CASA EX81/11 – Exemption – firefighting vehicle colour (Cth)

Instrument number CASA EX81/11

I, JOHN FRANCIS McCORMICK, Director of Aviation Safety, on behalf of CASA, make this instrument under regulation 11.160 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR 1998).

[Signed John F. McCormick]

John F. McCormick
Director of Aviation Safety

3 August 2011

Exemption — firefighting vehicle colour

1          Duration

                 This instrument:

(a)   commences on the day after registration; and

(b)   stops having effect at the end of 31 July 2014.

2          Application

                 This instrument applies to Airservices Australia (AA), an approved Aerodrome Rescue and Fire Fighting Services (ARFFS) provider, inproviding firefighting services at aerodromes in Australia.

3          Exemption

AA is exempt from compliance with subregulation 139.795 (6) of CASR 1998 to the extent mentioned in Schedule 1.

Note   Paragraph 4.1.1.7 of Manual of Standards (MOS) Part 139H requires that the firefighting vehicles will be signal red in accordance with Australian Standard 2700, colour R13.

4          Conditions

                 The exemption is subject to the conditions mentioned in Schedule 2.

Schedule 1          Extent of exemption

              The exemption extends only to the requirement to comply with paragraph 4.1.1.7 of MOS Part 139H.

Schedule 2          Conditions

        1     AA must ensure that new firefighting vehicles, commissioned from the date this exemption commences, are painted “yellowish-green” in accordance with the specification below. Vehicle colour will be “yellowish-green” in accordance with the CIELAB international colour system specification stated below:

CIELAB Data	L*	a*	b*
Centroid point	78.3	-10.2	80.4
DE maximum allowable	2.0
Where

                           From the test results provided with the samples, the following has been calculated:

L*	a*	b*	DE
Centroid point (standard)	78.3	-10.2	80.4
Test result	77.85	-10.52	79.54
DL*	-0.45	DL* = L* test result - L* centroid point
Da*	-0.32	Da* = a* test result - a* centroid point
Db*	-0.86	Db* = b* test result - b* centroid point
1.022

Note 1   The DL*, Da* and Db* figures match those provided by DuPont.

Note 2   DE has been calculated using the formula stated in the proposed standard.

Note 3   The colour sample provided has a DE of 1.022 which is within the maximum allowable of 2.0 and, therefore, meets the standard.

        2     AA must ensure that all firefighting vehicles at an aerodrome are painted the same colour.

        3     AA must ensure that there is no mix of red and “yellowish-green” firefighting vehicles for extended periods of time unless the firefighting vehicles are being systematically repainted and/or replaced.

        4                 AA must ensure that when there is a temporary mix of firefighting vehicle colours at any ARFFS location, key stakeholders are advised of this through the airport’s Aerodrome Emergency Committee.