is readable from a distance of 30 inches; and

(2) For each Type I or Type II emergency exit with a locking mechanism released by rotary motion of the handle, by—

(i) A red arrow, with a shaft at least three-fourths inch wide and a head twice the width of the shaft, extending along at least 70 degrees of arc at a radius approximately equal to three-fourths of the handle length; and

(ii) The word “open” in red letters 1 inch high, placed horizontally near the head of the arrow.

(f) Each emergency exit, and its means of opening, must be marked on the outside of the rotorcraft. In addition, the following apply:

(1) There must be a 2-inch colored band outlining each passenger emergency exit, except small rotorcraft with a maximum weight of 12,500 pounds or less may have a 2-inch colored band outlining each exit release lever or device of passenger emergency exits which are normally used doors.

(2) Each outside marking, including the band, must have color contrast to be readily distinguishable from the surrounding fuselage surface. The contrast must be such that, if the reflectance of the darker color is 15 percent or less, the reflectance of the lighter color must be at least 45 percent. “Reflectance” is the ratio of the luminous flux reflected by a body to the luminous flux it receives. When the reflectance of the darker color is greater than 15 percent, at least a 30 percent difference between its reflectance and the reflectance of the lighter color must be provided.

(g) Exits marked as such, though in excess of the required number of exits, must meet the requirements for emergency exits of the particular type. Emergency exits need only be marked with the word “Exit.”

[Amdt. 29–3, 33 FR 968, Jan. 26, 1968, as amended by Amdt. 29–24, 49 FR 44438, Nov. 6, 1984; Amdt. 27–26, 55 FR 8004, Mar. 6, 1990; Amdt. 29–31, 55 FR 38967, Sept. 21, 1990]

§ 29.812   Emergency lighting.

For transport Category A rotorcraft, the following apply:

(a) A source of light with its power supply independent of the main lighting system must be installed to—

(1) Illuminate each passenger emergency exit marking and locating sign; and

(2) Provide enough general lighting in the passenger cabin so that the average illumination, when measured at 40-inch intervals at seat armrest height on the center line of the main passenger aisle, is at least 0.05 foot-candle.

(b) Exterior emergency lighting must be provided at each emergency exit. The illumination may not be less than 0.05 foot-candle (measured normal to the direction of incident light) for minimum width on the ground surface, with landing gear extended, equal to the width of the emergency exit where an evacuee is likely to make first contact with the ground outside the cabin. The exterior emergency lighting may be provided by either interior or exterior sources with light intensity measurements made with the emergency exits open.

(c) Each light required by paragraph (a) or (b) of this section must be operable manually from the cockpit station and from a point in the passenger compartment that is readily accessible. The cockpit control device must have an “on,” “off,” and “armed” position so that when turned on at the cockpit or passenger compartment station or when armed at the cockpit station, the emergency lights will either illuminate or remain illuminated upon interruption of the rotorcraft's normal electric power.

(d) Any means required to assist the occupants in descending to the ground must be illuminated so that the erected assist means is visible from the rotorcraft.

(1) The assist means must be provided with an illumination of not less than 0.03 foot-candle (measured normal to the direction of the incident light) at the ground end of the erected assist means where an evacuee using the established escape route would normally make first contact with the ground, with the rotorcraft in each of the attitudes corresponding to the collapse of one or more legs of the landing gear.

(2) If the emergency lighting subsystem illuminating the assist means is independent of the rotorcraft's main emergency lighting system, it—

(i) Must automatically be activated when the assist means is erected;

(ii) Must provide the illumination required by paragraph (d)(1); and

(iii) May not be adversely affected by stowage.

(e) The energy supply to each emergency lighting unit must provide the required level of illumination for at least 10 minutes at the critical ambient conditions after an emergency landing.

(f) If storage batteries are used as the energy supply for the emergency lighting system, they may be recharged from the rotorcraft's main electrical power system provided the charging circuit is designed to preclude inadvertent battery discharge into charging circuit faults.

