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Commercial and Business Aviation Policy Letters

Transport Canada > Civil Aviation > Commercial and Business Aviation > Commercial and Business Aviation Policy Letters

POLICY LETTER

Number

109

Subject

Cargo Fire Training Standard

File Number	Date

AARX 6500-18-14-13, 6500-18-7-6 (AARXF)	1996.08.07

Policy Statement

To introduce a Cargo Fire Training Standard (standard). The standard outlines the requirements that must be met by an air operator in their training program with regard to cargo fire training requirements for main deck Class B cargo compartments.

Applicability

This Policy Letter applies to those air operators affected by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airworthiness Directive (AD) 93-07-15, operating in a passenger and cargo configuration (combi).

Background

On November 28, 1987, a South African Airways Boeing 747 "Combi" went down in the Indian Ocean with a loss of 159 lives. The South African government accident investigation found that there had been a major fire on board, which developed within the main deck cargo compartment. It was determined that the fire originated in a pallet containing computer equipment and caused the destruction of the aircraft within approximately 15 minutes of the first fire alarm.

Following the incident, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) conducted a study which, together with subsequent tests, revealed that the existing cargo compartment fire fighting procedures and the fire protection features were inadequate and could result in loss of an aeroplane. Transport Canada, the FAA and the European Joint Aviation Authorities then issued Airworthiness Directives introducing new requirements for Class B compartments. The Airworthiness Directives also contain information regarding training programs for crew members assigned cargo fire responsibilities.

The Transport Canada Airworthiness Directive was subsequently cancelled and the FAA AD 93-07-15, which was found to provide an acceptable level of safety in terms of smoke and fire protection, was adopted. Regulatory approval of training programs is, therefore, required pursuant to FAA AD 93-07-15. In December 1993, Transport Canada issued Cabin Safety Technical Standard No. 107 entitled "Fire Fighting Training - Main Deck Class B Cargo Compartments (FAA Airworthiness Directive 93-07-15)" as a training standard. This training standard was subsequently revised in September 1994 and reissued.

Purpose

This Policy Letter provides the standard for the flight attendant crew member training program with regard to cargo fire training requirements for main deck Class B cargo compartments.

General

The subject of cargo fire fighting arose again during the Commercial Air Service Operations (CASO) process and as a result, a revised document has been developed and renamed "Cargo Fire Training Standard" to more accurately reflect the intent of the training standard. A copy of the revised document "Cargo Fire Training Standard" is attached to this Policy Letter.

Policy

As agreed to at the last CASO Committee meeting, the Cargo Fire Training Standard is an interim measure until such time as this material is incorporated into the Flight Attendant Training Standard, TP 12296.

The revised document applies to the air operator training programs for flight attendant crew members assigned cargo fire responsibilities on those aircraft types referred to in the above referenced FAA AD, operating in a passenger and cargo configuration (combi).

The Cargo Fire Training Standard takes into account the limited fire fighting intervention associated with options such as fire containment covers and halon suppression systems provided for in the FAA AD, and will permit air operators to develop their training program on individual operating characteristics.

The air operators affected by the above referenced FAA AD must be in compliance with the revised document, "Cargo Fire Training Standard", by November 2, 1996, as per FAA AD 93-07-15.

These air operators are to incorporate procedures in their Flight Attendant Manual, in accordance with the Flight Attendant Manual Standard, Part A, Section 2A.3 (Fire Fighting), and in the air operator’s Operations Manual.

This Policy Letter cancels Cabin Safety Technical Standard No. 107 (T.S. 107) entitled "Fire Fighting Training - Main Deck Class B Cargo Compartments (FAA Airworthiness Directive 93-07-15)", effective immediately. Please destroy Technical Standard 107 upon receipt of this Policy Letter.

Reference Number

This Policy Letter is designated AARX No.109.

A.J. LaFlamme
Director
Commercial & Business Aviation