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Certification Procedures for Altered Interior Surfaces. Tim Marker. FAA Technical Center. Certification Procedures for Altered Interior Surfaces. FAA Objective: Improve consistency and standardization of practices by ACO’s and DER’s.
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Certification Procedures for Altered Interior Surfaces Tim Marker FAA Technical Center
Certification Procedures for Altered Interior Surfaces FAA Objective: Improve consistency and standardization of practices by ACO’s and DER’s Any altered (re-painted, re-laminated, or otherwise resurfaced) interior panel must remain compliant with the original type certification basis of the aircraft If a majority of the interior panel surfaces will be altered, this constitutes a “substantially complete replacement”, and all surfaces must meet the current 65/65/200 requirements, regardless of original type certification basis Hardship encountered when original panel “spares” representing interior panel composition are not available
How do we run a qualification test? Various alternatives exist by which altered panels can be qualified in the absence of exact panel spares: • Cut-out of in service panel • Substitute Panel, which is the same generic construction as the original, • including core type and thickness, type and number of pre-preg plies, and • any original surfacing such as paint or decorative • Critical Panel (Surrogate), which has burn length or heat release numbers • close to the limit (i.e., a burn length of 5 inches and a heat release rate of • 60/60)
Cut-out of in service panel Advantages: Simple, Accurate, Quick Disadvantages: Destructive test requires replacement of entire panel, curvature of actual panel limits number of samples possible • Substitute Panel Advantages: Once produced, numerous tests can be run on abundant samples Disadvantages: Cost, Time, Accuracy • Critical Panel (Surrogate), Advantages: Once produced, numerous tests can be run on abundant samples, same panel can be used for qualification of variety of in-service alterations Disadvantages: Cost, Time, Accuracy (effects of synergism can not be accurately predicted)