AC NO:. 20-60 DATE: 111a16a
ADVISORY
CIRCULAR
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION SUBJECT: ACC'.:SSIBILITY IO EXCESS EMERGF:i\CY EXITS
1. PUFJ'OSE. This circular sets forth acceptatle means but not the only tueans of compliance with the "readily acce! sible 11 provisions in the Federal Aviation Regulations dealing with Excess eI?Jergency ex.its.
2. REFE:RENCES.
a. Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) 25.807(c)(8). !irworthiness Standards: Transport Category Airplanes.
b. Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) 121,310(j), Certification and Operations: Air Carriers and Commcrcicl Operators of large Aircraft.
J. ·BACKGROUND, The referenced regulations recuire, in part, that excess emergency exits be "readily accessible. 11 ('Uestions have been raised as to what access arrangements would be acceptable under this provision.
Several acceptable means of compliance are outlined below~
4. ACCEPTABLE MEAN'S OF COMPLIANCE.
a. A TyPe I or TyPe II excess emergency e>:it is ''readily eccessible" under the referenced regulations if ac~ess is provided from the aisle: (1) by means of an unobstructec passageway at least 20 incher.
wide; (2) by means of an unobstructed passageway at least 20 inches wide at the outboard seat location and at least 15 inches wide at the inboard seat locations;£!: (3) by removing the outboard seat ne~rest the centerline of the exit, and by establishing two unobs~ru_ct.ed passageways (one forward, and one aft, of the row from \,Jhich the outboard seat was removed) each at least 8 inches wide.
For the purpose of t!~s Advisory Circular, the unobstructed passageway width is detemined in each instance with seat backs in the upright position and with seat padding compressed to ~imulate the effect of -- an cvac~~c r.;:wing throuch the P~ss~geway, Initiated by: FS-100
Page 2 AC 20- 60 ?/le/6e b, .\ Type III ~r Typt- IV e:n.:css emer~cncy exit is "readily accessible" if .:iccc~s is ..,r:::>vidt:d from the aish• in accordance with FAR 25.813(c:)
or FAR 121.310(!') (3) except that the outboard seat back (as well as the inboard s~at backs) may obstruct the projected exit op~ning when reclined.
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