INSPECTION SERVICE BULLETIN

BAe 146 SERIES/AVRO 146‑RJ SERIES AIRCRAFT

 

MANDATORY

 

ISB.21-1156

 

CAA #003-10-2002

 

TITLE : AIR CONDITIONING ‑ TO INSPECT AIR CONDITIONING

SOUND‑ATTENUATING DUCTS FOR SIGNS OF OIL CONTAMINATION.

 

1. Planning information

 

A.Effectivity

 

Aircraft

Aircraft affected by this inspection are defined below:

 

ALL BAe 146 100, 200, 300 Series

 

The inspection applies to aircraft with the cabin air

filtration system fitted (Modifications HCM01316A or

HCM013168) and also to aircraft without the cabin air

filtration system fitted.

 

B.Reason

 

Incidents have been reported involving impaired performance of the

flight crew. Investigations have been conducted to determine

whether the events could have been caused by inhalation of an

agent(s) resulting from oil and/or oil breakdown products leaking

from the engine(s) or APU and contaminating the environmental

control system. At this time, there is no substantiated evidence

indicating that oil breakdown products can impair crew

performance.

 

In the past, oil leaks and cabin/flight deck odours and fumes may

have come to be regarded as a nuisance rather than a potential

flight safety issue

 

However whilst investigations are being carried out to determine

the nature of any agents that may be released into the cabin

environment and to define any necessary corrective actions, oil

leaks and cabin/flight deck odours must be regarded as a potential

threat to flight safety, they should not be dismissed as a mere

nuisance and should be addressed as soon as possible.

 

Mandatory Inspection Bulletin ISB.21 –150 was issued in April 2001

to inspect the engine oil seals, the APU and the ECS jet pumps and

air conditioning packs for signs of oil contamination. Following

further investigations of cabin air quality complaints by BAE

SYSTEMS, this ISB is intended to supplement the ISB.21‑150 by

extending the areas inspected to include the sound attenuating

ducting downstream of the packs under the rear cabin floor, either

side of the mixing chamber duct/filter housing. It has been shown

by recent inspection of in‑service aircraft that sound attenuating

material within these ducts has acted as an absorbent for oil

contamination on some aircraft.

 

This ISB does not replace ISB.21‑150, it must be complied with in

addition to ISB.21‑150. Note that both this ISB and ISB.21‑150

contain feedback forms for each operator to inform BAE SYSTEMS of

the findings, and this feedback is required, even when no

contamination has been found. These feedback results are used by

BAE SYSTEMS in conjunction with the Airworthiness Authority to

determine the periodicity of any inspections. Failure to return

the feedback forms, including those forms which show ‘no

contamination', constitutes a non‑compliance with the associated

Airworthiness Directives. Failure to return the feedback forms

also results in BAE SYSTEMS having incomplete data of the

cleanliness state of the fleet, which hampers negotiations with

the airworthiness authorities to extend the inspection period.

 

C.Description

 

(1) Inspection of the inside of each of the four air conditioning

       sound‑attenuating ducts for the presence of oil contamination.

 

NOTE:   Flight crews should be reminded of the importance of

                    donning oxygen masks‑if poor cabin air quality is

                    suspected, and reminded of the importance of reporting

                    smoke or smells as a technical defect (ref. AOM

                    00/030V).

 

D.Compliance

 

The actions generated by this Inspection Service Bulletin are

classified as MANDATORY by the U.K. C.A.A.

 

(1)        Effective 30 November 2002, at the next "A" check or within a

              maximum of 500 flights and repeated at every subsequent "C"

              check, inspect and rectify in accordance with para 2 of this

              ISB.

 

(2)        Notwithstanding the frequency of inspection required by this

              ISB, operators are reminded that if a persistent air quality

              problem is reported at any time, which is suspected of being

              caused by oil contamination of the air conditioning system,

              these ducts should be inspected and rectified in accordance

              with para 2 of this ISB.

 

E.Approval

 

The technical information contained in this document has been

approved under the authority of JAA Design Organization Approval

No.CAA.JA.02034.

 

F.Manpower

 

(1) To inspect as defined in para 2.A ‑ 5 man‑hours.

 

G.Materials ‑ cost and availability

 

Cost and Availability is by arrangement between the Operator and BAE SYSTEMS.

 

H.Tooling ‑ cost and availability

 

Cost and Availability is by arrangement between the Operator and BAE SYSTEMS.

 

I.Weight and balance

 

No Effect.

