SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS INFORMATION BULLETIN

Aircraft Certification Service Washington, DC U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration

NM-10-23

March 31, 2010

This is information only. Recommendations aren’t mandatory.

Introduction:

This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin advises registered owners, operators, and original equipment manufacturers of an airworthiness concern regarding exterior emergency exit markings on all-cargo, transport category airplanes.

Background:

On many all-cargo airplanes, the accessible exits (exits that can be accessed from the inside by airplane occupants) are a combination of dedicated flightcrew exits and passenger exits (that are not blocked by the loaded cargo). FAA regulations do not require that exits in excess of those required for compliance be marked on the outside of the airplane. However, such markings could aid rescuers in gaining access to the airplane from the outside to provide help to the occupants on board.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommended that all emergency exits that are operable from the outside on cargo airplanes have a two-inch contrasting colored band outlining the exit. The NTSB also recommended that operators designate one floor level exit as a required emergency exit for all-cargo operations, and equip that exit with an escape slide. These NTSB recommendations resulted from an accident involving a fire when ground rescue personnel were not certain which exits/doors were usable, so access to the airplane was delayed.

FAA regulations require that passenger emergency exits have two-inch colored bands on the exterior of the airplane outlining the exit under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) 25.811(f)(1), Amendment 25-88. FAA regulations also require that the exit opening method be marked on the exterior of the airplane, but only if the exit is required to be accessible from the outside. In addition, there may be accessible exits that are in excess of the number required and are not required to be marked on the outside.

For airplanes that carry supernumeraries, as referred to in 14 CFR 121.583, in addition to the required crewmembers, exterior markings would be required unless that requirement has been exempted under the provisions of 14 CFR 11.61.

The airworthiness concern is not an unsafe condition that would warrant airworthiness directive (AD) action under 14 CFR part 39.

Recommendation:

The FAA recommends that each exit that is accessible from the inside by any occupant of an all-cargo airplane be marked on the outside with a two-inch band (that meets the requirements of 14 CFR 25.811(f)(1)) outlining the exit, including operating instructions for the exit. In addition, where practicable, we recommend that an accessible passenger exit for use by occupants of all-cargo airplanes be designated and marked accordingly.

For Further Information Contact:

Jeff Gardlin, Aerospace Engineer, Airframe/Cabin Safety Branch, ANM-115, FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; telephone (425) 227-2136; fax: (425) 227-1149.