Aircraft
Certification Service Washington, DC U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration
2023-03
March 8, 2023
This is information only. Recommendations
aren’t mandatory.
Introduction
This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) provides
information to help rotorcraft owners, operators, aircrew, and
passengers understand the importance and safety benefits of crash
resistant fuel systems (CRFS) for rotorcraft. This SAIB also expands
the list of safety enhancements available through the voluntary
Rotorcraft Safety Promotion Concept (RSPC). RSPC is intended to
encourage installation of safety features such as CRFS designs that
reduce the risk of post -crash fires for both 14 CFR Part 27 and Part
29 rotorcraft. This SAIB is a follow-on to SAIB SW-17-31R2, dated
December 5, 2019, that previously informed the rotorcraft community of
CRFS compliant designs.
The subject matter of this SAIB does not warrant airworthiness
directive (AD) action under 14 CFR Part 39. However, operating a
rotorcraft with either a full CRFS or partial CRFS reduces the risk of
post-crash fires and improves occupant survivability in an
accident.
Background
On November 2, 1994, the FAA issued airworthiness standards to increase
safety and occupant survivability in the event of a survivable crash by
decreasing the likelihood or delaying the onset of post-crash fires.
The FAA issued 14 CFR 27.952, Amendment 27 -30 and 14 CFR 29.952,
Amendment 29-35 along with other related standards to minimize
crash-induced fuel leaks and potential fuel ignition sources during and
after a crash. These safety enhancing regulations are only mandatory on
newly type certificated rotorcraft, but these protections can be
utilized on rotorcraft that fall outside the applicability of the
regulation on a voluntary basis.
On October 5, 2018, 49 U.S.C. § 44737 (2018) became public law,
created by the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018. This law lists the
helicopter fuel system safety requirements for operation of a “covered”
rotorcraft in the United States airspace. The law was limited in
applicability to newly manufactured rotorcraft. The requirements are
consistent with recommendations that the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory
Committee (ARAC) Rotorcraft Occupant Protection Working Group (ROPWG)
provided to the FAA on March 23, 2018 to improve rotorcraft fuel system
crash resistance.
The FAA initially issued SAIB SW-17-31 on October 13, 2017 to provide
owners and operators a list of helicopters equipped with a fully
compliant CRFS. Two subsequent revisions to the SAIB added information
about the helicopter fuel system safety requirements established by 49
U.S.C. § 44737 (2018) and added a second list of helicopters that
met these requirements.
As noted, the applicability of 49 U.S.C. § 44737 (2018) was
limited to newly manufactured rotorcraft. However, the ROPWG made other
recommendations that applied to rotorcraft in the existing fleet that
had not previously been equipped with CRFS designs. For these cases,
the ROPWG recommended retrofit of simpler fuel system safety
enhancements. These safety enhancements may be voluntarily incorporated
to increase the post-crash fire protection.
The full report for the ROPWG is publicly available at:
https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/rulemaking/committees/documents/index.cfm/search/searchResults.
Recommendations
The FAA recommends if you own, operate, or will occupy a seat in a
rotorcraft as a pilot, aircrew, or passenger, you consider the options
below in order to minimize the potential for a post -crash fire and
maximize the protection to you in a survivable accident.
The FAA introduced a new resource when we published SAIB AIR -21-17,
the Rotorcraft Safety Promotion Concept (RSPC). This concept is
intended to better inform and educate stakeholders about the continuum
of voluntary design and equipment safety enhancement options. The
initial SAIB introduced bird strike designs and mitigations to the
RSPC, while the current SAIB introduces design features of CRFS to the
RSPC. The RSPC document related to CRFS is available at
https://www.faa.gov/aircraft/air_cert/design_approvals/rotorcraft/media/rot_CRFS_RSPC.pdf
.
The different areas on the continuum each offer unique safety benefits
in terms of post-crash fire protection. Stakeholders are encouraged to
use this resource to determine the design and equipment features that
best fit their operational needs, available resources, and personal
risk tolerances.
For stakeholders interested in rotorcraft designs meeting CRFS
standards, the FAA maintains a list at
https://www.faa.gov/aircraft/air_cert/design_approvals/rotorcraft/media/rot_CRFS_Compliant_List.pdf
The RSPC is intended to assist you in making an informed risk -based
decision. If you are not familiar with some of the terms used to
describe different areas on the RSPC continuum in this SAIB, the FAA
recommends the following actions to help you to determine the crash
resistant fuel system capability of a specific rotorcraft.
- For those considering owning or leasing a rotorcraft:
Refer to the RSPC document link above and ask the rotorcraft
manufacturer about the fuel system installed on their product compared
to the RSPC continuum. Rotorcraft manufacturers can provide you
information on available FAA-approved design modifications that will
improve post-crash fire prevention.
- For current owners and operators:
Refer to the RSPC document link above and ask the rotorcraft
manufacturer about available FAA-approved design modifications that
will improve post-crash fire prevention.
- For pilots and aircrew:
Refer to the RSPC document link above and ask your operator about the
fuel system installed on their rotorcraft compared to the RSPC
continuum.
- For passengers:
Refer to the RSPC document link above and ask the operator about the
fuel system installed on their rotorcraft compared to the RSPC
continuum.
- For rotorcraft manufacturers and modifiers:
Refer to the RSPC document link above and contact an FAA ACO if you
want to pursue FAA approval of design modifications that will allow
your product to meet a higher level of crash resistant fuel system
post-crash fire prevention on the RSPC continuum.
For Further Information on Crash Resistant Fuel Systems and this SAIB contact:
Jorge Castillo, Manager, Strategic Policy Rotorcraft Section, Aircraft Certification Service Policy and
Innovation Division, 10101 Hillwood Parkway, Fort Worth, Texas, 76177; phone: (817) 222-5110;
fax: (817) 222-5961; email: Jorge.R.Castillo@faa.gov.