 

J.References

 

Aircraft Maintenance Manual AMM 06‑04‑00, 12‑10‑24, 21‑09‑11,

23‑71‑24, 31‑31‑27

 

ALL Operator Message AOM 00/030V

 

K.Publications affected

 

None.

 

L.Electrical load data

 

Not applicable.

 

2.Accomplishment instructions

 

A.GENERAL

 

The inspection procedures outlined in this ISB address problems

caused by oil contamination of the air distribution system from

the air conditioning system. It is imperative that the source of

oil is identified.

 

Mandatory ISB.21‑150 addresses problems caused by oil

contamination to the air conditioning system, in particular oil

contamination in the air conditioning pack regenerative air ducts

and air cycle machine, inspection of engine and APU for oil leaks

and inspection of the APU bay for contamination.

 

If a report of poor cabin air quality which is associated with oil

contamination of the air distribution supply from the air

conditioning system is made at an airfield where the inspections

described in this section cannot be accomplished, it is

permissible at the discretion of the flight crew with due

consideration to the nature of the event to continue operation

for the rest of the day, in order to get the aircraft to a suitable

airfield where these inspections and rectification actions can be

conducted

 

NOTE:   Flight crews should be reminded of the importance of donning

                    oxygen masks if poor cabin air quality is suspected, and

                    reminded of the importance of reporting smoke or smells as a

                    technical defect (Ref. AOM 00/030V).

 

This ISB requires inspection and rectification if necessary of the

sound attenuating ducts that supply air to the mixing chamber duct

and route air from the mixing chamber duct. For aircraft with the

air filtration system installed (Mods HCM01316A or HCM01316B), the

filter housing is fitted in place of the mixing chamber duct. The

mixing chamber duct/filter housing is Located in a central position

beneath the rear vestibule/cabin floor between Frames 40 and 42.

The part numbers of the affected ducts are dependant upon the

optional Modification configuration of the aircraft:

 

Port Side, upstream of mixing chamber duct/filter housing:

 

XC5341  duct with ram air system installed

 

XC5349  duct with no ram air system

 

X6588 duct with flight deck boost system installed

 

Starboard Side, upstream of mixing chamber duct/filter housing:

 

XC5348  duct with no ground conditioning system installed

 

XC5423  duct with ground conditioning system installed

 

  Port and starboard side, downstream of mixing chamber duct / filter housing:

 

   XB5283 duct

 

These ducts are all silencer ducts with a silicone flexible outer

skin and a porous inner flexible skin, the area between the skins

is filled with a glass fibre sound attenuating absorber. It is not

possible to effectively clean the duct owing to the porous nature

of the glass fibre material.

 

WARNING HYDRAULICS: PRIOR TO ENERGISING OR DE‑ENERGIZING AIRCRAFT

ELECTRICAL BUSBARS:

 

MAKE CERTAIN:

 

     GROUND SAFETIES ARE IN POSITION.

     ALL PERSONNEL ARE CLEAR OF HYDRAULICALLY ACTUATED SURFACES.

     CONTROL LEVERS MATCH THEIR RELEVANT COMPONENT POSITIONS.

     TRAVEL RANGE OF HYDRAULICALLY ACTUATED SURFACES IS UNOBSTRUCTED.

     Observe all WARNINGS and CAUTIONS appearing in the Aircraft

       Maintenance Manual (AMM) referred to in this Inspection Service

       Bulletin.

 

B.Inspection of sound attenuating ducts and mixing chamber duct in

air conditioning distribution system

 

(1) Display warning notices on flight deck prohibiting the use of air conditioning.

 

(2) Open rear cargo compartment door (818)

 

(3) In rear cargo compartment, refer to Aircraft Maintenance Manual

AMM 06‑04‑00 remove and retain access panels 181HL and 182HR.

 

(4) If necessary, refer to Aircraft Maintenance Manual AMM 31‑31‑27

  remove and retain Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder

  AMM 23‑71‑24 .

 

(5) For each of the two sound attenuating ducts connecting from the rear

        pressure bulkhead to the mixing chamber duct or filter housing:

 

(a)         release and retain clamps from rear pressure dome connector and

           sound attenuating duct OR release and retain clamps from mixing

           chamber duct/filter housing and sound attenuating duct if this is

           more accessible

 

(b)         pull sound attenuating duct away from dome connector or chamber/

           housing and inspect interior of sound attenuating duct for contamination.

 

For page 7 through 14 see hard copy of BRITISH AEROSPACE CAA MANDATORY

SERVICE BULLETIN ISB.21-156 dated Oct 31/02.