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CS 25.807 Emergency exits

Large Aeroplanes (CS-25) · CS-25 · EAR revision 26 Jan 2023

IRImplementing rule

CS 25.807Emergency exits

(See AMC 25.807)

(a)Type. For the purpose of this CS-25, the types of exits are defined as follows:

(1)Type I. This type is a floor level exit with a rectangular opening of not less than 61 cm (24 inches) wide by 121.9 cm (48 inches) high, with corner radii not greater than 20.3 cm (8 inches).

(2)Type II. This type is a rectangular opening of not less than 50.8 cm (20 inches) wide by 111.8 cm (44 inches) high, with corner radii not greater than 17.8 cm (7 inches). Type II exits must be floor-level exits unless located over the wing, in which case they must not have a step-up inside the aeroplane of more than 25.4 cm (10 inches) nor a step-down outside the aeroplane of more than 43.2 cm (17 inches).

(3)Type III. This type is a rectangular opening of not less than 50.8 cm (20 inches) wide by 91.4 cm (36 inches) high, with corner radii not greater than 17.8 cm (7 inches), and with a step-up inside the aeroplane of not more than 50.8 cm (20 inches). If the exit is located over the wing, the step-down outside the aeroplane may not exceed 68.6 cm (27 inches).

(4)Type IV. This type is a rectangular opening of not less than 48.3 cm (19 inches) wide by 66.0 cm (26 inches) high, with corner radii not greater than 16.0 cm (6.3 inches), located over the wing, with a step-up inside the aeroplane of not more than 73.7 cm (29 inches) and a step-down outside the aeroplane of not more than 91.4 cm (36 inches).

(5)Ventral. This type is an exit from the passenger compartment through the pressure shell and the bottom fuselage skin. The dimensions and physical configuration of this type of exit must allow at least the same rate of egress as a Type I exit with the aeroplane in the normal ground attitude, with landing gear extended.

(6)Tail cone. This type is an aft exit from the passenger compartment through the pressure shell and through an openable cone of the fuselage aft of the pressure shell. The means of opening the tail cone must be simple and obvious and must employ a single operation.

(7)Type A. This type is a floor-level exit with a rectangular opening of not less than 106.7 cm (42 inches) wide by 182.9 cm (72 inches) high, with corner radii not greater than 17.8 cm (7 inches).

(8)Type B. This type is a floor-level exit with a rectangular opening of not less than 81.3 cm (32 inches) wide by 182.9 cm (72 inches) high, with corner radii not greater than 15.3 cm (6 inches).

(9)Type C. This type is a floor-level exit with a rectangular opening of not less than 76.2 cm (30 inches) wide by 121.9 cm (48 inches) high, with corner radii not greater than 25.4 cm (10 inches).

(b)Step down distance. Step down distance, as used in this paragraph, means the actual distance between the bottom of the required opening and a usable foot hold, extending out from the fuselage, that is large enough to be effective without searching by sight or feel.

(c)Over-sized exits. Openings larger than those specified in this paragraph, whether or not of rectangular shape, may be used if the specified rectangular opening can be inscribed within the opening and the base of the inscribed rectangular opening meets the specified step-up and step-down heights.

(d)Asymmetry. Exits of an exit pair need not be diametrically opposite each other nor of the same size; however, the number of passenger seats permitted under subparagraph (g) of this paragraph is based on the smaller of the two exits.

(e)Uniformity. Exits must be distributed as uniformly as practical, taking into account passenger seat distribution. (See AMC 25.807(e))

(f)Location. (See AMC 25.807(f))

(1)Each required passenger emergency exit must be accessible to the passengers and located where it will afford the most effective means of passenger evacuation.

(2)If only one floor-level exit per side is prescribed, and the aeroplane does not have a tail cone or ventral emergency exit, the floor-level exits must be in the rearward part of the passenger compartment unless another location affords a more effective means of passenger evacuation.

(3)If more than one floor-level exit per side is prescribed, and the aeroplane does not have a combination cargo and passenger configuration, at least one floor-level exit must be located on each side near each end of the cabin.

(4)For an aeroplane that is required to have more than one passenger emergency exits for each side of the fuselage, no passenger emergency exit shall be more than 18.3 m (60 feet) from any adjacent passenger emergency exit on the same side of the same deck of the fuselage, as measured parallel to the aeroplane’s longitudinal axis between the nearest edges.