[Amdt. 29–24, 49 FR 44438, Nov. 6, 1984]

§ 29.813   Emergency exit access.

(a) Each passageway between passenger compartments, and each passageway leading to Type I and Type II emergency exits, must be—

(1) Unobstructed; and

(2) At least 20 inches wide.

(b) For each emergency exit covered by §29.809(f), there must be enough space adjacent to that exit to allow a crewmember to assist in the evacuation of passengers without reducing the unobstructed width of the passageway below that required for that exit.

(c) There must be access from each aisle to each Type III and Type IV exit, and

(1) For rotorcraft that have a passenger seating configuration, excluding pilot seats, of 20 or more, the projected opening of the exit provided must not be obstructed by seats, berths, or other protrusions (including seatbacks in any position) for a distance from that exit of not less than the width of the narrowest passenger seat installed on the rotorcraft;

(2) For rotorcraft that have a passenger seating configuration, excluding pilot seats, of 19 or less, there may be minor obstructions in the region described in paragraph (c)(1) of this section, if there are compensating factors to maintain the effectiveness of the exit.

[Doc. No. 5084, 29 FR 16150, Dec. 3, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 29–12, 41 FR 55472, Dec. 20, 1976]

§ 29.815   Main aisle width.

The main passenger aisle width between seats must equal or exceed the values in the following table:

[Doc. No. 5084, 29 FR 16150, Dec. 3, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 29–12, 41 FR 55472, Dec. 20, 1976]

§ 29.831   Ventilation.

(a) Each passenger and crew compartment must be ventilated, and each crew compartment must have enough fresh air (but not less than 10 cu. ft. per minute per crewmember) to let crewmembers perform their duties without undue discomfort or fatigue.

(b) Crew and passenger compartment air must be free from harmful or hazardous concentrations of gases or vapors.

(c) The concentration of carbon monoxide may not exceed one part in 20,000 parts of air during forward flight. If the concentration exceeds this value under other conditions, there must be suitable operating restrictions.

(d) There must be means to ensure compliance with paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section under any reasonably probable failure of any ventilating, heating, or other system or equipment.

§ 29.833   Heaters.

Each combustion heater must be approved.

Fire Protection

§ 29.851   Fire extinguishers.

(a) Hand fire extinguishers. For hand fire extinguishers the following apply:

(1) Each hand fire extinguisher must be approved.

(2) The kinds and quantities of each extinguishing agent used must be appropriate to the kinds of fires likely to occur where that agent is used.

(3) Each extinguisher for use in a personnel compartment must be designed to minimize the hazard of toxic gas concentrations.

(b) Built-in fire extinguishers. If a built-in fire extinguishing system is required—

(1) The capacity of each system, in relation to the volume of the compartment where used and the ventilation rate, must be adequate for any fire likely to occur in that compartment.

(2) Each system must be installed so that—

(i) No extinguishing agent likely to enter personnel compartments will be present in a quantity that is hazardous to the occupants; and

(ii) No discharge of the extinguisher can cause structural damage.

§ 29.853   Compartment interiors.

For each compartment to be used by the crew or passengers—

(a) The materials (including finishes or decorative surfaces applied to the materials) must meet the following test criteria as applicable:

(1) Interior ceiling panels, interior wall panels, partitions, galley structure, large cabinet walls, structural flooring, and materials used in the construction of stowage compartments (other than underseat stowage compartments and compartments for stowing small items such as magazines and maps) must be self-extinguishing when tested vertically in accordance with the applicable portions of appendix F of Part 25 of this chapter, or other approved equivalent methods. The average burn length may not exceed 6 inches and the average flame time after removal of the flame source may not exceed 15 seconds. Drippings from the test specimen may not continue to flame for more than an average of 3 seconds after falling.

