Sec. 23.812 - Emergency lighting.
When certification to the emergency exit
provisions of §23.807(d)(4) is requested, the following apply:
(a) An emergency lighting system,
independent of the main cabin lighting system, must be installed. However,
the source of general cabin illumination may be common to both the
emergency and main lighting systems if the power supply to the emergency
lighting system is independent of the power supply to the main lighting
system.
(b) There must be a crew warning light
that illuminates in the cockpit when power is on in the airplane and the
emergency lighting control device is not armed.
(c) The emergency lights must be
operable manually from the flightcrew station and be provided with
automatic activation. The cockpit control device must have "on," "off,"
and "armed" positions so that, when armed in the cockpit, the lights will
operate by automatic activation.
(d) There must be a means to safeguard
against inadvertent operation of the cockpit control device from the
"armed" or "on" positions.
(e) The cockpit control device must have
provisions to allow the emergency lighting system to be armed or activated
at any time that it may be needed.
(f) When armed, the emergency lighting
system must activate and remain lighted when --
(1) The normal electrical power of the
airplane is lost; or
(2) The airplane is subjected to an
impact that results in a deceleration in excess of 2g and a velocity
change in excess of 3.5 feet-per-second, acting along the longitudinal
axis of the airplane; or
(3) Any other emergency condition exists
where automatic activation of the emergency lighting is necessary to aid
with occupant evacuation.
(g) The emergency lighting system must
be capable of being turned off and reset by the flightcrew after automatic
activation.
(h) The emergency lighting system must
provide internal lighting, including --
(1) Illuminated emergency exit marking
and locating signs, including those required in §23.811(b);
(2) Sources of general illumination in
the cabin that provide an average illumination of not less than 0.05
foot-candle 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 illumination more than 4 feet above the
cabin aisle floor are totally obscured.
(i) The energy supply to each emergency
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
recharged 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 emergency 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 single transverse vertical separation of the
fuselage during a crash landing:
(1) At least 75 percent of all
electrically illuminated emergency lights required by this section remain
operative; and
(2) Each electrically illuminated exit
sign required by §23.811 (b) and (c) remains operative, except those that
are directly damaged by the fuselage separation.
[Doc. No. 26324, 59 FR 25774, May 17, 1994]