FAA Adopts Rule to Reduce Risk of Fuel-Tank Explosions In Boeing 777s Written 23 September 2020

FlightGlobal reports that the FAA has “adopted a controversial rule aimed at modifying early Boeing 777s to reduce the risk of a centre fuel-tank explosion, having dismissed multiple objections by foreign operators of the type.” The FAA “claims the indicating system design has ‘potential for latent faults,’ with closely-bundled wiring, and poses the threat of arcs or sparking – with a possible ignition of fuel vapour under particular conditions.” The rule is part of the FAA’s “effort to reduce the risk of fuel-vapour explosion across a range of aircraft types.” US “operators are already required to fit flammability-reduction systems to passenger 777s, but the FAA intends its rule to apply to foreign-operated aircraft as well – even though other regulators, including the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, have chosen not to mandate a similar retrofit.” The proposal has “been badly received by several high-profile overseas carriers.”
Full Story (FlightGlobal)