464
14 CFR Ch. I (1–1–24 Edition)
§ 135.178
(4) [Reserved]
(b) Each item of equipment must be
inspected regularly under inspection
periods established in the operations
specifications to ensure its condition
for continued serviceability and imme-
diate readiness to perform its intended
emergency purposes.
[Doc. No. 16097, 43 FR 46783, Oct. 10, 1978, as
amended by Amdt. 135–25, 53 FR 12362, Apr.
13, 1988; Amdt. 135–43, 57 FR 19245, May 4,
1992; Amdt. 135–44, 57 FR 42676, Sept. 15, 1992;
Amdt. 135–47, 59 FR 1781, Jan. 12, 1994; Amdt.
135–53, 59 FR 52643, Oct. 18, 1994; 59 FR 55208,
Nov. 4, 1994; Amdt. 121–281, 66 FR 19045, Apr.
12, 2001]
§ 135.178 Additional emergency equip-
ment.
No person may operate an airplane
having a passenger seating configura-
tion of more than 19 seats, unless it has
the additional emergency equipment
specified in paragraphs (a) through (l)
of this section.
(a)
Means for emergency evacuation.
Each passenger-carrying landplane
emergency exit (other than over-the-
wing) that is more than 6 feet from the
ground, with the airplane on the
ground and the landing gear extended,
must have an approved means to assist
the occupants in descending to the
ground. The assisting means for a
floor-level emergency exit must meet
the requirements of § 25.809(f)(1) of this
chapter in effect on April 30, 1972, ex-
cept that, for any airplane for which
the application for the type certificate
was filed after that date, it must meet
the requirements under which the air-
plane was type certificated. An assist-
ing means that deploys automatically
must be armed during taxiing, take-
offs, and landings; however, the Admin-
istrator may grant a deviation from
the requirement of automatic deploy-
ment if he finds that the design of the
exit makes compliance impractical, if
the assisting means automatically
erects upon deployment and, with re-
spect to required emergency exits, if an
emergency evacuation demonstration
is conducted in accordance with
§ 121.291(a) of this chapter. This para-
graph does not apply to the rear win-
dow emergency exit of Douglas DC–3
airplanes operated with fewer than 36
occupants, including crewmembers,
and fewer than five exits authorized for
passenger use.
(b)
Interior emergency exit marking.
The following must be complied with
for each passenger-carrying airplane:
(1) Each passenger emergency exit,
its means of access, and its means of
opening must be conspicuously
marked. The identity and locating of
each passenger emergency exit must be
recognizable from a distance equal to
the width of the cabin. The location of
each passenger emergency exit must be
indicated by a sign visible to occupants
approaching along the main passenger
aisle. There must be a locating sign—
(i) Above the aisle near each over-
the-wing passenger emergency exit, or
at another ceiling location if it is more
practical because of low headroom;
(ii) Next to each floor level passenger
emergency exit, except that one sign
may serve two such exits if they both
can be seen readily from that sign; and
(iii) On each bulkhead or divider that
prevents fore and aft vision along the
passenger cabin, to indicate emergency
exits beyond and obscured by it, except
that if this is not possible, the sign
may be placed at another appropriate
location.
(2) Each passenger emergency exit
marking and each locating sign must
meet the following:
(i) For an airplane for which the ap-
plication for the type certificate was
filed prior to May 1, 1972, each pas-
senger emergency exit marking and
each locating sign must be manufac-
tured to meet the requirements of
§ 25.812(b) of this chapter in effect on
April 30, 1972. On these airplanes, no
sign may continue to be used if its lu-
minescence (brightness) decreases to
below 100 microlamberts. The colors
may be reversed if it increases the
emergency illumination of the pas-
senger compartment. However, the Ad-
ministrator may authorize deviation
from the 2-inch background require-
ments if he finds that special cir-
cumstances exist that make compli-
ance impractical and that the proposed
deviation provides an equivalent level
of safety.
(ii) For an airplane for which the ap-
plication for the type certificate was
filed on or after May 1, 1972, each pas-
senger emergency exit marking and
465
Federal Aviation Administration, DOT
§ 135.178
each locating sign must be manufac-
tured to meet the interior emergency
exit marking requirements under
which the airplane was type certifi-
cated. On these airplanes, no sign may
continue to be used if its luminescence
(brightness) decreases to below 250
microlamberts.
(c)
Lighting for interior emergency exit
markings.
Each passenger-carrying air-
plane must have an emergency lighting
system, independent of the main light-
ing system; however, sources of general
cabin illumination may be common to
both the emergency and the main
lighting systems if the power supply to
the emergency lighting system is inde-
pendent of the power supply to the
main lighting system. The emergency
lighting system must—
(1) Illuminate each passenger exit
marking and locating sign;
(2) Provide enough general lighting
in the passenger cabin so that the aver-
age illumination when measured at 40-
inch intervals at seat armrest height,
on the centerline of the main passenger
aisle, is at least 0.05 foot-candles; and
(3) For airplanes type certificated
after January 1, 1958, include floor
proximity emergency escape path
marking which meets the requirements
of § 25.812(e) of this chapter in effect on
November 26, 1984.
