Introduced by www.easaonline.com 

The requirement for EASA Compliant Fuel Tank Safety  (FTS) Training may be found in the New EASA Agency Decision Papers: •2009/006/R •2009/007/R. Both relate to Aircraft Fuel System Safety Effective from 28 March 2007. Essentially the rationale for FTS Training was developed following the TWA 800 Disaster to both Familiarize candidates with the elements of Fuel Tank System Safety Issues and to enable candidates to understand the historical background and elements requiring consideration concerning fuel system safety. In addition to Equip candidates to understand and use the language of fuel system safety issues and allowing candidates to understand and interpret fuel system safety issues from regulatory and manufacturer’s maintenance publications Satisfy Parts M & 145 Amendments on fuel system safety

Continuing Airworthiness Management and associated CAW tasks are the primary responsibility of the Operator's CAMO. Regarding the management of Fuel Tank Procedures, it is expected that the 145 Organisation should update the Maintenance Organisation Exposition (MOE) to include FTS concepts and organisation’s obligations. The Part 145 organisation is also responsible for all health and safety procedures including those relating to fuel tank Nitrogen Inerting Systems

In the aftermath of the TWA investigation, the NTSB recommends reducing flammability as the priority, and reducing ignition sources as a necessary but ‘secondary’ need. After investigation, it was determined the most effective solution was to introduce Nitrogen Inerting within the Centre Fuel Tank on applicable and affected aircraft.

Nitrogen Inerting systems use Onboard Generated Nitrogen Enriched air NEA typically generated from Engine Bleed Air

Regarding the source document to identify the obligations for compliance. Whilst the Joint Airworthiness Authority (JAA) issued Technical Guidance Leaflet 47 (TGL 47) The FAA issued the following two guidance documents (Advisory Circular) AC 25.981-1B – Fuel Tank Ignition Source Prevention Guidelines &  AC 25.981-2 – Fuel Tank Flammability Minimization Guidelines

Examples of potential ignition sources  include Electrical arcs and sparks – wiring and component failures, lightning, HIRF/EMI, static as well as  Friction sparks – metallic surfaces rubbing – debris in the pump impeller, or interference between the impeller and case Hot surface ignition

Following the investigations by the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC) A new term was developed Critical Design Configuration Control Limitations (CDCCL): As applied to Fuel Tank safety policy, this term refers to a feature of the fuel system design the integrity of which must be maintained to ensure that unsafe conditions do not develop.

Please Note that CDCCL are not controlled by Hours cycles or calendars and examples of CDDCCL include the Bonding feature attaching to components and tank, Separation of fuel gauge wiring from other high–power wiring

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