615 

Federal Aviation Administration, DOT 

§ 29.809 

Passenger seating 

capacity 

Emergency exits for each 

side of the fuselage 

Type I 

Type II  Type III 

Type IV 

40 through 59 ..........

1  ............

............

1 

60 through 79 ..........

1  ............

1 or 

2 

(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 pas-

sengers. 

If certification with ditching 

provisions is requested, ditching emer-
gency exits must be provided in accord-
ance with the following requirements 
and must be proven by test, demonstra-
tion, or analysis unless the emergency 
exits required by paragraph (b) of this 
section already meet these require-
ments. 

(1) For rotorcraft that have a pas-

senger 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 di-
mensions of a Type IV exit. 

(2) For rotorcraft that have a pas-

senger 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 dimen-
sions 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 Adminis-
trator, that the evacuation capability 
of the rotorcraft during ditching is im-
proved 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 re-
quired 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 ex-
ternal 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 emer-

gency 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 land-
ing 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 para-
graph (g) of this section, or its equiva-
lent, 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 emer-

gency exit must be a self-supporting 
slide or equivalent, and must be de-
signed to meet the following require-
ments: 

(1) It must be automatically de-

ployed, and deployment must begin 

VerDate Sep<11>2014 

12:50 Apr 30, 2019

Jkt 247046

PO 00000

Frm 00625

Fmt 8010

Sfmt 8010

Y:\SGML\247046.XXX

247046

spaschal on DSK3GDR082PROD with CFR