Tim Marker

Laboratory & Full Scale Testing ofNon Traditional Lightweight Aircraft Seats

FAA Technical Center

Problem: Next Generation aircraft seats that utilize lighter materials in their constructionare unfairly restricted by the FAR-mandated 10% weight loss criteria.

Example: 6 lb seat [(6.0-5.5) / 6.0] x 100 = 8.3% PASS

% Weight Loss = (initial weight – final weight) / (initial weight) x 100

Example: 4 lb seat [(4.0-3.5) / 4.0] x 100 = 12.5% FAIL

Proposed Testing: Evaluate performance of lightweight cushion under realistic conditions.

Testing Criteria

Supply 18 Sets of Test Cushions to FAATC

Test Cushion Construction per FAR 25.853(c) Appendix F, Part II (or Handbook)

“Each specimen tested must be fabricated using the principal components (i.e., foam core,flotation material, fire blocking material, if used, and dress covering) and assemblyprocesses (representative seams and closures) intended for use in the production articles.If a different material combination is used for the back cushion than the bottom cushion,both material combinations must be tested as complete specimen sets, each set consistingof a back cushion specimen and a bottom cushion specimen.”

Bottom: 18 W x 20 D x 4 T

Back: 18 W x 25 H x 2 T

Testing Criteria (con’t)

FAATC Randomly Selects 6 Sets of Cushions to Conduct Lab-Scale Tests (oil burner)

If Seats Exceed 10% Weight Loss Proceed with Full-Scale Evaluation Using 12 Sets

If Seats Do Not Exceed 10% Weight Loss What is the Problem??

Full-Scale Test Apparatus

Seat Identification & Thermocouple Location

Full-Scale Test Configuration in 707

Full-Scale Test Configuration in 707

Full-Scale Test Configuration in 707

View Into Fire Door in 707

Thermocouple Placement on Seats

Close-up of Seat Thermocouple

Outside View of Fire Pan

2nd Baseline Test HighlightsSeatsFire Blocked Urethane Using PBI Felt Material with 90/10 Wool/Nylon Dress

Weight Loss ranged from 6 to 10% in Lab Test

Interior Panels0.25-Inch thick crushed Nomex honeycomb core, meets 65/65

CarpetAircraft-grade, meets VBB

Test Execution

AFFF applied to pan fire @ 5:30

CO2 Extinguishing Agent applied to interior @ 6:30

Seat 1 Temperatures

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2000

0 60 120 180 240 300 360 420 480

Time (Seconds)

Tem

per

atu

re (

oF

)

138-Seat 1A Bottom

139-Seat 1A Back

136-Seat 1B Bottom

137-Seat 1B Back

134-Seat 1C Bottom

135-Seat 1C Back

AF

FF

App

lied

CO

2 A

pplie

d

Seat 2 Temperatures

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

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0 60 120 180 240 300 360 420 480

Time (Seconds)

Tem

per

atu

re (

oF

)

132-Seat 2A Bottom

133-Seat 2A Back

130-Seat 2B Bottom

131-Seat 2B Back

128-Seat 2C Bottom

129-Seat 2C Back

AF

FF

App

lied

CO

2 A

pplie

d

Seat 3 Temperatures

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

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2000

0 60 120 180 240 300 360 420 480

Time (Seconds)

Tem

per

atu

re (

oF

)

144-Seat 3A Bottom

145-Seat 3A Back

142-Seat 3B Bottom

143-Seat 3B Back

140-Seat 3C Bottom

141-Seat 3C Back

AF

FF

App

lied

CO

2 A

pplie

d

Seat 4 Temperatures

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2000

0 60 120 180 240 300 360 420 480

Time (Seconds)

Tem

per

atu

re (

oF

)

146-Seat 4A Bottom

147-Seat 4A Back

148-Seat 4B Bottom

149-Seat 4B Back

150-Seat 4C Bottom

151-Seat 4C Back

AF

FF

App

lied

CO

2 A

pplie

d

Mid Cabin Temperatures

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

0 60 120 180 240 300 360 420 480

Time (Seconds)

Tem

per

atu

re (

oF

)

152-Mid T/C Tree 1'

153-Mid T/C Tree 2'

154-Mid T/C Tree 3'

155-Mid T/C Tree 4'

156-Mid T/C Tree 5'

157-Mid T/C Tree 6'

158-Mid T/C Tree 7'

AF

FF

App

lied

CO

2 A

pplie

d

Forward Cabin Temperatures

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

0 60 120 180 240 300 360 420 480

Time (Seconds)

Tem

per

atu

re (

oF

)

160-Fwd T/C Tree 1'

161-Fwd T/C Tree 2'

162-Fwd T/C Tree 3'

163-Fwd T/C Tree 4'

164-Fwd T/C Tree 5'

165-Fwd T/C Tree 6'

166-Fwd T/C Tree 7'

AF

FF

App

lied

CO

2 A

pplie

d

Aft Cabin Temperatures

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

0 60 120 180 240 300 360 420 480

Time (Seconds)

Tem

per

atu

re (

oF

)

167-Aft T/C Tree 1'

168-Aft T/C Tree 2'

169-Aft T/C Tree 3'

170-Aft T/C Tree 4'

171-Aft T/C Tree 5'

172-Aft T/C Tree 6'

173-Aft T/C Tree 7'

AF

FF

App

lied

CO

2 A

pplie

d

Mid Cabin Smoke Levels

0

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40

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80

90

100

0 60 120 180 240 300 360 420 480

Time (Seconds)

Lig

ht

Tran

smis

sio

n (

%)

195-MID Smokemeter (top)

196-MID Smokemeter (mid)

197-MID Smokemeter (bot)

AF

FF

App

lied

CO

2 A

pplie

d

Forward Cabin Smoke Levels

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

0 60 120 180 240 300 360 420 480

Time (Seconds)

Lig

ht

Tran

smis

sio

n (

%)

340-FWD Smokemeter (top)

341-FWD Smokemeter (mid)

342-FWD Smokemeter (bot)

AF

FF

App

lied

CO

2 A

pplie

d

Carbon Monoxide Levels

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1

0 60 120 180 240 300 360 420 480

Time (Seconds)

Car

bo

n M

on

oxi

de

(%)

748-CO Mid, 42"

739-CO Mid, 66"

742-CO Fwd, 42"

745-CO Fwd, 66"

AF

FF

App

lied

CO

2 A

pplie

d

Carbon Dioxide Levels

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

0 60 120 180 240 300 360 420 480

Time (Seconds)

Car

bo

n D

ioxi

de

(%)

749-CO2 Mid, 42"

740-CO2 Mid, 66"

743-CO2 Fwd, 42"

746-CO2 Fwd, 66"

AF

FF

App

lied

CO

2 A

pplie

d

Oxygen Levels

0

5

10

15

20

25

0 60 120 180 240 300 360 420 480

Time (Seconds)

Oxy

gen

(%

) 750-O2 Mid, 42"

741-O2 Mid, 66"

744-O2 Fwd, 42"

747-O2 Fwd, 66"

AF

FF

App

lied

CO

2 A

pplie

d

Heat Flux Levels

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

0 60 120 180 240 300 360 420 480

Time (Seconds)

Hea

t F

lux

(Btu

/ft2 s

ec)

192-Fwd Calorimeter (5282)

193-Mid Calorimeter (2930)

194-Aft Calorimeter (2939)

AF

FF

App

lied

CO

2 A

pplie

d

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Baseline 2 Seat Weight Loss (%)

Seat 1Seat 2Seat 3

Seat 4

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Baseline 2 Seat Weight Loss (%)

Seat 1Seat 2Seat 3

Seat 4