Commercial and Business Aviation Advisory Circulars

Cargo Fire Training

PURPOSE

This Air Carrier Advisory Circular is intended to inform air operators of the flight attendant crew member cargo fire training requirements for main deck Class B cargo compartments.

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 accident, 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 contained information regarding training programs for crew members assigned cargo fire responsibilities.

The Transport Canada Airworthiness Directive was subsequently cancelled and the FAA Airworthiness Directive (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.

DISCUSSION

The subject of cargo fire training arose again during the Canadian Aviation Regulation Advisory Council (CARAC) process and as a result, the Commercial Air Service Operations (CASO) Technical Committee approved a revised document entitled "Cargo Fire Training Standard" to more accurately reflect the intent of the training standard. 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 FAA AD 93-07-15, operating in a passenger and cargo configuration (Combi).

The revised document, Cargo Fire Training Standard, supersedes Cabin Safety Technical Standard No. 107. As agreed to at the last CASO Technical Committee meeting on April 30 - May 1, 1996, 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, 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 programs on individual operating characteristics.

ACTION

Air operators affected by FAA AD 93-07-15 must be in compliance with the revised document, "Cargo Fire Training Standard", by November 2, 1996.

These air operators are also urged 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 their air operator’s Operations Manual.

Effective immediately, Cabin Safety Technical Standard No. 107, entitled "Fire Fighting Training - Main Deck Class B Cargo Compartments" (FAA Airworthiness Directive 93-07-15), is cancelled.

A.J. LaFlamme
Director
Commercial and Business Aviation