Explanatory Statement
Civil Aviation Regulations 1988
Direction — number of cabin attendants in Boeing 737-800 series aircraft
Legislation
Subsection 98 (1) of the Civil Aviation Act 1988 (the Act) provides that the Governor-General may make regulations for the Act and in the interests of the safety of air navigation.
Under regulation 208 of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1988 (CAR 1988), CASA may give directions as to the operating crew required to be carried on an aircraft having regard to the safety of air navigation. Subsection 7 and subparagraph 6.1 (b) of Civil Aviation Order (CAO) 20.16.3 were made under regulation 208 and provide, among other things, that aircraft carrying more than 36 and not more than 216 passengers must carry a cabin attendant for each unit of 36 passengers or part of that.
CAO 20.16.3 has remained in the same form since 1960 and as such represents a 51 year gap since a reassessment of cabin attendant numbers against a criterion of allowable seating rather than passenger numbers. CASA in a report Review of policies and practices for first-of-type certification of imported aircraft recommended the recognition of the Federal Aviation Administration of the United States of America (the FAA) certification standards. The recommendation was adopted.
The Boeing certification of the aircraft relates to the design of the floor plan and the seating configuration in relation to the location of exits. CASA does not call for a re‑evaluation of the aircraft design; instead, CASA accepts the design criterion. CASA does require operators to demonstrate the safety procedures that are specific to the operator, which are evaluated, thus there is a distinction between the certification criterion and an operator-imposed safety procedure which may, or may not, enhance the evacuation of the aircraft in an emergency evacuation.
Safety improvements in redesign of the “Self-Help” Type III overwing exits by the aircraft manufacturer, Boeing, and safety recommendations from Cranfield University on briefing passengers seated in overwing exit row seating, are cause to reassess the emergency evacuation procedures in conjunction with the aircraft certification requirements of the FAA. This seating is referred to as self-help exit rows.
Qantas Airways Limited (the operator) has incorporated procedures for the briefing of passengers seated at self-help exit rows as part of the predeparture passenger safety briefing, taking into account the conclusions of the Cranfield University research. The operator has incorporated prewarned emergency briefings for passengers seated in Type I and III exit rows based on the verbal briefing criteria specified in the Cranfield University research. The revised briefings are acceptable to CASA and are seen as a safety enhancement.
CASA is satisfied the evacuation of a full complement of passengers for the Boeing 737-800 is able to be achieved in a time of 90 seconds. CASA is satisfied that the evacuation procedures adopted by the operator to support their application to operate with the certification criterion of up to 4 cabin attendants has been demonstrated successfully. The maximum permitted time of 90 seconds is set out as a condition in the schedules of the instrument.
CASA does not consider that safety would be compromised if a Boeing 737-800 carried cabin attendants during operations with a complement of 1 cabin attendant to 50 passengers, or part of that number.
This instrument comes into effect on 1 August 2011 and replaces previous instruments CASA 320/09 and 321/09 which expire at the end of 31 July 2011. It contains requirements relating to the seating of persons in self-help exit rows where there are reduced passenger numbers. It also contains conditions which include a requirement that the briefing of passengers in self‑help exit rows must be as approved by CASA and in the manner set out in the operator’s operations manual, as well as the requirement that the evacuation must be completed in not more than 90 seconds.
When an aircraft is carrying 50 or less passengers, the conditions state that the number of able-bodied persons available to occupy seats in the self-help exit rows must be determined only after the weight and balance requirements applicable to the loading of the aircraft have been complied with.
Preflight safety briefings must also refer to those overwing exit rows in which an able‑bodied passenger or passengers is or are seated.
Legislative Instruments Act
Under subparagraph 6 (d) (i) of the Legislative Instrument Act 2003 (the LIA), an instrument is a legislative instrument for section 5 of the LIA if it is declared to be a disallowable instrument under legislation in force before the commencement of the LIA. Under regulation 5A of CAR 1988, if CASA has issued a CAO, and CASA later issues a direction that affects the operation of the CAO, the later document is declared to be a disallowable instrument. The instrument affects the operation of subparagraph 6.1 (b) of CAO 20.16.3. As a legislative instrument, it is subject to tabling and disallowance in the Parliament under sections 38 and 42 of the LIA.
Consultation
CASA has consulted with the operator on the proposal. This instrument replaces previous instruments in substantively the same terms. The consultation process for these instruments was brought to a conclusion with CASA and the operator signing a document outlining agreements and undertakings. These instruments were also referred to the Office of Transport Security which expressed no concerns.
Senate Regulations and Ordinances Committee concerns
This direction provides for the particular operator to meet a standard for cabin crew numbers that differs from that currently promulgated in CAO 20.16.3, but is considered to be a safe standard, consistent with international safety standards and practice.
The direction is the latest of a small number of such instruments issued to, or renewed for, several operators pending CASA’s development of considered amendments to bring CAO 20.16.3 into line with internationally recognised standards for cabin crew ratios (at least 1 cabin crew attendant for every 50 passenger seats, and 1 attendant for any incomplete part of that number).
The development and preparation of suitable CAO amendments is a more intensive and involved process than the evaluation and consideration of directions for a particular named operator. While such evaluation and consideration for an individual operator is itself detailed, and guided by the requirements of safety and prudence, it has not required extensive consultation with the broader industry.
Pending the finalisation of the joint CASA/industry project team’s work on the CAO, it is essentially unavoidable that CASA will issue or renew individual directions to operators on the same basis as has previously been done. The instrument is issued for a period of 3 months only, pending resolution of the wider issues involved.
Commencement and delegation
The instrument commences on 1 August 2011 and stops having effect at the end of October 2011.
The instrument has been made by a delegate of CASA, delegated with powers under regulation 11.260 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998.
[Instrument number CASA 334/11]