(g)Type and number required. The maximum number of passenger seats permitted depends on the type and number of exits installed on each side of the fuselage. Except as further restricted in subparagraphs (g)(1) through (g)(9) of this paragraph, the maximum number of passenger seats permitted for each exit of a specific type installed on each side of the fuselage is as follows:

Type A110
Type B75
Type C55
Type I45
Type II40
Type III35
Type IV9

(1)For a passenger seating configuration of 1 to 9 seats, there must be at least one Type IV or larger over-wing exit on each side of the fuselage or, if over-wing exits are not provided, at least one exit on each side that meets the minimum dimensions of a Type III exit.

(2)For a passenger seating configuration of more than 9 seats, each exit must be a Type III or larger exit.

(3)For a passenger seating configuration of 10 to 19 seats, there must be at least one Type III or larger exit on each side of the fuselage.

(4)For a passenger seating configuration of 20 to 40 seats, there must be at least two exits, one of which must be a Type II or larger exit, on each side of the fuselage.

(5)For a passenger seating configuration of 41 to 110 seats, there must be at least two exits, one of which must be a Type I or larger exit, on each side of the fuselage.

(6)For a passenger seating configuration of more than 110 seats, the emergency exits on each side of the fuselage must include at least two Type I or larger exits.

(7)The combined maximum number of passenger seats permitted for all Type III exits is 70, and the combined maximum number of passenger seats permitted for two Type III exits on each side of the fuselage that are separated by fewer than three passenger seat rows is 65.

(8)If a Type A, Type B, or Type C exit is installed, there must be at least two Type C or larger exits on each side of the fuselage.

(9)If a passenger ventral or tail cone exit is installed and that exit provides at least the same rate of egress as a Type III exit with the aeroplane in the most adverse exit opening condition that would result from the collapse of one or more legs of the landing gear, an increase in the passenger seating configuration is permitted as follows:

(i)For a ventral exit, 12 additional passenger seats.

(ii)For a tail cone exit incorporating a floor-level opening of not less than 50.8 cm (20 inches) wide by 152.4 cm (60 inches) high, with corner radii not greater than 17.8 cm (7 inches), in the pressure shell and incorporating an approved assisting means in accordance with CS 25.810(a), 25 additional passenger seats.

(iii)For a tail cone exit incorporating an opening in the pressure shell which is at least equivalent to a Type III emergency exit with respect to dimensions, step-up and step-down distance, and with the top of the opening not less than 142.2 cm (56 inches) from the passenger compartment floor, 15 additional passenger seats.

(h)Other exits. The following exits must also meet the applicable emergency exit requirements of CS 25.809 through 25.812, and must be readily accessible:

(1)Each emergency exit in the passenger compartment in excess of the minimum number of required emergency exits.

(2)Any other floor-level door or exit that is accessible from the passenger compartment and is as large or larger than a Type II exit, but less than 116.8 cm (46 inches) wide.

(3)Any other ventral or tail cone passenger exit.

(i)Ditching emergency exits for passengers. Whether or not ditching certification is requested, ditching emergency exits must be provided in accordance with the following conditions, unless the emergency exits required by subparagraph (g) of this paragraph already meet them:

(1)For aeroplanes that have a passenger seating configuration of nine seats or less, excluding pilot seats, one exit above the waterline in each side of the aeroplane, meeting at least the dimensions of a Type IV exit.

(2)For aeroplanes that have a passenger seating configuration of 10 seats or more, excluding pilot seats, one exit above the waterline in a side of the aeroplane, meeting at least the dimensions of a Type III exit for each unit (or part of a unit) of 35 passenger seats, but no less than two such exits in the passenger cabin, with one on each side of the aeroplane. The passenger seat/exit ratio may be increased through the use of larger exits, or other means, provided it is shown that the evacuation capability during ditching has been improved accordingly.

(3)If it is impractical to locate side exits above the waterline, the side exits must be replaced by an equal number of readily accessible overhead hatches of not less than the dimensions of a Type III exit, except that for aeroplanes with a passenger configuration of 35 seats or less, excluding pilot seats, the two required Type III side exits need to be replaced by only one overhead hatch.

(j)Flight crew emergency exits. For aeroplanes in which the proximity of passenger emergency exits to the flight crew area does not offer a convenient and readily accessible means of evacuation of the flight crew, and for all aeroplanes having a passenger seating capacity greater than 20, flight crew exits must be located in the flight crew area. Such exits must be of sufficient size and so located as to permit rapid evacuation by the crew. One exit must be provided on each side of the aeroplane; or, alternatively, a top hatch must be provided. Each exit must encompass an unobstructed rectangular opening of at least 48.3 cm by 50.8 cm (19 by 20 inches) unless satisfactory exit utility can be demonstrated by a typical crew member.

