14 CFR · Part 23
14 CFR § 23.2320
Occupant physical environment.
The applicant must design the airplane to—
Allow clear communication between the flightcrew and passengers;
Protect the pilot and flight controls from propellers; and
Protect the occupants from serious injury due to damage to windshields, windows, and canopies.
For level 4 airplanes, each windshield and its supporting structure directly in front of the pilot must withstand, without penetration, the impact equivalent to a two-pound bird when the velocity of the airplane is equal to the airplane's maximum approach flap speed.
The airplane must provide each occupant with air at a breathable pressure, free of hazardous concentrations of gases, vapors, and smoke during normal operations and likely failures.
If a pressurization system is installed in the airplane, it must be designed to protect against—
Decompression to an unsafe level; and
Excessive differential pressure.
If an oxygen system is installed in the airplane, it must—
Effectively provide oxygen to each user to prevent the effects of hypoxia; and
Be free from hazards in itself, in its method of operation, and its effect upon other components.
Reflects the eCFR edition current as of September 29, 2026. Retrieved from ecfr.gov on October 16, 2026.
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