EASA AD CF-2021-03
Equipment/Furnishings — Mid Fuselage Insulation — Potential Damage to Insulation Blankets below Over Wing Emergency Exit Door (OWEED)
Summary
The Canadian Airworthiness Directive CF-2021-03 titled 'Equipment/Furnishings — Mid Fuselage Insulation — Potential Damage to Insulation Blankets below Over Wing Emergency Exit Door (OWEED)' applies to Airbus Canada Limited Partnership aircraft models BD-500-1A10 and BD-500-1A11 with specified serial numbers. It addresses potential damage to insulation blankets located beneath the left and right over wing emergency exit doors. The directive mandates inspections and corrective actions to ensure continued fire protection.
What Changed
CF-2021-03 introduces a mandatory visual inspection of the insulation blankets under the left and right over wing emergency exit doors on affected Airbus Canada BD-500-1A10 and BD-500-1A11 aircraft. If any damage is found, the insulation blankets must be removed and replaced following Airbus Canada's service bulletin BD500-258003. This is a new requirement to address potential damage caused during manual door operations before interior panel installation.
Why It Matters
This directive is critical for maintaining the fire protection integrity of the aircraft by ensuring insulation blankets that serve as fire barriers are intact. Damaged insulation could reduce evacuation time in the event of an external fire after a crash or impact. Operators, maintenance organizations, and compliance teams must address this to meet regulatory safety standards and avoid grounding of affected aircraft.
What To Do
Operators must perform a visual inspection of the insulation blankets beneath the left and right over wing emergency exit doors before accumulating 4500 flight hours or within 24 months from the directive's effective date, whichever occurs first. Any damaged insulation blankets must be removed and replaced according to Airbus Canada service bulletin BD500-258003, edition 001 or later approved revisions. Compliance must be documented and maintained as per Canadian aviation regulations.
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