185 

Federal Aviation Administration, DOT 

§ 23.3 

quantities essential for the safe operation of 
the system, including the voltage and cur-
rent supplied by each generator. 

62. 

Electrical equipment and installation. 

Electrical equipment controls, and wiring 
must be installed so that operation of any 
one unit or system of units will not ad-
versely affect the simultaneous operation of 
to the safe operation. 

63. 

Distribution system. (a) For the purpose 

of complying with this section, the distribu-
tion system includes the distribution busses, 
their associated feeders and each control and 
protective device. 

(b) Each system must be designed so that 

essential load circuits can be supplied in the 
event of reasonably probable faults or open 
circuits, including faults in heavy current 
carrying cables. 

(c) If two independent sources of electrical 

power for particular equipment or systems 
are required by this regulation, their elec-
trical energy supply must be insured by 
means such as duplicate electrical equip-
ment, throwover switching, or multichannel 
or loop circuits separately routed. 

64. 

Circuit protective devices. The circuit 

protective devices for the electrical circuits 
of the airplane must meet the requirements 
of FAR 23.1357, and in addition circuits for 
loads which are essential to safe operation 
must have individual and exclusive circuit 
protection. 

[Doc. No. 8070, 34 FR 189, Jan. 7, 1969, as 
amended by SFAR 23–1, 34 FR 20176, Dec. 24, 
1969; 35 FR 1102, Jan. 28, 1970] 

Subpart A—General 

§ 23.1

Applicability. 

(a) This part prescribes airworthiness 

standards for the issue of type certifi-
cates, and changes to those certifi-
cates, for airplanes in the normal, util-
ity, acrobatic, and commuter cat-
egories. 

(b) Each person who applies under 

Part 21 for such a certificate or change 
must show compliance with the appli-
cable requirements of this part. 

[Doc. No. 4080, 29 FR 17955, Dec. 18, 1964, as 
amended by Amdt. 23–34, 52 FR 1825, Jan. 15, 
1987] 

§ 23.2

Special retroactive require-

ments. 

(a) Notwithstanding §§ 21.17 and 21.101 

of this chapter and irrespective of the 
type certification basis, each normal, 
utility, and acrobatic category air-
plane having a passenger seating con-
figuration, excluding pilot seats, of 

nine or less, manufactured after De-
cember 12, 1986, or any such foreign air-
plane for entry into the United States 
must provide a safety belt and shoulder 
harness for each forward- or aft-facing 
seat which will protect the occupant 
from serious head injury when sub-
jected to the inertia loads resulting 
from the ultimate static load factors 
prescribed in § 23.561(b)(2) of this part, 
or which will provide the occupant pro-
tection specified in § 23.562 of this part 
when that section is applicable to the 
airplane. For other seat orientations, 
the seat/restraint system must be de-
signed to provide a level of occupant 
protection equivalent to that provided 
for forward- or aft-facing seats with a 
safety belt and shoulder harness in-
stalled. 

(b) Each shoulder harness installed at 

a flight crewmember station, as re-
quired by this section, must allow the 
crewmember, when seated with the 
safety belt and shoulder harness fas-
tened, to perform all functions nec-
essary for flight operations. 

(c) For the purpose of this section, 

the date of manufacture is: 

(1) The date the inspection accept-

ance records, or equivalent, reflect 
that the airplane is complete and 
meets the FAA approved type design 
data; or 

(2) In the case of a foreign manufac-

tured airplane, the date the foreign 
civil airworthiness authority certifies 
the airplane is complete and issues an 
original standard airworthiness certifi-
cate, or the equivalent in that country. 

[Amdt. 23–36, 53 FR 30812, Aug. 15, 1988] 

§ 23.3

Airplane categories. 

(a) The normal category is limited to 

airplanes that have a seating configu-
ration, excluding pilot seats, of nine or 
less, a maximum certificated takeoff 
weight of 12,500 pounds or less, and in-
tended for nonacrobatic operation. 
Nonacrobatic operation includes: 

(1) Any maneuver incident to normal 

flying; 

(2) Stalls (except whip stalls); and 
(3) Lazy eights, chandelles, and steep 

turns, in which the angle of bank is not 
more than 60 degrees. 

(b) The utility category is limited to 

airplanes that have a seating configu-
ration, excluding pilot seats, of nine or 

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