Harmonization of Airworthiness Standards-Fire Extinguishers and Class B and F Cargo Compartments

The FAA is amending certain airworthiness regulations for transport category airplanes by upgrading fire safety standards for Class B cargo compartments; establishing fire safety standards for a new type of cargo compartment, Class F; and updating related standards for fire extinguishers. This amendment is based on recommendations from the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and the changes address designs for which airworthiness directives (ADs) have been issued by both the FAA and the French civil aviation authority, Direction G[eacute]n[eacute]rale de l'Aviation Civile (DGAC). This amendment eliminates certain regulatory differences between the airworthiness standards of the FAA and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), without affecting current industry design practices. These changes ensure an acceptable level of safety for these types of cargo compartments by standardizing certain requirements and procedures.