(2) Floor covering, textiles (including draperies and upholstery), seat cushions, padding, decorative and nondecorative coated fabrics, leather, trays and galley furnishings, electrical conduit, thermal and acoustical insulation and insulation covering, air ducting, joint and edge covering, cargo compartment liners, insulation blankets, cargo covers, and transparencies, molded and thermoformed parts, air ducting joints, and trim strips (decorative and chafing) that are constructed of materials not covered in paragraph (a)(3) of this section, must be self extinguishing when tested vertically in accordance with the applicable portion of appendix F of Part 25 of this chapter, or other approved equivalent methods. The average burn length may not exceed 8 inches and the average flame time after removal of the flame source may not exceed 15 seconds. Drippings from the test specimen may not continue to flame for more than an average of 5 seconds after falling.

(3) Acrylic windows and signs, parts constructed in whole or in part of elastometric materials, edge lighted instrument assemblies consisting of two or more instruments in a common housing, seat belts, shoulder harnesses, and cargo and baggage tiedown equipment, including containers, bins, pallets, etc., used in passenger or crew compartments, may not have an average burn rate greater than 2.5 inches per minute when tested horizontally in accordance with the applicable portions of appendix F of Part 25 of this chapter, or other approved equivalent methods.

(4) Except for electrical wire and cable insulation, and for small parts (such as knobs, handles, rollers, fasteners, clips, grommets, rub strips, pulleys, and small electrical parts) that the Administrator finds would not contribute significantly to the propagation of a fire, materials in items not specified in paragraphs (a)(1), (a)(2), or (a)(3) of this section may not have a burn rate greater than 4 inches per minute when tested horizontally in accordance with the applicable portions of appendix F of Part 25 of this chapter, or other approved equivalent methods.

(b) In addition to meeting the requirements of paragraph (a)(2), seat cushions, except those on flight crewmember seats, must meet the test requirements of Part II of appendix F of Part 25 of this chapter, or equivalent.

(c) If smoking is to be prohibited, there must be a placard so stating, and if smoking is to be allowed—

(1) There must be an adequate number of self-contained, removable ashtrays; and

(2) Where the crew compartment is separated from the passenger compartment, there must be at least one illuminated sign (using either letters or symbols) notifying all passengers when smoking is prohibited. Signs which notify when smoking is prohibited must—

(i) When illuminated, be legible to each passenger seated in the passenger cabin under all probable lighting conditions; and

(ii) Be so constructed that the crew can turn the illumination on and off.

(d) Each receptacle for towels, paper, or waste must be at least fire-resistant and must have means for containing possible fires;

(e) There must be a hand fire extinguisher for the flight crewmembers; and

(f) At least the following number of hand fire extinguishers must be conveniently located in passenger compartments:

(Secs. 313(a), 601, 603, 604, Federal Aviation Act of 1958 (49 U.S.C. 1354(a), 1421, 1423, 1424), sec. 6(c), Dept. of Transportation Act (49 U.S.C. 1655(c)))

[Doc. No. 5084, 29 FR 16150, Dec. 3, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 29–3, 33 FR 969, Jan. 26, 1968; Amdt. 29–17, 43 FR 50600, Oct. 30, 1978; Amdt 29–18, 45 FR 7756, Feb. 4, 1980; Amdt. 29–23, 49 FR 43200, Oct. 26, 1984]

§ 29.855   Cargo and baggage compartments.

(a) Each cargo and baggage compartment must be construced of or lined with materials in accordance with the following:

(1) For accessible and inaccessible compartments not occupied by passengers or crew, the material must be at least fire resistant.

(2) Materials must meet the requirements in §29.853(a)(1), (a)(2), and (a)(3) for cargo or baggage compartments in which—

(i) The presence of a compartment fire would be easily discovered by a crewmember while at the crewmember's station;

(ii) Each part of the compartment is easily accessible in flight;

(iii) The compartment has a volume of 200 cubic feet or less; and

(iv) Notwithstanding §29.1439(a), protective breathing equipment is not required.

(b) No compartment may contain any controls, wiring, lines, equipment, or accessories whose damage or failure would affect safe operation, unless those items are protected so that—

(1) They cannot be damaged by the movement of cargo in the compartment; and

(2) Their breakage or failure will not create a fire hazard.

