Transcript Fuel Tank Safety

‘Aviation Safety Regulation – Setting the Sights for the Future’
Fuel Tank Safety
The Europe-US
International
Aviation Safety
Conference
2005
Ali Bahrami – FAA
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 1 Started
1996
PAL
737
TWA
800
NTSB
TWA 800
Hearing
ARAC
2
Flammability Reduction
Ignition Prevention
THAI
737
SFAR 88
Rule
2005 Europe/US International Aviation Safety Conference, Cologne 7-9 June
FAA FRS
Demonstrator
FRS
Implementation
Today 2004 +
SFAR 88
Reviews
SFAR 88
Changes
Available
First AD’s
released
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 /
Low Flammability
HAZARD
Ignition Prevention
Layer
- Some holes eliminated
(e.g. design changes to
preclude single failures)
- Other holes reduced in
size (human factors/
maintenance issues,
unknowns, etc.)
Flammability Layer
-Reducing flammability
exposure significantly
reduces holes
(flammability reduction)
-Small holes remain due
to system performance,
dispatch relief, system
reliability, etc.
2005 Europe/US International Aviation Safety Conference, Cologne 7-9 June
ACCIDENT
ACCIDENT
PREVENTED!
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-tocountry 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