AD/General/84 Amdt 1 Thermal/Acoustic Insulation Materials (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/84 Amdt 1 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/84 Amdt 1 Thermal/Acoustic Insulation Materials 4/2006

Applicability:

All aeroplanes with Transport Category Certificate of Airworthiness; but excluding aeroplanes whose Certificate of Airworthiness is based on compliance with CAO 101.4; and excluding aeroplanes of a type for which at least one example received an Australian Certificate of Airworthiness prior to 1 January 1958.

Requirement:

1.    (a)   For applicable aeroplanes manufactured before 2 September 2005, when thermal/acoustic insulation materials are installed in the fuselage as replacements after 2 September 2005, those materials must meet the flame propagation requirements of FAR 25.856, effective 2 September 2003, if it is:

(i)    Of a blanket construction, or

(ii)   Installed around air ducting.

(b)   For applicable aeroplanes manufactured after 2 September 2005, thermal/acoustic insulation materials installed in the fuselage must meet the flame propagation requirements of FAR 25.856, effective 2 September 2003.

2.    For applicable aeroplanes manufactured after 3 September 2007, with a passenger capacity of 20 or greater and are used in operations under CAO 82.3 or CAO 82.5, thermal/acoustic insulation materials installed in the lower half of the fuselage must meet the flame penetration resistance requirements of FAR 25.856, effective 2 September 2003.

Notes:

1:  FAR §25.856, §91.613, §121.312, §125.113, and §135.170 refer.

2:  Insulation blankets are defined as an encapsulated assembly consisting of a core insulating material and a moisture barrier film or cover surrounding the core.

3:  Insulation that is integral to an air duct and cannot be replaced without replacing the duct, including insulation that is bonded or laminated to the surface of the duct, is not covered by this directive for replacement.

Compliance:

1.    (a)   Aeroplanes manufactured before 2 September 2005, when required thermal/acoustic insulation materials are installed in the fuselage as replacements after 2 September 2005.

       (b)   Aeroplanes manufactured after 2 September 2005, when thermal/acoustic insulation materials are installed in the fuselage.

2.    Aeroplanes manufactured after 3 September 2007, when thermal/acoustic insulation materials are installed in the lower half of the fuselage.

This Amendment becomes effective on 13 April 2006.

Background:

The FAA has adopted upgraded flammability standards for thermal and acoustic insulation materials used in transport category aeroplanes.  These standards include new flammability tests and criteria that address flame propagation and entry of an external fire into the aeroplane.  This action is necessary because the current standards do not realistically address situations in which thermal or acoustic insulation materials may contribute to the propagation of a fire.  This action is intended to enhance safety by reducing the incidence and severity of cabin fires, particularly those in inaccessible areas where thermal and acoustic insulation materials are installed, and providing additional time for evacuation by delaying the entry of post-crash fires into the cabin.

The original issue of this Directive introduced increased flammability standards for all thermal/acoustic insulation materials installed in new aircraft and in-service aircraft as replacements.

This amendment reduces the insulation material applicability for in-service aircraft.  These changes were made for numerous reasons including replacement materials sometimes being heavier than originals, some replacements parts not being manufactured for out-of-production aircraft, and some insulation being integral to parts.  These newly excluded items have no appreciable effect on the overall effort to increase flammability standards.

The original issue of this Airworthiness Directive became effective on 14 April 2004.

David Villiers
Delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority

24 February 2006