(c) The design and sealing of inaccessible compartments must be adequate to contain compartment fires until a landing and safe evacuation can be made.

(d) Each cargo and baggage compartment that is not sealed so as to contain cargo compartment fires completely without endangering the safety of a rotorcraft or its occupants must be designed, or must have a device, to ensure detection of fires or smoke by a crewmember while at his station and to prevent the accumulation of harmful quantities of smoke, flame, extinguishing agents, and other noxious gases in any crew or passenger compartment. This must be shown in flight.

(e) For rotorcraft used for the carriage of cargo only, the cabin area may be considered a cargo compartment and, in addition to paragraphs (a) through (d) of this section, the following apply:

(1) There must be means to shut off the ventilating airflow to or within the compartment. Controls for this purpose must be accessible to the flight crew in the crew compartment.

(2) Required crew emergency exits must be accessible under all cargo loading conditions.

(3) Sources of heat within each compartment must be shielded and insulated to prevent igniting the cargo.

[Doc. No. 5084, 29 FR 16150, Dec. 3, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 29–3, 33 FR 969, Jan 26, 1968; Amdt. 29–24, 49 FR 44438, Nov. 6, 1984; Amdt. 27–26, 55 FR 8004, Mar. 6, 1990]

§ 29.859   Combustion heater fire protection.

(a) Combustion heater fire zones. The following combustion heater fire zones must be protected against fire under the applicable provisions of §§29.1181 through 29.1191, and 29.1195 through 29.1203:

(1) The region surrounding any heater, if that region contains any flammable fluid system components (including the heater fuel system), that could—

(i) Be damaged by heater malfunctioning; or

(ii) Allow flammable fluids or vapors to reach the heater in case of leakage.

(2) Each part of any ventilating air passage that—

(i) Surrounds the combustion chamber; and

(ii) Would not contain (without damage to other rotorcraft components) any fire that may occur within the passage.

(b) Ventilating air ducts. Each ventilating air duct passing through any fire zone must be fireproof. In addition—

(1) Unless isolation is provided by fireproof valves or by equally effective means, the ventilating air duct downstream of each heater must be fireproof for a distance great enough to ensure that any fire originating in the heater can be contained in the duct; and

(2) Each part of any ventilating duct passing through any region having a flammable fluid system must be so constructed or isolated from that system that the malfunctioning of any component of that system cannot introduce flammable fluids or vapors into the ventilating airstream.

(c) Combustion air ducts. Each combustion air duct must be fireproof for a distance great enough to prevent damage from backfiring or reverse flame propagation. In addition—

(1) No combustion air duct may communicate with the ventilating airstream unless flames from backfires or reverse burning cannot enter the ventilating airstream under any operating condition, including reverse flow or malfunction of the heater or its associated components; and

(2) No combustion air duct may restrict the prompt relief of any backfire that, if so restricted, could cause heater failure.

(d) Heater controls; general. There must be means to prevent the hazardous accumulation of water or ice on or in any heater control component, control system tubing, or safety control.

(e) Heater safety controls. For each combustion heater, safety control means must be provided as follows:

(1) Means independent of the components provided for the normal continuous control of air temperature, airflow, and fuel flow must be provided, for each heater, to automatically shut off the ignition and fuel supply of that heater at a point remote from that heater when any of the following occurs:

(i) The heat exchanger temperature exceeds safe limits.

(ii) The ventilating air temperature exceeds safe limits.

(iii) The combustion airflow becomes inadequate for safe operation.

(iv) The ventilating airflow becomes inadequate for safe operation.

(2) The means of complying with paragraph (e)(1) of this section for any individual heater must—

(i) Be independent of components serving any other heater whose heat output is essential for safe operation; and

(ii) Keep the heater off until restarted by the crew.

(3) There must be means to warn the crew when any heater whose heat output is essential for safe operation has been shut off by the automatic means prescribed in paragraph (e)(1) of this section.

