Hello SNS3Guppy,
Are you talking about USA? My understanding is that the FAA Certification Standards changed from 1998 as you state.
But I also note the following ammendment to the rules which were supposed to relate to all aircraft registered from 1958 to 1998 that were not covered by these standards. My understanding of this rule means that ALL US registered transport category aircraft had to upgrade Class D compartments to Class C or E by 2001. This was as a result of AA132 and ValuJet592...
If you can show me an existing document that shows otherwise I would be very interested.
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 25
[Docket No. 28937, Amendment No. 25-93]
"...The Class D compartments in certain transport category airplanes manufactured under existing type certificates and used in passenger service must meet the fire or smoke detection and fire suppression standards for Class C compartments by early 2001 for use in air carrier, or most other commercial service. The Class D compartments in certain transport category airplanes manufactured under existing type certificates and used only for the carriage of cargo must also meet such standards or the corresponding standards for Class E compartments by that date for such service. These improved standards are adopted to increase protection from possible in-flight fires."
Thanks