‘Aviation Safety Regulation – Setting the Sights for the Future’

Fuel Tank Safety

The Europe-US
International
Aviation Safety
Conference
Ali Bahrami – FAA
2005
Pascal Medal - EASA

2005 Europe/US International Aviation Safety Conference, Cologne 7-9 June

 Overview

 Background

 Harmonization Goals

 Ignition Source Prevention Status

 Flammability Reduction Status

2005 Europe/US International Aviation Safety Conference, Cologne 7-9 June 1

 Fuel Tank Safety - Background

Inerting
Studies ARAC FAA FRS
ARAC 1 Started FRS
2 Demonstrator Implementation

Flammability Reduction
1996 Today 2004 +
Ignition Prevention

SFAR 88
PAL TWA THAI SFAR 88 Changes
737 800 737 Reviews Available
NTSB
TWA 800 First AD’s
Hearing SFAR 88 released
Rule

2005 Europe/US International Aviation Safety Conference, Cologne 7-9 June 2

 SFAR 88 Lessons Learned

 Goal of SFAR 88 was to preclude ignition sources

 Safety Assessments were very valuable
 Design reviews revealed unexpected ignition sources
 Difficulty in identifying all ignition sources
 Number of previously unknown failures found
 Continuing threat from still unknown failures
 Unrealistic to expect we can eliminate all ignition
sources
 Must consider flammability reduction of high
flammability tanks as an integral part of system
safety

2005 Europe/US International Aviation Safety Conference, Cologne 7-9 June 3

 Balanced Approach with
Flammability Reduction

Flammability Reduction significantly reduces hole size in

flammability layer, virtually eliminating future accidents.

SFAR 88
Flammability Reduction /
HAZARD Low Flammability

Ignition Prevention
Layer
- Some holes eliminated
(e.g. design changes to Flammability Layer
preclude single failures) -Reducing flammability
- Other holes reduced in exposure significantly
size (human factors/ reduces holes ACCIDENT
maintenance issues, (flammability reduction)
unknowns, etc.) -Small holes remain due ACCIDENT
to system performance, PREVENTED!
dispatch relief, system
reliability, etc.

2005 Europe/US International Aviation Safety Conference, Cologne 7-9 June 4

 Fleet Average Flammability Exposure
Typical Tanks with Jet A Fuel

Main Wing Tanks 2-4%

Tail Tanks 2-4%

Body Tanks
• Un-pressurized >20%
• Pressurized <5%

Center Wing Tank with Adjacent Pack Bays 15-20%

• Center Wing Tanks without Pack Bays 4-7%

2005 Europe/US International Aviation Safety Conference, Cologne 7-9 June 5

 Harmonization Goal

 To establish mutually acceptable positions between

the FAA and EASA related to fuel tank safety,
working within the requirements of the existing and
developing rules and policies, while respecting the
responsibilities of the State of Design:

 Resulting in a common solution set for the

operators, and

 Facilitating transfer of airplanes from country-to-

country with minimal impact on operators.

2005 Europe/US International Aviation Safety Conference, Cologne 7-9 June 6

 Harmonization Process

 FAA and EASA have closed SFAR 88 open issues

 FAA and EASA are coordinating common SFAR 88
closure letters that will be sent to manufacturers

 Weekly internal FAA team meetings to monitor all

fuel tank safety activity

 EASA internal team coordination

 Biweekly FAA, EASA and TCCA telecons to continue

and reinforce harmonization effort

2005 Europe/US International Aviation Safety Conference, Cologne 7-9 June 7

 Ignition Prevention Status

 Ignition prevention safety reviews completed

 Design changes have been identified

 Common solution set agreed
 TC holders are preparing service bulletins and ADs
are being issued

2005 Europe/US International Aviation Safety Conference, Cologne 7-9 June 8

 Ignition Prevention –
Operating Requirements

 Operating rules compliance dates extended

 FAA/EASA had required incorporation of
maintenance program changes by December 2004
 FAA notice extended compliance date to
December 2008
 EASA plans to extend operating rule compliance date
 December 2005 for Airworthiness Limitations
(ALIs, CDCCLs)
 December 2006 for other maintenance
information
 Harmonized SFAR 88 maintenance policy memo
published; EASA equivalent being prepared
 ADs being issued for safety critical maintenance
 ALIs, CDCCLs
 Not all TC holders have developed maintenance
instructions required by SFAR 88/JAA-EASA policy
2005 Europe/US International Aviation Safety Conference, Cologne 7-9 June 9
 Flammability Reduction
Harmonization Status

 FAA and EASA agree on flammability reduction

measures for new production airplanes and future
designs
 FAA and EASA continue to work toward common
retrofit position
 Plan agreed for working toward harmonization
 FAA plans to propose a flammability reduction rule
later this year 2005
 Special conditions are harmonized
 FAA issued final rule 747 special conditions January
24, 2005
 EASA finalizing their final rule special conditions
 Harmonized special conditions will be issued for
other certification projects

2005 Europe/US International Aviation Safety Conference, Cologne 7-9 June 10

 Summary

 Balanced approach of ignition prevention and reduced

flammability can provide a substantial improvement in fuel
tank safety
 Reducing flammability is now practical
 Ignition prevention still major protection strategy
 Combined strategies should virtually eliminate risk of
future fuel tank explosions
 FAA and EASA have been working to harmonize fuel tank
safety programs
 Ignition prevention actions are harmonized
 Significant progress made in harmonizing flammability
reduction
 Reached agreement on flammability reduction
standards for in- production aircraft and new designs
 Plan agreed for working toward agreement on retrofit

2005 Europe/US International Aviation Safety Conference, Cologne 7-9 June 11