FAA Federal Aviation Regulations (FARS, 14 CFR)

(a) Ditching equipment used in airplanes to be certificated for ditching under §25.801, and required by the operating rules of this chapter, must meet the requirements of this section.

(b) Each liferaft and each life preserver must be approved. In addition --

(1) Unless excess rafts of enough capacity are provided, the buoyancy and seating capacity beyond the rated capacity of the rafts must accommodate all occupants of the airplane in the event of a loss of one raft of the largest rated capacity; and

(2) Each raft must have a trailing line, and must have a static line designed to hold the raft near the airplane but to release it if the airplane becomes totally submerged.

(c) Approved survival equipment must be attached to each liferaft.

(d) There must be an approved survival type emergency locator transmitter for use in one life raft.

(e) For airplanes not certificated for ditching under §25.801 and not having approved life preservers, there must be an approved flotation means for each occupant. This means must be within easy reach of each seated occupant and must be readily removable from the airplane.

[Doc. No. 5066, 29 FR 18291, Dec. 24, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 25-29, 36 FR 18722, Sept. 21, 1971; Amdt 25-50, 45 FR 38348, June 9, 1980; Amdt. 25-72, 55 FR 29785, July 20, 1990; Amdt. 25-82, 59 FR 32057, June 21, 1994]