NTSB offers safety recommendations to EASA.

Press Release Summary:



NTSB recommendations include A-10-88 which requires small/medium flocking bird certification test be conducted using lowest expected fan speed, for minimum climb rate. Recommendation A-10-90 covers checklist/procedure for dual-engine failure of turbine-powered aircraft at low altitude, while A-10-89 addresses need for changes in large flocking bird certification test standards. Pilots ability to ditch aircraft is covered in A-10-91. Other recommendations include A-10-92 through -95.



Original Press Release:



NTSB Safety Recommendations A-10-088 through -95



Therefore, the National Transportation Safety Board makes the following recommendations to the European Aviation Safety Agency:

Modify the small and medium flocking bird certification test standard in Joint Aviation Regulations-Engines to require that the test be conducted using the lowest expected fan speed, instead of 100-percent fan speed, for the minimum climb rate. (A-10-88)

During the bird-ingestion rulemaking database (BRDB) working group's reevaluation of the current engine bird-ingestion certification regulations, specifically reevaluate the Joint Aviation Regulations-Engines (JAR-E) large flocking bird certification test standards to determine whether they should 1) apply to engines with an inlet area of less than 3,875 square inches and 2) include a requirement for engine core ingestion. If the BRDB working group's reevaluation determines that such requirements are needed, incorporate them into JAR-E and require that newly certificated engines be designed and tested to these requirements. (A-10-89)

Require manufacturers of turbine-powered aircraft to develop a checklist and procedure for a dual-engine failure occurring at a low altitude. (A-10-90)

Require applicants for aircraft certification to demonstrate that their ditching parameters can be attained without engine power by pilots without the use of exceptional skill or strength. (A-10-91)

Require Airbus to redesign the frame 65 vertical beam on A318, A319, A320, and A321 series airplanes to lessen the likelihood that it will intrude into the cabin during a ditching or gear-up landing and Airbus operators to incorporate these changes on their airplanes. (A-10-92)

Require, on all new and in-service transport-category airplanes, that cabin safety equipment be stowed in locations that ensure that life rafts and/or slide/rafts remain accessible and that sufficient capacity is available for all occupants after a ditching. (A-10-93)

Require quick-release girts and handholds on all evacuation slides and ramp/slide combinations. (A-10-94)

Require modifications to life vest stowage compartments or stowage compartment locations to improve the ability of passengers to retrieve life vests for all occupants. (A-10-
95)

http://ntsb.gov/recs/letters/2010/A-10-088-095.pdf

The complete recommendation letter is available on the Web at the URL indicated above.

The letter is in the Portable Document Format (PDF) and can be read using the Acrobat Reader 5.0 or later from Adobe (http://www.adobe.com/prodindex/acrobat/readstep.html).

An archive of recommendation letters is available at www.ntsb.gov/recs/letters/letters.htm.

Electronic versions of letters may or may not include enclosures; however, related publications, accident briefs, and aviation accident synopses may be found on the NTSB website.

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