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 ExecutionAFFF 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

pera

ture

(o F)

138-Seat 1A Bottom139-Seat 1A Back

136-Seat 1B Bottom137-Seat 1B Back134-Seat 1C Bottom135-Seat 1C Back

AFF

F A

pplie

d

CO

2 App

lied

Seat 2 Temperatures

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2000

0 60 120 180 240 300 360 420 480

Time (Seconds)

Tem

pera

ture

(o F)

132-Seat 2A Bottom

133-Seat 2A Back

130-Seat 2B Bottom131-Seat 2B Back

128-Seat 2C Bottom

129-Seat 2C Back

AFF

F A

pplie

d

CO

2 App

lied

Seat 3 Temperatures

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2000

0 60 120 180 240 300 360 420 480

Time (Seconds)

Tem

pera

ture

(o F)

144-Seat 3A Bottom145-Seat 3A Back142-Seat 3B Bottom143-Seat 3B Back140-Seat 3C Bottom141-Seat 3C Back

AFF

F A

pplie

d

CO

2 App

lied

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

pera

ture

(o F)

146-Seat 4A Bottom

147-Seat 4A Back

148-Seat 4B Bottom

149-Seat 4B Back

150-Seat 4C Bottom

151-Seat 4C Back

AFF

F A

pplie

d

CO

2 App

lied

Mid Cabin Temperatures

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

0 60 120 180 240 300 360 420 480

Time (Seconds)

Tem

pera

ture

(o F)

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'

AFF

F A

pplie

d

CO

2 App

lied

Forward Cabin Temperatures

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

0 60 120 180 240 300 360 420 480

Time (Seconds)

Tem

pera

ture

(o F)

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'

AFF

F A

pplie

d

CO

2 App

lied

Aft Cabin Temperatures

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

0 60 120 180 240 300 360 420 480Time (Seconds)

Tem

pera

ture

(o F)

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'

AFF

F A

pplie

d

CO

2 App

lied

Mid 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)

Ligh

t Tra

nsm

issi

on (%

)

195-MID Smokemeter (top)196-MID Smokemeter (mid)197-MID Smokemeter (bot)

AFF

F A

pplie

d

CO

2 App

lied

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)

Ligh

t Tra

nsm

issi

on (%

)

340-FWD Smokemeter (top)341-FWD Smokemeter (mid)342-FWD Smokemeter (bot)

AFF

F A

pplie

d

CO

2 App

lied

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

bon

Mon

oxid

e (%

)

748-CO Mid, 42"739-CO Mid, 66"742-CO Fwd, 42"745-CO Fwd, 66"

AFF

F A

pplie

d

CO

2 App

lied

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

bon

Dio

xide

(%)

749-CO2 Mid, 42"740-CO2 Mid, 66"743-CO2 Fwd, 42"746-CO2 Fwd, 66"

AFF

F A

pplie

d

CO

2 App

lied

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"

AFF

F A

pplie

d

CO

2 App

lied

Heat Flux Levels

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

0 60 120 180 240 300 360 420 480

Time (Seconds)

Hea

t Flu

x (B

tu/ft

2 sec

)

192-Fwd Calorimeter (5282)193-Mid Calorimeter (2930)194-Aft Calorimeter (2939)

AFF

F A

pplie

d

CO

2 App

lied

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