187 

Federal Aviation Administration, DOT 

§ 23.2330 

(b) Airplanes approved for aerobatics 

must have a means to egress the air-
plane in flight. 

[Doc. No. FAA–2015–1621, Amdt. 23–64, 81 FR 
96689, Dec. 30, 2016, as amended by Doc. No. 
FAA–2022–1355, Amdt. 23–65, 87 FR 75710, Dec. 
9, 2022] 

§ 23.2320

Occupant physical environ-

ment. 

(a) The applicant must design the 

airplane to— 

(1) Allow clear communication be-

tween the flightcrew and passengers; 

(2) Protect the pilot and flight con-

trols from propellers; and 

(3) Protect the occupants from seri-

ous injury due to damage to wind-
shields, windows, and canopies. 

(b) For level 4 airplanes, each wind-

shield and its supporting structure di-
rectly in front of the pilot must with-
stand, without penetration, the impact 
equivalent to a two-pound bird when 
the velocity of the airplane is equal to 
the airplane’s maximum approach flap 
speed. 

(c) The airplane must provide each 

occupant with air at a breathable pres-
sure, free of hazardous concentrations 
of gases, vapors, and smoke during nor-
mal operations and likely failures. 

(d) If a pressurization system is in-

stalled in the airplane, it must be de-
signed to protect against— 

(1) Decompression to an unsafe level; 

and 

(2) Excessive differential pressure. 
(e) If an oxygen system is installed in 

the airplane, it must— 

(1) Effectively provide oxygen to each 

user to prevent the effects of hypoxia; 
and 

(2) Be free from hazards in itself, in 

its method of operation, and its effect 
upon other components. 

F

IRE AND

H

IGH

E

NERGY

P

ROTECTION

 

§ 23.2325

Fire protection. 

(a) The following materials must be 

self-extinguishing— 

(1) Insulation on electrical wire and 

electrical cable; 

(2) For levels 1, 2, and 3 airplanes, 

materials in the baggage and cargo 
compartments inaccessible in flight; 
and 

(3) For level 4 airplanes, materials in 

the cockpit, cabin, baggage, and cargo 
compartments. 

(b) The following materials must be 

flame resistant— 

(1) For levels 1, 2 and 3 airplanes, ma-

terials in each compartment accessible 
in flight; and 

(2) Any equipment associated with 

any electrical cable installation and 
that would overheat in the event of cir-
cuit overload or fault. 

(c) Thermal/acoustic materials in the 

fuselage, if installed, must not be a 
flame propagation hazard. 

(d) Sources of heat within each bag-

gage and cargo compartment that are 
capable of igniting adjacent objects 
must be shielded and insulated to pre-
vent such ignition. 

(e) For level 4 airplanes, each bag-

gage and cargo compartment must— 

(1) Be located where a fire would be 

visible to the pilots, or equipped with a 
fire detection system and warning sys-
tem; and 

(2) Be accessible for the manual ex-

tinguishing of a fire, have a built-in 
fire extinguishing system, or be con-
structed and sealed to contain any fire 
within the compartment. 

(f) There must be a means to extin-

guish any fire in the cabin such that— 

(1) The pilot, while seated, can easily 

access the fire extinguishing means; 
and 

(2) For levels 3 and 4 airplanes, pas-

sengers have a fire extinguishing 
means available within the passenger 
compartment. 

(g) Each area where flammable fluids 

or vapors might escape by leakage of a 
fluid system must— 

(1) Be defined; and 
(2) Have a means to minimize the 

probability of fluid and vapor ignition, 
and the resultant hazard, if ignition oc-
curs. 

(h) Combustion heater installations 

must be protected from uncontained 
fire. 

§ 23.2330

Fire protection in designated 

fire zones and adjacent areas. 

(a) Flight controls, engine mounts, 

and other flight structures within or 
adjacent to designated fire zones must 
be capable of withstanding the effects 
of a fire. 

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