(f) Air intakes. Each combustion and ventilating air intake must be where no flammable fluids or vapors can enter the heater system under any operating condition—

(1) During normal operation; or

(2) As a result of the malfunction of any other component.

(g) Heater exhaust. Each heater exhaust system must meet the requirements of §§29.1121 and 29.1123. In addition—

(1) Each exhaust shroud must be sealed so that no flammable fluids or hazardous quantities of vapors can reach the exhaust systems through joints; and

(2) No exhaust system may restrict the prompt relief of any backfire that, if so restricted, could cause heater failure.

(h) Heater fuel systems. Each heater fuel system must meet the powerplant fuel system requirements affecting safe heater operation. Each heater fuel system component in the ventilating airstream must be protected by shrouds so that no leakage from those components can enter the ventilating airstream.

(i) Drains. There must be means for safe drainage of any fuel that might accumulate in the combustion chamber or the heat exchanger. In addition—

(1) Each part of any drain that operates at high temperatures must be protected in the same manner as heater exhausts; and

(2) Each drain must be protected against hazardous ice accumulation under any operating condition.

[Doc. No. 5084, 29 FR 16150, Dec. 3, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 29–2, 32 FR 6914, May 5, 1967]

§ 29.861   Fire protection of structure, controls, and other parts.

Each part of the structure, controls, and the rotor mechanism, and other parts essential to controlled landing and (for category A) flight that would be affected by powerplant fires must be isolated under §29.1191, or must be—

(a) For category A rotorcraft, fireproof; and

(b) For Category B rotorcraft, fireproof or protected so that they can perform their essential functions for at least 5 minutes under any foreseeable powerplant fire conditions.

[Doc. No. 5084, 29 FR 16150, Dec. 3, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 27–26, 55 FR 8005, Mar. 6, 1990]

§ 29.863   Flammable fluid fire protection.

(a) In each area where flammable fluids or vapors might escape by leakage of a fluid system, there must be means to minimize the probability of ignition of the fluids and vapors, and the resultant hazards if ignition does occur.

(b) Compliance with paragraph (a) of this section must be shown by analysis or tests, and the following factors must be considered:

(1) Possible sources and paths of fluid leakage, and means of detecting leakage.

(2) Flammability characteristics of fluids, including effects of any combustible or absorbing materials.

(3) Possible ignition sources, including electrical faults, overheating of equipment, and malfunctioning of protective devices.

(4) Means available for controlling or extinguishing a fire, such as stopping flow of fluids, shutting down equipment, fireproof containment, or use of extinguishing agents.

(5) Ability of rotorcraft components that are critical to safety of flight to withstand fire and heat.

(c) If action by the flight crew is required to prevent or counteract a fluid fire (e.g. equipment shutdown or actuation of a fire extinguisher), quick acting means must be provided to alert the crew.

(d) Each area where flammable fluids or vapors might escape by leakage of a fluid system must be identified and defined.

(Secs. 313(a), 601, 603, 604, Federal Aviation Act of 1958 (49 U.S.C. 1354(a), 1421, 1423, 1424), sec. 6(c), Dept. of Transportation Act (49 U.S.C. 1655(c)))

[Amdt. 29–17, 43 FR 50600, Oct. 30, 1978]

External Loads

§ 29.865   External loads.

(a) It must be shown by analysis, test, or both, that the rotorcraft external load attaching means for rotorcraft-load combinations to be used for nonhuman external cargo applications can withstand a limit static load equal to 2.5, or some lower load factor approved under §§29.337 through 29.341, multiplied by the maximum external load for which authorization is requested. It must be shown by analysis, test, or both that the rotorcraft external load attaching means and corresponding personnel carrying device system for rotorcraft-load combinations to be used for human external cargo applications can withstand a limit static load equal to 3.5 or some lower load factor, not less than 2.5, approved under §§29.337 through 29.341, multiplied by the maximum external load for which authorization is requested. The load for any rotorcraft-load combination class, for any external cargo type, must be applied in the vertical direction. For jettisonable external loads of any applicable external cargo type, the load must also be applied in any direction making the maximum angle with the vertical that can be achieved in service but not less than 30°. However, the 30° angle may be reduced to a lesser angle if—

(1) An operating limitation is established limiting external load operations to such angles for which compliance with this paragraph has been shown; or

(2) It is shown that the lesser angle can not be exceeded in service.

