AD/General/65 Amdt 5 Hand Held Portable Fire Extinguishers (Cth)

AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

On the effective date specified below, and for the reasons set out in the background section, the CASA delegate whose signature appears below revokes Airworthiness Directive (AD) AD/GENERAL/65 Amdt 4 and issues the following 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.

Aircraft - General

AD/GENERAL/65 Amdt 5 Hand Held Portable Fire Extinguishers 2/2008

Applicability:	All aircraft except:
1.    Private and aerial work aeroplanes with maximum take-off weight not exceeding 5700 kg;
2.    Rotorcraft with maximum take-off weight not exceeding 2750 kg;
3.    Gliders, Powered Sailplanes and Power-Assisted Sailplanes, and
4.    Manned Balloons.
Requirement:	1.    Minimum Number of Extinguishers
Provide approved hand portable fire extinguishers in accordance with the following:
1.1  Pilot Compartment.  At least one extinguisher shall be installed in the pilot compartment.
1.2  Toilets.  At least one extinguisher shall be located adjacent to, but not in, each toilet complex.
1.3  Galleys.  At least one extinguisher, other than water, shall be located in, or adjacent to, each galley complex.
1.4  Cargo or Baggage Compartments.  If accessible in flight and not already protected by a fixed fire/smoke detection and extinguishing system, at least one extinguisher shall be installed, adjacent to the compartment entry, of a type and capacity appropriate to the kind of fire likely to occur.
1.5  Passenger Compartment/s.  Hand fire extinguishers shall be conveniently located and uniformly distributed throughout the compartment/s.

The following table indicates the minimum number of hand fire extinguishers required in the passenger compartment/s against passenger seating capacity:
6 - 30 Passengers	1
31 - 60	2
61 - 200	3
201 - 300	4
301 - 400	5
401 - 500	6
501 - 600	7
601 or more	8
1.6  Where 2 or more extinguishers are required in the passenger compartment, at least 2 shall contain Halon 1211 (BCF) or a CASA approved equivalent.
2.    Location & Mounting
2.1  One extinguisher shall be readily available in the pilot compartment to a crew member.
2.2  Dry powder or water based extinguishers are not to be located in the pilot compartment or any compartment common to the pilot compartment.
2.3  Water based extinguishers are not to be located in cabins of aircraft which do not carry cabin attendant.
2.4  Each extinguisher shall be so located and installed as to be readily accessible and its availability clearly evident to persons who may be required to use it.
2.5  Extinguishers required under paragraphs 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 and 1.5 above are not necessarily exclusive to particular locations.  If grouping of toilet, galleys, cargo/baggage compartments coincide with cabin locations or each other, and have common agent applicability, the various requirements may be considered common.
2.6  For aircraft in which pilot/s and passengers occupy the same compartment, one extinguisher, readily available to a flight crew member, shall be sufficient if the compartment seats 9 passengers or less.  If the compartment seats more than 9 passengers, another extinguisher readily available to passengers shall be installed.

2.7  Extinguishers shall be so located in an environment and mounted in an attitude which complies with the manufacturer’s recommendations.

2.8  Extinguishers shall not be mounted in positions which may lead to accidental discharge or restrict access to other equipment.

Note 1:  For the purpose of this Order, a compartment means an area separated from other areas within the aircraft by door, passage or staircase.

Note 2:  This AD supersedes the requirements of CAO 101.5 Para 6.103.

Note 3:  Approved extinguishers of appropriate types include those approved to:

Civil Aviation Safety Authority Australia, Australian Technical Standard order (ATSO);
Civil Aviation Safety Authority Australia, Civil Aviation Order CAO 103.16;
Australian Department of Defence Specifications (DEF (Aust));
Standards Association of Australia Australian Standards (AS);
United States of America Federal Aviation Administration Technical Standard Order (TSO);
United States of America, Federal Services Administration Federal Specifications;
United States of America, Air Force-Navy Aeronautical Standards (AN);
United States of America, Military Standards (MS);
United States of America, Military Specifications (MIL);
US Coast Guard;
American Society of Automotive Engineers, Aerospace Material Specifications (AMS);
Aerospace Industries Association of America, National Aerospace Standards (NAS);
Underwriters Laboratories;
United Kingdom Ministry of Technology, Aircraft Material Specifications (DTD);
British Standards Institution Specifications (BSI);
Society of British Aerospace Companies Standards (AS);
Society of British Aerospace Companies Aircraft General Standards (AGS).

Note 4:  Gliders, Powered Sailplanes and Power-Assisted Sailplanes need to comply with the requirements of CAO95.4 and CAO95.4.1 as applicable.

Note 5:  Airworthiness Bulletin 26-2 provides advisory material.

Compliance:

Before further flight after 31 December 1986.  The compliance date remains unchanged from the previous amendment.

This Amendment becomes effective on 14 February 2008.

Background: This Directive increases the number of extinguishers as a function of passenger capacity and aligns with the new FAA requirements.  Improvements were considered necessary following investigations into overseas in-flight cabin fires.  Amendment 2 included minor changes which have been made to simplify interpretation and applicability.  Amendment 3 was raised to delete exclusive reference to CAO 103.16 and to permit fire extinguishers to be installed in galley areas where applicable.  Amendment 4 aimed to clarify the applicability of gliders, common pilot/passenger compartments, use of dry powder extinguishers and approved extinguisher types.  Additionally, it allowed for the use of approved ‘Halon Replacement’ Fire Extinguishers.  Amendment 5 aims to reduce confusion of requirements for manned balloons.

James Coyne
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority

4 January 2008