Thanks FD,
The prob is we haven't yet got to see the actual AB OEB/TR (if we ever do) - all I have seen is the Notice to Crew which is airline specific - our SOPs are slightly different from the AB generic - but
are AB approved.
However, I have also discovered that if torque of the pump screws in question was not enough, then there is a risk of fire/explosion in the tanks, as you say. Nonethless, I agree the TR should stop that happening and the AB pumps are different from Boeing ones so there is very little risk. In the meantime, inspections are being carried out rapidly, allowing most of our ac to fly unrestricted!
BUT.......fuel and fire fills me with a little dread - TWA 800 and all that! I believe that risk assessors think such a thing is very unlikely to happen - only one occurrence every 2 years, so its not worth the modification! Hmmmm - try telling that to the relatives of TWA 800!?
This is a good read:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inerting_system
Perhaps, instead we should be asking for fuel inerting systems to be employed as a matter of urgency to
all our ac - this fuel pump problem could then be easily solved - for ever. Military ac have inerting systems because people fire at them and their risk is a lot higher - we, however, are at the mercy of our own ac.
(BTW - not all military ac get such protection as inerting sytems or explosive suppressant foam - a bit of a problem for these guys and gals
see
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=215665