109 

Federal Aviation Administration, DOT 

§ 121.310 

follows for each passenger-carrying 
transport category airplane: 

(1) Each passage way between indi-

vidual passenger areas, or leading to a 
Type I or Type II emergency exit, must 
be unobstructed and at least 20 inches 
wide. 

(2) For each Type I or Type II emer-

gency exit equipped with an assist 
means, there must be enough space 
next to the exit to allow a crewmember 
to assist in the evacuation of pas-
sengers without reducing the unob-
structed width of the passageway below 
that required in paragraph (f)(1) of this 
section. In addition, all airplanes man-
ufactured on or after November 26, 2008 
must comply with the provisions of 
§§ 25.813(b)(1), (b)(2), (b)(3) and (b)(4) in 
effect on November 26, 2004. However, a 
deviation from this requirement may 
be authorized for an airplane certifi-
cated under the provisions of part 4b of 
the Civil Air Regulations in effect be-
fore December 20, 1951, if the Adminis-
trator finds that special circumstances 
exist that provide an equivalent level 
of safety. 

(3) There must be access from the 

main aisle to each Type III and Type 
IV exit. The access from the aisle to 
these exits must not be obstructed by 
seats, berths, or other protrusions in a 
manner that would reduce the effec-
tiveness of the exit. In addition— 

(i) For an airplane for which the ap-

plication for the type certificate was 
filed prior to May 1, 1972, the access 
must meet the requirements of 
§ 25.813(c) of this chapter in effect on 
April 30, 1972; and 

(ii) For an airplane for which the ap-

plication for the type certificate was 
filed on or after May 1, 1972, the access 
must meet the emergency exit access 
requirements under which the airplane 
was type certificated; except that, 

(iii) After December 3, 1992, the ac-

cess for an airplane type certificated 
after January 1, 1958, must meet the re-
quirements of § 25.813(c) of this chapter, 
effective June 3, 1992. 

(iv) Contrary provisions of this sec-

tion notwithstanding, the Director of 
the division of the Aircraft Certifi-
cation Service responsible for the air-
worthiness rules may authorize devi-
ation from the requirements of para-
graph (f)(3)(iii) of this section if it is 

determined that special circumstances 
make compliance impractical. Such 
special circumstances include, but are 
not limited to, the following conditions 
when they preclude achieving compli-
ance with § 25.813(c)(1)(i) or (ii) without 
a reduction in the total number of pas-
senger seats: emergency exits located 
in close proximity to each other; fixed 
installations such as lavatories, gal-
leys, etc.; permanently mounted bulk-
heads; an insufficient number of rows 
ahead of or behind the exit to enable 
compliance without a reduction in the 
seat row pitch of more than one inch; 
or an insufficient number of such rows 
to enable compliance without a reduc-
tion in the seat row pitch to less than 
30 inches. A request for such grant of 
deviation must include credible rea-
sons as to why literal compliance with 
§ 25.813(c)(1)(i) or (ii) is impractical and 
a description of the steps taken to 
achieve a level of safety as close to 
that intended by § 25.813(c)(1)(i) or (ii) 
as is practical. 

(v) The Director of the division of the 

Aircraft Certification Service respon-
sible for the airworthiness rules may 
also authorize a compliance date later 
than December 3, 1992, if it is deter-
mined that special circumstances 
make compliance by that date imprac-
tical. A request for such grant of devi-
ation must outline the airplanes for 
which compliance will be achieved by 
December 3, 1992, and include a pro-
posed schedule for incremental compli-
ance of the remaining airplanes in the 
operator’s fleet. In addition, the re-
quest must include credible reasons 
why compliance cannot be achieved 
earlier. 

(4) If it is necessary to pass through 

a passageway between passenger com-
partments to reach any required emer-
gency exit from any seat in the pas-
senger cabin, the passageway must not 
be obstructed. However, curtains may 
be used if they allow free entry 
through the passageway. 

(5) No door may be installed in any 

partition between passenger compart-
ments. 

(6) No person may operate an air-

plane manufactured after November 27, 
2006, that incorporates a door installed 
between any passenger seat occupiable 

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