(d)
Emergency light operation.
Except
for lights forming part of emergency
lighting subsystems provided in com-
pliance with § 25.812(h) of this chapter
(as prescribed in paragraph (h) of this
section) that serve no more than one
assist means, are independent of the
airplane’s main emergency lighting
systems, and are automatically acti-
vated when the assist means is de-
ployed, each light required by para-
graphs (c) and (h) of this section must:
(1) Be operable manually both from
the flightcrew station and from a point
in the passenger compartment that is
readily accessible to a normal flight
attendant seat;
(2) Have a means to prevent inad-
vertent operation of the manual con-
trols;
(3) When armed or turned on at ei-
ther station, remain lighted or become
lighted upon interruption of the air-
plane’s normal electric power;
(4) Be armed or turned on during tax-
iing, takeoff, and landing. In showing
compliance with this paragraph, a
transverse vertical separation of the
fuselage need not be considered;
(5) Provide the required level of illu-
mination for at least 10 minutes at the
critical ambient conditions after emer-
gency landing; and
(6) Have a cockpit control device that
has an ‘‘on,’’ ‘‘off,’’ and ‘‘armed’’ posi-
tion.
(e)
Emergency exit operating handles.
(1) For a passenger-carrying airplane
for which the application for the type
certificate was filed prior to May 1,
1972, the location of each passenger
emergency exit operating handle, and
instructions for opening the exit, must
be shown by a marking on or near the
exit that is readable from a distance of
30 inches. In addition, for each Type I
and Type II emergency exit with a
locking mechanism released by rotary
motion of the handle, the instructions
for opening must be shown by—
(i) A red arrow with a shaft at least
three-fourths inch wide and a head
twice the width of the shaft, extending
along at least 70
°
of arc at a radius ap-
proximately equal to three-fourths of
the handle length; and
(ii) The word ‘‘open’’ in red letters 1
inch high placed horizontally near the
head of the arrow.
(2) For a passenger-carrying airplane
for which the application for the type
certificate was filed on or after May 1,
1972, the location of each passenger
emergency exit operating handle and
instructions for opening the exit must
be shown in accordance with the re-
quirements under which the airplane
was type certificated. On these air-
planes, no operating handle or oper-
ating handle cover may continue to be
used if its luminescence (brightness)
decreases to below 100 microlamberts.
(f)
Emergency exit access.
Access to
emergency exits must be provided as
follows for each passenger-carrying air-
plane:
(1) Each passageway 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) There must be enough space next
to each Type I or Type II emergency
466
14 CFR Ch. I (1–1–24 Edition)
§ 135.178
exit to allow a crewmember to assist in
the evacuation of passengers without
reducing the unobstructed width of the
passageway below that required in
paragraph (f)(1) of this section; how-
ever, the Administrator may authorize
deviation from this requirement for an
airplane certificated under the provi-
sions of part 4b of the Civil Air Regula-
tions in effect before December 20, 1951,
if he 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, for a
transport category airplane type cer-
tificated after January 1, 1958, there
must be placards installed in accord-
ance with § 25.813(c)(3) of this chapter
for each Type III exit after December 3,
1992.
(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. Curtains may, however,
be used if they allow free entry
through the passageway.
(5) No door may be installed in any
partition between passenger compart-
ments.
(6) 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,
and the door must be latched open dur-
ing each takeoff and landing. The
latching means must be able to with-
stand the loads imposed upon it when
the door is subjected to the ultimate
inertia forces, relative to the sur-
rounding structure, listed in § 25.561(b)
of this chapter.
(g)
Exterior exit markings.
Each pas-
senger emergency exit and the means
of opening that exit from the outside
must be marked on the outside of the
airplane. There must be a 2-inch col-
ored band outlining each passenger
emergency exit on the side of the fuse-
lage. Each outside marking, including
the band, must be readily distinguish-
able from the surrounding fuselage
area by contrast in color. The mark-
ings must comply with the following:
(1) If the reflectance of the darker
color is 15 percent or less, the reflec-
tance of the lighter color must be at
least 45 percent.
(2) If the reflectance of the darker
color is greater than 15 percent, at
least a 30 percent difference between
its reflectance and the reflectance of
the lighter color must be provided.
(3) Exits that are not in the side of
the fuselage must have the external
means of opening and applicable in-
structions marked conspicuously in red
or, if red is inconspicuous against the
background color, in bright chrome
yellow and, when the opening means
for such an exit is located on only one
side of the fuselage, a conspicuous
marking to that effect must be pro-
vided on the other side. ‘‘Reflectance’’
is the ratio of the luminous flux re-
flected by a body to the luminous flux
it receives.