[Amdt 25/4]

[Amdt 25/5]

[Amdt 25/6]

[Amdt 25/12]

[Amdt 25/18]

[Amdt 25/19]

[Amdt 25/26]

IR · CS 25.807 — CS-25 · ED Decision 2020/024/R · CS-25 Easy Access Rules · EAR revision 26 Jan 2023

AMCAcceptable means of compliance

AMC 25.807Emergency exits

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The term ‘unobstructed’ should be interpreted as referring to the space between the adjacent wall(s) and/or seat(s), the seatback(s) being in the most adverse position, in vertical projection from floor -level to at least the prescribed minimum height of the exit. The relevant parts of FAA Advisory Circular (AC) 25-17A Change 1, Transport Airplane Cabin Interiors Crashworthiness Handbook, dated 24.5.2016 are accepted by the Agency as providing acceptable means of compliance with CS 25.807. Note: ‘The relevant parts’ means ‘the parts of the AC 25-17A Change 1 that address the applicable FAR/CS-25 paragraph’.

[Amdt 25/12]

[Amdt 25/19]

[Amdt 25/26]

AMC · AMC 25.807 — CS-25 · ED Decision 2020/024/R · CS-25 Easy Access Rules · EAR revision 26 Jan 2023

AMCAcceptable means of compliance

AMC 25.807(f)Passenger emergency exits

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The optimum fore and aft location of Types I, II and III exits should be agreed between the applicant and the Agency bearing in mind the relevant considerations, including – a. The varying likelihood of damage to different parts of the fuselage in emergency landing conditions, and b. The need to avoid the passengers having to evacuate the aeroplane where dangerous conditions (spilt fuel, hot engine parts, etc.) may exist.

[Amdt 25/11]

[Amdt 25/12]

AMC · AMC 25.807(f) — CS-25 · ED Decision 2012/008/R · CS-25 Easy Access Rules · EAR revision 26 Jan 2023

AMCAcceptable means of compliance

AMC 25.807(e)Emergency Exits Uniformity

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FAA Advisory Circular 25.807-1 ‘Uniform Distribution of Exits’, dated 08/13/90 is accepted by EASA as providing acceptable means of compliance with CS 25.807(e). However, this Advisory Circular does not provide any guidance for those aeroplanes required to have no more than one pair of emergency exits. For those aeroplanes, ensuring that the seat-to-exit distance remains within acceptable limits as per the following criteria provides an acceptable means of compliance with CS 25.807(e). Each passenger seat approved for use during taxiing, take-off or landing should be located such that:

(i)it is within 9.14 m (30 ft) from the nearest emergency exit on one side of the fuselage, and within 13.72 m (45 ft) from the nearest emergency exit on the other side of the fuselage; and

(ii)the occupant of that seat has the possibility to move to an emergency exit, on the left side, or the right side of the fuselage, whilst at all points along the way remaining within 9.14 m (30 ft) from an emergency exit on one side of the fuselage and within 13.72 m (45 ft) from an emergency exit on the other side of the fuselage. When calculating the distance from a passenger seat, or from any point in the egress path of an occupant, to an emergency exit, this distance should be taken as the total longitudinal distance (i.e. as measured parallel to the aeroplane’s longitudinal axis) that the escapee should cover in order to get to the emergency exit in question (i.e. the distance calculated should take into account all required changes in direction of movement but measured only longitudinally). For the distance from a passenger seat, as the starting point, the front edge of the seat bottom cushion at the centreline, with the seat in the taxiing, take off, and landing position is to be taken for seats installed at any orientation. The end point in each case is to be taken as the nearest edge of the emergency exit opening in the fuselage. For aeroplanes with a passenger seating configuration of 19 or less, only one pair of emergency exits is required. However, such aeroplanes may have additional exits installed, which must then comply with CS 25.807(h) but not with the 18.3-m (60-feet) rule of CS 25.807(f)(4). The distance between each passenger seat and the nearest available emergency exit may be determined considering all available emergency exits, including the ones addressed by CS 25.807(h).

[Amdt 25/19]

AMC · AMC 25.807(e) — CS-25 · ED Decision 2017/015/R · CS-25 Easy Access Rules · EAR revision 26 Jan 2023

All rules in SUBPART D – DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION

Consolidated from the EASA Easy Access Rules (revision 26 Jan 2023, extracted 17 Aug 2026) for convenience. Not the official publication — verify against the Official Journal of the European Union and the EASA publications before operational use.

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