Oxygen System

1 FAA Aviation Safety SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS INFORMATION BULLETIN SUBJ: Oxygen System SAIB: NM-17-17 Date: June 19, 2017 This is information only. Recommendations aren’t mandatory.

Introduction

This Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin advises registered owners and operators of The Boeing Company Model 737, 757, and 767 airplanes equipped with certain chemical oxygen generators manufactured by B/E Aerospace, Inc., of an airworthiness concern regarding potential failure of the oxygen system during an emergency situation.

At this time, the airworthiness concern is not an unsafe condition that would warrant airworthiness directive (AD) action under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 39.

Background

We have received a report of malfunction of chemical oxygen generators in the 117042 series manufactured by B/E Aerospace, Inc., and installed on certain Airbus airplanes. After removal of the units from the airplane and activation during the disposal process, it was found that the units did not function properly. If this condition occurred during an emergency situation on the airplane, it could result in failure to deliver oxygen to passengers. Airbus and B/E Aerospace, Inc., performed additional testing and concluded that an oxidation process of the chemical core occurs and could affect the performance of the unit. Following the testing, the life limit of the units was modified from 15 to 10 years. Subsequently, the European Aviation Safety Agency and the FAA issued Airworthiness Directives (the FAA issued AD 2016-16-02), which require the removal of units older than 10 years and impose a 10-year life limit on all 117042 series generators.

B/E Aerospace, Inc., also manufactures chemical oxygen generators with a similar design having part numbers (P/Ns) 117080-02, 117080-03, and 117080-04. These units could have been installed on numerous Boeing airplanes to replace oxygen generators having Boeing P/Ns S417T401-60, S417T401-61, and S417T401-62. To date, we have not received any reports of oxygen generators in the 117080 series failing to provide oxygen during use in an emergency situation, or during activation as part of the disposal process. However, production of the 117080 series generators started in 2001, so units installed during that timeframe have recently reached their 15-year life limit.

The FAA and B/E Aerospace, Inc., plan to conduct further investigation of chemical oxygen generators in the 117080 series that are between 10 and 15 years old since date of manufacture, to determine if these generators have an issue similar to the 117042 series generators.

Recommendations

We recommend that all owners and operators with chemical oxygen generators installed having B/E Aerospace, Inc., P/N 117080-XX inspect to determine the age of the units. We also recommend that owners and operators contact B/E Aerospace, Inc., to arrange for possible exchange of units that are between 10 and 15 years old (since date of manufacture on the identification label). Units returned to B/E Aerospace, Inc., will be examined and tested to determine if the oxidation issue on P/N 117042-XX series generators exists on P/N 117080-XX series generators.

2 For Further Information Contact

Susan L. Monroe, Aerospace Engineer, Cabin Safety and Environmental Systems Branch, ANM-150S, FAA, Seattle Aircraft Certification Office, 1601 Lind Avenue SW., Renton, Washington 98057-3356; telephone 425-917-6457; fax 425-917-6590; e-mail [email protected].

For Related Service Information Contact

Mike Zimmers, Global Product Support Manager; B/E Aerospace, Oxygen & PSU Systems; 10800 Pflumm Road, Lenexa, Kansas 66215; telephone 913-323-6413; email [email protected].