(h)
Exterior emergency lighting and es-
cape route.
(1) Each passenger-carrying
airplane must be equipped with exte-
rior lighting that meets the following
requirements:
(i) For an airplane for which the ap-
plication for the type certificate was
filed prior to May 1, 1972, the require-
ments of § 25.812 (f) and (g) of this chap-
ter in effect on April 30, 1972.
(ii) For an airplane for which the ap-
plication for the type certificate was
filed on or after May 1, 1972, the exte-
rior emergency lighting requirements
under which the airplane was type cer-
tificated.
(2) Each passenger-carrying airplane
must be equipped with a slip-resistant
escape route that meets the following
requirements:
(i) For an airplane for which the ap-
plication for the type certificate was
filed prior to May 1, 1972, the require-
ments of § 25.803(e) of this chapter in ef-
fect on April 30, 1972.
(ii) For an airplane for which the ap-
plication for the type certificate was
filed on or after May 1, 1972, the slip-re-
sistant escape route requirements
under which the airplane was type cer-
tificated.
467
Federal Aviation Administration, DOT
§ 135.179
(i)
Floor level exits.
Each floor level
door or exit in the side of the fuselage
(other than those leading into a cargo
or baggage compartment that is not
accessible from the passenger cabin)
that is 44 or more inches high and 20 or
more inches wide, but not wider than
46 inches, each passenger ventral exit
(except the ventral exits on Martin 404
and Convair 240 airplanes), and each
tail cone exit, must meet the require-
ments of this section for floor level
emergency exits. However, the Admin-
istrator may grant a deviation from
this paragraph if he finds that cir-
cumstances make full compliance im-
practical and that an acceptable level
of safety has been achieved.
(j)
Additional emergency exits.
Ap-
proved emergency exits in the pas-
senger compartments that are in ex-
cess of the minimum number of re-
quired emergency exits must meet all
of the applicable provisions of this sec-
tion, except paragraphs (f) (1), (2), and
(3) of this section, and must be readily
accessible.
(k) On each large passenger-carrying
turbojet-powered airplane, each ven-
tral exit and tailcone exit must be—
(1) Designed and constructed so that
it cannot be opened during flight; and
(2) Marked with a placard readable
from a distance of 30 inches and in-
stalled at a conspicuous location near
the means of opening the exit, stating
that the exit has been designed and
constructed so that it cannot be opened
during flight.
(l)
Portable lights.
No person may op-
erate a passenger-carrying airplane un-
less it is equipped with flashlight stow-
age provisions accessible from each
flight attendant seat.
[Doc. No. 26530, 57 FR 19245, May 4, 1992; 57
FR 29120, June 30, 1992, as amended at 57 FR
34682, Aug. 6, 1992]
§ 135.179 Inoperable instruments and
equipment.
(a) No person may take off an air-
craft with inoperable instruments or
equipment installed unless the fol-
lowing conditions are met:
(1) An approved Minimum Equipment
List exists for that aircraft.
(2) The responsible Flight Standards
office has issued the certificate holder
operations specifications authorizing
operations in accordance with an ap-
proved Minimum Equipment List. The
flight crew shall have direct access at
all times prior to flight to all of the in-
formation contained in the approved
Minimum Equipment List through
printed or other means approved by the
Administrator in the certificate hold-
ers operations specifications. An ap-
proved Minimum Equipment List, as
authorized by the operations specifica-
tions, constitutes an approved change
to the type design without requiring
recertification.
(3) The approved Minimum Equip-
ment List must:
(i) Be prepared in accordance with
the limitations specified in paragraph
(b) of this section.
(ii) Provide for the operation of the
aircraft with certain instruments and
equipment in an inoperable condition.
(4) Records identifying the inoperable
instruments and equipment and the in-
formation required by (a)(3)(ii) of this
section must be available to the pilot.
(5) The aircraft is operated under all
applicable conditions and limitations
contained in the Minimum Equipment
List and the operations specifications
authorizing use of the Minimum Equip-
ment List.
(b) The following instruments and
equipment may not be included in the
Minimum Equipment List:
(1) Instruments and equipment that
are either specifically or otherwise re-
quired by the airworthiness require-
ments under which the airplane is type
certificated and which are essential for
safe operations under all operating
conditions.
(2) Instruments and equipment re-
quired by an airworthiness directive to
be in operable condition unless the air-
worthiness directive provides other-
wise.
(3) Instruments and equipment re-
quired for specific operations by this
part.
(c) Notwithstanding paragraphs (b)(1)
and (b)(3) of this section, an aircraft
with inoperable instruments or equip-
ment may be operated under a special