(b) The external load attaching means, for jettisonable rotorcraft-load combinations, must include a quick-release system to enable the pilot to release the external load quickly during flight. The quick-release system must consist of a primary quick release subsystem and a backup quick release subsystem that are isolated from one another. The quick release system, and the means by which it is controlled, must comply with the following:

(1) A control for the primary quick release subsystem must be installed either on one of the pilot's primary controls or in an equivalently accessible location and must be designed and located so that it may be operated by either the pilot or a crewmember without hazardously limiting the ability to control the rotorcraft during an emergency situation.

(2) A control for the backup quick release subsystem, readily accessible to either the pilot or another crewmember, must be provided.

(3) Both the primary and backup quick release subsystems must—

(i) Be reliable, durable, and function properly with all external loads up to and including the maximum external limit load for which authorization is requested.

(ii) Be protected against electromagnetic interference (EMI) from external and internal sources and against lightning to prevent inadvertent load release.

(A) The minimum level of protection required for jettisonable rotorcraft-load combinations used for nonhuman external cargo is a radio frequency field strength of 20 volts per meter.

(B) The minimum level of protection required for jettisonable rotorcraft-load combinations used for human external cargo is a radio frequency field strength of 200 volts per meter.

(iii) Be protected against any failure that could be induced by a failure mode of any other electrical or mechanical rotorcraft system.

(c) For rotorcraft-load combinations to be used for human external cargo applications, the rotorcraft must—

(1) For jettisonable external loads, have a quick-release system that meets the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section and that—

(i) Provides a dual actuation device for the primary quick release subsystem, and

(ii) Provides a separate dual actuation device for the backup quick release subsystem;

(2) Have a reliable, approved personnel carrying device system that has the structural capability and personnel safety features essential for external occupant safety;

(3) Have placards and markings at all appropriate locations that clearly state the essential system operating instructions and, for the personnel carrying device system, ingress and egress instructions;

(4) Have equipment to allow direct intercommunication among required crewmembers and external occupants;

(5) Have the appropriate limitations and procedures incorporated in the flight manual for conducting human external cargo operations; and

(6) For human external cargo applications requiring use of Category A rotorcraft, have one-engine-inoperative hover performance data and procedures in the flight manual for the weights, altitudes, and temperatures for which external load approval is requested.

(d) The critically configured jettisonable external loads must be shown by a combination of analysis, ground tests, and flight tests to be both transportable and releasable throughout the approved operational envelope without hazard to the rotorcraft during normal flight conditions. In addition, these external loads—must be shown to be releasable without hazard to the rotorcraft during emergency flight conditions.

(e) A placard or marking must be installed next to the external-load attaching means clearly stating any operational limitations and the maximum authorized external load as demonstrated under §29.25 and this section.

(f) The fatigue evaluation of §29.571 of this part does not apply to rotorcraft-load combinations to be used for nonhuman external cargo except for the failure of critical structural elements that would result in a hazard to the rotorcraft. For rotorcraft-load combinations to be used for human external cargo, the fatigue evaluation of §29.571 of this part applies to the entire quick release and personnel carrying device structural systems and their attachments.

[Amdt. 29–12, 41 FR 55472, Dec. 20, 1976, as amended by Amdt. 27–26, 55 FR 8005, Mar. 6, 1990; Amdt. 29–43, 64 FR 43020, Aug. 6, 1999]

Miscellaneous

§ 29.871   Leveling marks.

There must be reference marks for leveling the rotorcraft on the ground.

§ 29.873   Ballast provisions.

Ballast provisions must be designed and constructed to prevent inadvertent shifting of ballast in flight.

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