AD/A330/48 Fire Extinguishing System (Cth)

AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

For the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below issues the following Airworthiness Directive (AD) under subregulation 39.001(1) of CASR 1998.  The AD requires that the action set out in the requirement section (being action that the delegate considers necessary to correct the unsafe condition) be taken in relation to the aircraft or aeronautical product mentioned in the applicability section: (a) in the circumstances mentioned in the requirement section; and (b) in accordance with the instructions set out in the requirement section; and (c) at the time mentioned in the compliance section.

Airbus Industrie A330 Series Aeroplanes

AD/A330/48 Fire Extinguishing System 4/2005

Applicability:

AIRBUS aircraft A330 aeroplanes.

Requirement:

1.    Carry out restoration of the fire extinguishing system after activation in accordance with the following procedure included in the 1 October 2004 revision of the Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM):A330 AMM 26-23-00 Page Block 201 (LDCC-FMS).

2.    The following measures are rendered mandatory except for aircraft delivered from the production line after 1 October 2004 (date of revision that includes both the restoration/cleaning task in the AMM and the grease application caution note in the work instructions for Airbus Manufacturing) and on which the fire extinguishing system is confirmed to have never been activated before the effective date of this Directive:

(a)   For aircraft on which the fire extinguishing system has been activated at least once before the effective date of this Directive or it is uncertain whether the fire extinguishing system has ever been activated or not:, perform a one time inspection to clean and restore FMS in the LDCC with pressure reducers replacement in accordance with instructions given in AIRBUS Service Bulletin (SB) A330-26-3031 Revision 02 or later DGAC approved revisions.

(b)   For aircraft on which the fire extinguishing system is confirmed to have never been activated before 1 October 2004:, perform a one time inspection to clean and restore FMS in the LDCC in accordance with instructions given in AIRBUS SB A330-26-3031 Revision 02 or later DGAC approved revisions.

Note:  DGAC AD F-2005-019 EASA approval No. 2005-877 dated 25 January 2005 refers.

Compliance:

1.From the effective date of this Directive, after any activation of the fire extinguishing system in the LDCC.

2.    (a)   Within 2,400 Flight Hours (FH) following the effective date of this Directive.

2.    (b)   Within 6,600 FH following the effective date of this Directive.

This Airworthiness Directive becomes effective on 14 April 2005.

Background:

Flight tests have shown that the Flow Metering System (FMS) of the fire extinguishing system may be blocked by anti-fretting material contamination.  The origin of this anti-fretting material inside the piping, filters and pressure reducers may come from manufacturing of the parts as well as installation on aircraft during production or maintenance.  After the first activation of the fire extinguishing system, it has been assumed that the FMS is contaminated and it cannot be guaranteed that the system is fully operable for the next fire extinguishing process if requested.  An uncontrollable fire in the affected compartment may lead to a catastrophic event.  To avoid this hidden failure of the Lower Deck Cargo Compartment (LDCC) fire extinguishing system due to contamination, this Airworthiness Directive requires a one time inspection to clean the FMS and mandates new procedures for the restoration of the fire extinguishing system after any activation.

James Coyne
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority

2 March 2005