260 

14 CFR Ch. I (1–1–14 Edition) 

§ 23.813 

(1) Illuminated emergency exit mark-

ing and locating signs, including those 
required in § 23.811(b); 

(2) Sources of general illumination in 

the cabin that provide an average illu-
mination of not less than 0.05 foot-can-
dle and an illumination at any point of 
not less than 0.01 foot-candle when 
measured along the center line of the 
main passenger aisle(s) and at the seat 
armrest height; and 

(3) Floor proximity emergency escape 

path marking that provides emergency 
evacuation guidance for the airplane 
occupants when all sources of illumina-
tion more than 4 feet above the cabin 
aisle floor are totally obscured. 

(i) The energy supply to each emer-

gency lighting unit must provide the 
required level of illumination for at 
least 10 minutes at the critical ambient 
conditions after activation of the 
emergency lighting system. 

(j) If rechargeable batteries are used 

as the energy supply for the emergency 
lighting system, they may be re-
charged from the main electrical power 
system of the airplane provided the 
charging circuit is designed to preclude 
inadvertent battery discharge into the 
charging circuit faults. If the emer-
gency lighting system does not include 
a charging circuit, battery condition 
monitors are required. 

(k) Components of the emergency 

lighting system, including batteries, 
wiring, relays, lamps, and switches, 
must be capable of normal operation 
after being subjected to the inertia 
forces resulting from the ultimate load 
factors prescribed in § 23.561(b)(2). 

(l) The emergency lighting system 

must be designed so that after any sin-
gle transverse vertical separation of 
the fuselage during a crash landing: 

(1) At least 75 percent of all elec-

trically illuminated emergency lights 
required by this section remain opera-
tive; and 

(2) Each electrically illuminated exit 

sign required by § 23.811 (b) and (c) re-
mains operative, except those that are 
directly damaged by the fuselage sepa-
ration. 

[Doc. No. 26324, 59 FR 25774, May 17, 1994] 

§ 23.813

Emergency exit access. 

(a) For commuter category airplanes, 

access to window-type emergency exits 

may not be obstructed by seats or seat 
backs. 

(b) In addition, when certification to 

the emergency exit provisions of 
§ 23.807(d)(4) is requested, the following 
emergency exit access must be pro-
vided: 

(1) The passageway leading from the 

aisle to the passenger entry door must 
be unobstructed and at least 20 inches 
wide. 

(2) There must be enough space next 

to the passenger entry door to allow 
assistance in evacuation of passengers 
without reducing the unobstructed 
width of the passageway below 20 
inches. 

(3) If it is necessary to pass through 

a passageway between passenger com-
partments to reach a required emer-
gency exit from any seat in the pas-
senger cabin, the passageway must be 
unobstructed; however, curtains may 
be used if they allow free entry 
through the passageway. 

(4) No door may be installed in any 

partition between passenger compart-
ments unless that door has a means to 
latch it in the open position. The latch-
ing means must be able to withstand 
the loads imposed upon it by the door 
when the door is subjected to the iner-
tia loads resulting from the ultimate 
static load factors prescribed in 
§ 23.561(b)(2). 

(5) If it is necessary to pass through 

a doorway separating the passenger 
cabin from other areas to reach a re-
quired emergency exit from any pas-
senger seat, the door must have a 
means to latch it in the open position. 
The latching means must be able to 
withstand the loads imposed upon it by 
the door when the door is subjected to 
the inertia loads resulting from the ul-
timate static load factors prescribed in 
§ 23.561(b)(2). 

[Amdt. 23–36, 53 FR 30815, Aug. 15, 1988, as 
amended by Amdt. 23–46, 59 FR 25774, May 17, 
1994] 

§ 23.815

Width of aisle. 

(a) Except as provided in paragraph 

(b) of this section, for commuter cat-
egory airplanes, the width of the main 
passenger aisle at any point between 
seats must equal or exceed the values 
in the following table: 

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