258 

14 CFR Ch. I (1–1–14 Edition) 

§ 23.811 

(3) Each required emergency exit, ex-

cept floor level exits, must be located 
over the wing or, if not less than six 
feet from the ground, must be provided 
with an acceptable means to assist the 
occupants to descend to the ground. 
Emergency exits must be distributed as 
uniformly as practical, taking into ac-
count passenger seating configuration. 

(4) Unless the applicant has complied 

with paragraph (d)(1) of this section, 
there must be an emergency exit on 
the side of the cabin opposite the pas-
senger entry door, provided that— 

(i) For an airplane having a pas-

senger seating configuration of nine or 
fewer, the emergency exit has a rectan-
gular opening measuring not less than 
19 inches by 26 inches high with corner 
radii not greater than one-third the 
width of the exit, located over the 
wing, with a step up inside the airplane 
of not more than 29 inches and a step 
down outside the airplane of not more 
than 36 inches; 

(ii) For an airplane having a pas-

senger seating configuration of 10 to 19 
passengers, the emergency exit has a 
rectangular opening measuring not less 
than 20 inches wide by 36 inches high, 
with corner radii not greater than one- 
third the width of the exit, and with a 
step up inside the airplane of not more 
than 20 inches. If the exit is located 
over the wing, the step down outside 
the airplane may not exceed 27 inches; 
and 

(iii) The airplane complies with the 

additional requirements of 
§§ 23.561(b)(2)(iv), 23.803(b), 23.811(c), 
23.812, 23.813(b), and 23.815. 

(e) For multiengine airplanes, ditch-

ing emergency exits must be provided 
in accordance with the following re-
quirements, unless the emergency exits 
required by paragraph (a) or (d) of this 
section already comply with them: 

(1) One exit above the waterline on 

each side of the airplane having the di-
mensions specified in paragraph (b) or 
(d) of this section, as applicable; and 

(2) If side exits cannot be above the 

waterline, there must be a readily ac-
cessible overhead hatch emergency exit 
that has a rectangular opening meas-
uring not less than 20 inches wide by 36 
inches long, with corner radii not 
greater than one-third the width of the 
exit. 

(3) In lieu of paragraph (e)(2) of this 

section, if any side exit(s) cannot be 
above the waterline, a device may be 
placed at each of such exit(s) prior to 
ditching. This device must slow the in-
flow of water when such exit(s) is 
opened with the airplane ditched. For 
commuter category airplanes, the clear 
opening of such exit(s) must meet the 
requirements defined in paragraph (d) 
of this section. 

[Doc. No. 4080, 29 FR 17955, Dec. 18, 1964, as 
amended by Amdt. 23–7, 34 FR 13092, Aug. 13, 
1969; Amdt. 23–10, 36 FR 2864, Feb. 11, 1971; 
Amdt. 23–34, 52 FR 1831, Jan. 15, 1987; Amdt. 
23–36, 53 FR 30814, Aug. 15, 1988; 53 FR 34194, 
Sept. 2, 1988; Amdt. 23–46, 59 FR 25773, May 
17, 1994; Amdt. 23–49, 61 FR 5167, Feb. 9, 1996; 
Amdt. 23–62, 76 FR 75757, Dec. 2, 2011] 

§ 23.811

Emergency exit marking. 

(a) Each emergency exit and external 

door in the passenger compartment 
must be externally marked and readily 
identifiable from outside the airplane 
by— 

(1) A conspicuous visual identifica-

tion scheme; and 

(2) A permanent decal or placard on 

or adjacent to the emergency exit 
which shows the means of opening the 
emergency exit, including any special 
instructions, if applicable. 

(b) In addition, for commuter cat-

egory airplanes, these exits and doors 
must be internally marked with the 
word ‘‘exit’’ by a sign which has white 
letters 1 inch high on a red background 
2 inches high, be self-illuminated or 
independently, internally electrically 
illuminated, and have a minimum 
brightness of at least 160 micro-
lamberts. The color may be reversed if 
the passenger compartment illumina-
tion is essentially the same. 

(c) In addition, when certification to 

the emergency exit provisions of 
§ 23.807(d)(4) is requested, the following 
apply: 

(1) Each emergency exit, its means of 

access, and its means of opening, must 
be conspicuously marked; 

(2) The identity and location of each 

emergency exit must be recognizable 
from a distance equal to the width of 
the cabin; 

(3) Means must be provided to assist 

occupants in locating the emergency 
exits in conditions of dense smoke; 

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