Significant Regulatory Activity

Air Safety Week,  Oct 10, 2005  

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Safety of passenger and flight attendant seats: Final rule ? All Part 121 (regularly scheduled transport category) aircraft

Sept. 27 FR Doc 05-19208 Docket No. FAA-2002-13464-2

Mandates fully-compliant 16 G seats only for new aircraft manufactured four years from now (Oct. 27, 2009), thereby relieving the industry of a huge retrofit requirement. The industry has been installing "16 G compatible" seats, thereby replacing 9 G seats, but the newer seats do not meet all current testing criteria. Nevertheless, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) believes this ruling advances the ball on safety without burdening the industry with the requirement to install fully compliant 16 G seats in the existing fleet. FAA believes this reduced mandate passes the cost benefit, at a ratio of 2.27 to 1.

Fuel system safety: Final rule, request for comments ? Airbus A330-200 airplanes

Sept. 27 FR Doc 05-18910 Docket No. FAA-2005-22483 AD 2005-19-27

Requires inspection and replacement of fuel jettison valves to prevent fuel leaks, which could come into contact with an ignition source, with consequent fire or explosion. Airworthiness directive (AD) effective Oct. 12; comments due Nov. 28.

Action based on French Direction G?n?rale de l'Aviation Civile (DGAC) reports of several cases of fuel leaks in the jettison system.

Cost of modification estimated at $900. No airplanes in U.S. registry; the work would have to be done if the airplane is imported.

Fuel system safety: Final rule, request for comments ? BAE Systems Model ATP and Model HS 748 airplanes

Sept. 27 FR Doc 05-18909 Docket No. FAA-2005-22482 AD 2005-19-26

Requires inspection and corrective action to prevent severe chafing damage of electrical cable and fuel cross feed drain pipe, which could lead to fuel leakage in the dry bay or the wing and consequent fire. AD effective Oct. 12; comments due Nov. 28.

Action emulates that of the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), based on report of electrically induced fire before takeoff. Corrective action includes re-routing of cable for adequate clearance.

Work estimated to cost $130 per airplane. No airplanes in U.S. registry; the work would have to be done if the airplane is imported.

Structural safety: Final rule ? Boeing B737-100 through -500 airplanes

Sept. 27 FR Doc 05-18911 Docket No. FAA-2005-20627 AD 2005-19-25

Requires eddy current inspections of rivet holes adjacent to the radio altimeter cutout for cracks, and provides for optional terminating action. AD effective Nov. 1.

Costs about $195 per airplane. Affects 3,132 airplanes worldwide, of which 1,004 are in U.S. registry.

Fuel system safety: Final rule ? Boeing B707, B720 and B720B airplanes

Sept. 27 FR Doc 05-19140 Docket No. FAA-2005-20785 AD 2005-20-02

Requires modifying the airplane flight manual (AFM) to prohibit resetting of a tripped circuit breaker for a fuel pump in any tank, which could ignite vapors in the tank and lead to fire or explosion. AD based on manufacturer's review of fuel system, which the FAA ordered under SFAR 88 to reduce ignition sources in fuel tanks. This was one of a number of actions expected to come out in the Federal Register (see ASW, July 11). AD effective Nov. 1.

Cost about $65 per airplane to modify manual. Affects 225 airplanes worldwide, of which 90 are in U.S. registry.

Structural safety: Final rule ? Boeing B737-100 through -500 airplanes

Sept. 27 FR Doc 05-19143 Docket No. FAA-2005-18788 AD 2005-20-03

Requires repetitive inspections in area of forward entry door to prevent loss of door and consequent rapid decompression of the airplane. AD effective Nov. 1.

Cost is estimated at $130 per inspection cycle. Affects 3,113 airplanes worldwide, of which 876 are in U.S. registry. See related item, below.

Structural safety: Final rule ? Boeing B737-100 through -500 airplanes

Sept. 27 FR Doc 05-19144 Docket No. FAA-2005-20356 AD 2005-20-01

Requires repetitive inspections and replacement of cracked stiffeners to prevent damage to the keel beam and consequent reduced ability to sustain flight loads. AD effective Nov. 1.

Cost per inspection cycle about $65 per airplane. Action affects 3,132 airplanes worldwide, of which 1,384 are in U.S. registry.

Engine safety: Final special conditions ? Airbus A318 airplanes with Pratt & Whitney PW6000 engines

Sept. 27 FR Doc 05-19206 Docket No. NM304 Special Condition No. 25- 299-SC

Concerns the ability of engine mounts to handle sudden deceleration of the engine in the event of a power loss. No comments received to original proposal. Action effective Oct. 27.

Applies to new airframe-engine combination for which existing regulations do not contain adequate safety standards.

Electrical system safety: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) ? Airbus A318-100, A320-111, A320-200, A321-100 and A321-200 airplanes

Sept. 27 FR Doc 05-19232 Docket No. FAA-2005-22528

Requires inspection of electrical panel hinge pin, which can move out of position and contact adjacent electrical harness, with consequent arcing and/or failure of associated systems. Based on Airbus All Operators Telex (AOT). Comments due Oct. 27.