title-14-part-27-sec27-25

490

14 CFR Ch. I (1–1–24 Edition)

§ 27.21

equipped with a safety belt and shoul-
der harness that meets the require-
ments of paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) of
this section.

(1) Each occupant’s seat must have a

combined safety belt and shoulder har-
ness with a single-point release. Each
pilot’s combined safety belt and shoul-
der harness must allow each pilot,
when seated with safety belt and shoul-
der harness fastened, to perform all
functions necessary for flight oper-
ations. There must be a means to se-
cure belts and harnesses, when not in
use, to prevent interference with the
operation of the rotorcraft and with
rapid egress in an emergency.

(2) Each occupant must be protected

from serious head injury by a safety
belt plus a shoulder harness that will
prevent the head from contacting any
injurious object.

(3) The safety belt and shoulder har-

ness must meet the static and dynamic
strength requirements, if applicable,
specified by the rotorcraft type certifi-
cation basis.

(4) For purposes of this section, the

date of manufacture is either—

(i) The date the inspection accept-

ance records, or equivalent, reflect
that the rotorcraft is complete and
meets the FAA-Approved Type Design
Data; or

(ii) The date the foreign civil air-

worthiness authority certifies that the
rotorcraft is complete and issues an
original standard airworthiness certifi-
cate, or equivalent, in that country.

(b) For rotorcraft with a certification

basis established prior to October 18,
1999—

(1) The maximum passenger seat ca-

pacity may be increased to eight or
nine provided the applicant shows com-
pliance with all the airworthiness re-
quirements of this part in effect on Oc-
tober 18, 1999.

(2) The maximum weight may be in-

creased to greater than 6,000 pounds
provided—

(i) The number of passenger seats is

not increased above the maximum
number certificated on October 18, 1999,
or

(ii) The applicant shows compliance

with all of the airworthiness require-

ments of this part in effect on October
18, 1999.

[Doc. No. 26078, 56 FR 41051, Aug. 16, 1991, as
amended by Amdt. 27–37, 64 FR 45094, Aug. 18,
1999]

Subpart B—Flight

ENERAL

§ 27.21

Proof of compliance.

Each requirement of this subpart

must be met at each appropriate com-
bination of weight and center of grav-
ity within the range of loading condi-
tions for which certification is re-
quested. This must be shown—

(a) By tests upon a rotorcraft of the

type for which certification is re-
quested, or by calculations based on,
and equal in accuracy to, the results of
testing; and

(b) By systematic investigation of

each required combination of weight
and center of gravity if compliance
cannot be reasonably inferred from
combinations investigated.

[Doc. No. 5074, 29 FR 15695, Nov. 24, 1964, as
amended by Amdt. 27–21, 49 FR 44432, Nov. 6,
1984]

§ 27.25

Weight limits.

(a)

Maximum weight. The maximum

weight (the highest weight at which
compliance with each applicable re-
quirement of this part is shown) must
be established so that it is—

(1) Not more than—
(i) The highest weight selected by the

applicant;

(ii) The design maximum weight (the

highest weight at which compliance
with each applicable structural loading
condition of this part is shown);

(iii) The highest weight at which

compliance with each applicable flight
requirement of this part is shown; or

(iv) The highest weight in which the

provisions of §§ 27.87 or 27.143(c)(1), or
combinations thereof, are dem-
onstrated if the weights and operating
conditions (altitude and temperature)
prescribed by those requirements can-
not be met; and

(2) Not less than the sum of—
(i) The empty weight determined

under § 27.29; and

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§ 27.29

(ii) The weight of usable fuel appro-

priate to the intended operation with
full payload;

(iii) The weight of full oil capacity;

and

(iv) For each seat, an occupant

weight of 170 pounds or any lower
weight for which certification is re-
quested.

(b)

Minimum weight. The minimum

weight (the lowest weight at which
compliance with each applicable re-
quirement of this part is shown) must
be established so that it is—

(1) Not more than the sum of—
(i) The empty weight determined

under § 27.29; and

(ii) The weight of the minimum crew

necessary to operate the rotorcraft, as-
suming for each crewmember a weight
no more than 170 pounds, or any lower
weight selected by the applicant or in-
cluded in the loading instructions; and

(2) Not less than—
(i) The lowest weight selected by the

applicant;

(ii) The design minimum weight (the

lowest weight at which compliance
with each applicable structural loading
condition of this part is shown); or

(iii) The lowest weight at which com-

pliance with each applicable flight re-
quirement of this part is shown.

(c)

Total weight with jettisonable exter-

nal load. A total weight for the rotor-
craft with a jettisonable external load
attached that is greater than the max-
imum weight established under para-
graph (a) of this section may be estab-
lished for any rotorcraft-load combina-
tion if—

(1) The rotorcraft-load combination

does not include human external cargo,

(2) Structural component approval

for external load operations under ei-
ther § 27.865 or under equivalent oper-
ational standards is obtained,

(3) The portion of the total weight

that is greater than the maximum
weight established under paragraph (a)
of this section is made up only of the
weight of all or part of the jettisonable
external load,

(4) Structural components of the

rotorcraft are shown to comply with
the applicable structural requirements
of this part under the increased loads
and stresses caused by the weight in-

crease over that established under
paragraph (a) of this section, and

(5) Operation of the rotorcraft at a

total weight greater than the max-
imum certificated weight established
under paragraph (a) of this section is
limited by appropriate operating limi-
tations under § 27.865(a) and (d) of this
part.

(Secs. 313(a), 601, 603, 604, and 605 of the Fed-
eral Aviation Act of 1958 (49 U.S.C. 1354(a),
1421, 1423, 1424, and 1425); and sec. 6(c) of the
Dept. of Transportation Act (49 U.S.C.
1655(c)))

[Doc. No. 5074, 29 FR 15695, Nov. 29, 1964, as
amended by Amdt. 27–11, 41 FR 55468, Dec. 20,
1976; Amdt. 25–42, 43 FR 2324, Jan. 16, 1978;
Amdt. 27–36, 64 FR 43019, Aug. 6, 1999; Amdt.
27–44, 73 FR 10998, Feb. 29, 2008; 73 FR 33876,
June 16, 2008]

§ 27.27

Center of gravity limits.

The extreme forward and aft centers

of gravity and, where critical, the ex-
treme lateral centers of gravity must
be established for each weight estab-
lished under § 27.25. Such an extreme
may not lie beyond—

(a) The extremes selected by the ap-

plicant;

(b) The extremes within which the

structure is proven; or

pliance with the applicable flight re-
quirements is shown.

[Amdt. 27–2, 33 FR 962, Jan. 26, 1968]

§ 27.29

Empty weight and cor-

responding center of gravity.

(a) The empty weight and cor-

responding center of gravity must be
determined by weighing the rotorcraft
without the crew and payload, but
with—

(1) Fixed ballast;
(2) Unusable fuel; and
(3) Full operating fluids, including—
(i) Oil;
(ii) Hydraulic fluid; and
(iii) Other fluids required for normal

operation of roto-craft systems, except
water intended for injection in the en-
gines.

(b) The condition of the rotorcraft at

the time of determining empty weight
must be one that is well defined and
can be easily repeated, particularly