FAA clears 3-point seatbelt with airbag for Airbus A321neo ACF & A321XLR

The Federal Aviation Administration ( FAA ) has approved an exemption to allow Airbus to install an oblique seat with an airbag and 3-point or pretensioner restraint system on the A321neo Airbus Cabin Flex (ACF) and A321XLR aircraft.

Providing background following its approval for the oblique seat, the FAA detailed that when Airbus applied for an amendment to the type certificate (TC) of the A320 family in April 2022, applicable airworthiness regulations did not have adequate or appropriate safety standards for such a design.

As such, Airbus applied to amend the TC and for the FAA to approve a “single-occupant oblique seat with an airbag and 3-point or pretensioner restraint system, positioned at a 49-degree angle from the cabin centerline in new Airbus Model A321neo ACF and A321neo XLR airplanes.”

“Title 14 of the CFR [Code of Federal Regulations – ed. note], § 25.785(d), requires that each occupant of a seat installed at an angle of more than 18 degrees relative to airplane cabin centerline, must be protected from head injury using a seatbelt and an energy-absorbing rest that supports the arms, shoulders, head, and spine, or using a seatbelt and shoulder harness designed to prevent the head from contacting any injurious object.”

The FAA detailed that its sponsored research concluded that unrestrained flailing of the upper torso, even if the pelvis and torso are nearly aligned, can produce serious spinal and torso injuries.

At lower impact severities, a significant misalignment between the torso and pelvis did not result in such injuries.

“Tests with an FAA H-III anthropomorphic test device (ATD) have identified a level of lumbar spinal tension corresponding to the no-injury impact severity. The FAA has implemented this spinal tension limit in special conditions for oblique seats.”

According to the regulator, the spine tension limit it has imposed is conservative concerning other aviation injury criteria since it corresponds to a no-injury loading condition.

The FAA noted that while shoulder harnesses have been widely used on flight attendant or pilot seats, as well as in private/general aviation, this is a novel design for commercial aircraft and passenger seats.

Airbus and Boeing each provided a comment in response to the special conditions.

The European plane maker asked the FAA to include cross-references to certain injury criteria, while Boeing asked the US-based regulator to add a new condition to ensure pretensioner exhaust is not hazardous to passengers.

The FAA agreed, stating that specific pretensioner systems incorporate firing mechanisms that may release small amounts of gas and particulates.

While the European Union Aviation Safety Agency ( EASA ) and Airbus jointly announced the certification of the A321XLR , or as the type is formally known, the A321-253NY, in July 2024, the FAA did so without fanfare.

In December 2024, the US-based regulator updated and published the TC of the A320 aircraft family, adding the A321-253NY, the A321XLR, to the list of approved derivatives of the A321 that was first certified by the FAA in December 1995. The A321XLR was added to the list in October 2024.