[Federal Register: October 19, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 201)]
[Notices]               
[Page 56377]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19oc99-118]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

 
Additional Airship Design Standards To Allow 13-Passenger 
Capacity

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of availability of additional design standards.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of additional Airship 
Design Standards to allow increasing the Skyship 600 passenger capacity 
from 9 to 13 passengers.

Discussion

    The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has received an 
application to amend the type certificate (TC) of the Skyship 600 to 
increase the maximum passenger capacity from 9 to 13. The regulatory 
basis for the original Skyship 600 TC is FAA-P-8110-2, ``Airship Design 
Criteria (ADC).'' The ADC established a level of safety for airships 
equivalent to Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 23 
Normal Category Airplanes, thereby limiting airships to nine 
passengers. Therefore, additional airworthiness criteria are required 
to increase the maximum number of passengers above the nine-passenger 
limit.
    AC 21.17-1A, Change 1, ``Type Certification--Airships,'' describes 
two acceptable criteria for the type certification of airships. The two 
criteria provide acceptable means, but not the only means, for showing 
compliance to 14 CFR part 21, Sec. 21.17(b). The ADC provides one of 
the acceptable criteria. If the ADC airworthiness criteria are 
inadequate or inappropriate for type certification due to an airship's 
unique design or design features, AC 21.17-1A, in accordance with 14 
CFR Sec. 21.17(b), allows for other criteria to be developed. The FAA 
must approve these other criteria.
    The applicant has proposed criteria, in addition to the ADC, to 
allow 13-passenger capacity. The additional criteria are the same 
criteria issued by the British Civil Aviation Authority for 13-
passenger Skyship 600 operations in the United Kingdom. The FAA agrees 
that the additional criteria provide an acceptable level of safety by 
requiring additional emergency exits. The additional criteria is 
similar to that of 14 CFR part 23, Sec. 23.807(d)(1)(i), which 
establishes emergency exit requirements for commuter category airplanes 
with up to 15 passengers.
    The FAA has approved the additional criteria specifically for the 
passenger seating increase for the Skyship 600. The additional criteria 
would not necessarily be adequate or appropriate for a similar capacity 
increase on an airship of different type design.

How To Obtain Copies

    A copy of the Skyship 600 13-passenger criteria may be obtained 
from the FAA, Small Airplane Directorate, Attention: Ms. Terre Flynn, 
ACE-111, DOT Building, Room 301, 901 Locust, Kansas City, MO 64106-
2641.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mike Reyer, Aerospace Engineer, 
Regulations and Policy Branch, FAA, Small Airplane Directorate; 
telephone number (816) 329-4131.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on October 7, 1999.
Michael K. Dahl,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 99-27285 Filed 10-18-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P