There is the old story about the DC-3. I recall it was designed before the
CAA adopted the new regulations in the thirties. The new regulations
required that each airplane used in commercial service must have an
emregency exit over the wing. However, that could not be done on the DC-3.
It just happened that the DC-3 was already in service and the safest
airplane in service. So, the newly created FAA gave a temporary type
certificate to the DC-3 and it flew for a long time with a temporary type
certificate.

It had been awhile since I heard the story and sometimes facts get twisted,
so I did a search and found in part 125 of the regulations the following:

"This paragraph does not apply to the rear window emergency exit of DC-3
airplanes operated with less than 36 occupants, including crewmembers, and
less than five exits authorized for passenger use."

So, the FAA can make any rule it wants to make and then exempt airplanes
from their own rules, just because it feels like it. I think wives have the
same power.

Colin N12HS