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Islander Jock
22nd Apr 2002, 13:29
A question for someone with experience in the life support area.

WRT the aviation life jackets and I am referring to the type which are folded into small pouches. I have seen numerous occasions where GA pax are taking them out and wearing them because they are flying at or below 2,000ft AMSL. To my mind, if I was given a lifejacket which had obviously been tampered with after it's last inspection, I wouldn't touch it.

The problem we have as a provider of these things is that as far as the servicing agent is concerned, once they are removed from their packed state, the survey is no longer valid and some pilots want to wear them on their short flights over water. However, I am unable to find any manufacturers documentation that says the jackets can only be considered servicable for emergency use if they are maintained IAW the previous survey.

So it appears to be a bit of a catch 22. The service agents agree they are out of survey once unpacked but there is no documentation to back it up. The only opinion CASA have on the matter is that the jacket must be approved and serviceable.

Anyone know where I can get some authoritative guidance on this one? :confused:

RatherBeFlying
22nd Apr 2002, 16:59
There are lifejackets designed to be worn for the entire flight in small aircraft. Go here (http://www.harrymendelssohn.com/homeframe.html) and click on Lifejackets -> HM Survivor for one example.

Islander Jock
23rd Apr 2002, 00:58
RatherBeFlying,

Fully aware of the alternatives available in lifejackets. RFD11A, Beaufort etc

Probably didn't articulate my question very well. I am looking for manufacturers or other legislative directions on the current jackets.

Checkboard
23rd Apr 2002, 03:48
Hi IJ, Long time no see!

What have you done - bought a few ex-Ansett lifejackets at a fire sale ;)

Islander Jock
23rd Apr 2002, 05:41
Nah mate,

Just trying to sort out an unresolved issue with the damn things. Seems everyone I speak to want to throw it in the too hard basket.

Tinstaafl
23rd Apr 2002, 12:07
I've always had this conundrum too.

On one hand it's mandatory for them to be worn outside gliding range and B020, but on the other hand there's the possible loss of 'approved' status as soon as they're removed from the bag.

One slightly mitigating factor: Some of the LJ repair/certification agencies only fold & package the thing in a plastic bag sealed with sticky tape so at least there doesn't seem to be a problem with some critical proctective container.

phd
24th Apr 2002, 10:59
I understand the need for lifejackets to be independently certified and packed and sealed in bags etc. on commercial passenger transport flights - but on GA flights I would suggest they only need to be suitable, available and serviceable. The pilot of the flight will need to ensure these 3 requirements are fulfilled. He/she may need to consider what type of lifejacket is the most suitable for the intended flight, and take advice from specialists as necessary, as there are many different types available with different features, such as auto-inflation, strobes, retro-reflective and radar reflective surfaces, and some even include personal locator beacons etc.

Questions to consider

Suitable?
Can it be worn deflated under a harness? You may not be able to put it on in the event of a ditching inside the tight confines of a light aircraft, and putting it on once outside the cockpit may also be difficult if not impossible in a heavy sea.
Does it inflate both manually by pulling a cord or blowing into a mouthpiece, and automatically by contact with water? If casualties may be unconscious in the water then automatic inflation may be required. Is it for a child and therefore does it fit or will it just slide up over their head in the water allowing them to drown?

Available?
Self-explanatory really, either make sure each person is wearing their lifejacket before they get in the aircraft, or ensure there are sufficient carried on-board for each person and they can be easily reached by each person during the flight if necessary.

Serviceable?
Most lifejackets require at least an annual visual inspection and functional check of the inflation mechanisms and air-bladder to make sure they will perform their function if required. Such equipment is also usually 'lifed' i.e. is designed to be used only for a finite time after manufacture such as 5 or 10 years and then destroyed. This is because some of the materials used in their manufacture will naturally deteriorate over time and even if they look OK and the lifejacket inflates - it may not remain intact and therefore may fail to perform its function in a real emergency. Manufacturers should provide information leaflets with their products which describe the inspections and tests that should be performed. Most people can be trained to perform these inspections and tests competently after about 2-3 hours on a relevant training course. However the manufacturers know that many customers have not been trained and would rather let someone else do the checks. They also know they can charge a sum of money for this service so generally do not encourage self-checking by life-jacket owners.

If you hire life-jackets or other survival equipment from reputable suppliers you can be reasonably confident that it has been checked recently and is serviceable, and you should obtain certification to this effect from the supplier.

If you own the equipment you, as the captain of the aircraft, need to make sure that it has been checked and tested and is within its prescribed 'lifetime' before entering the aircraft. If you are not sure you can do this - then you need to get yourself suitably trained. The equipment manufacturer, Royal Yachting Association, or RNLI may be able to offer this training.

When I worked for the National Rivers Authority we did this training and checking in-house for hundreds of our employees who worked on, over and near water on a daily basis. We also maintained appropriate records so we knew which jackets were checked and serviceable and which were not.

Hope this helps.

GlueBall
24th Apr 2002, 20:22
Just for the record: Once I had inflated a lifejacket that had been in dusty storage for 19 years. It worked and it stayed inflated! Nice to know. :cool:

Islander Jock
10th May 2002, 13:11
PHD,

Very interesting post.

Please direct me to the relevant CAO that differentiates lifejacket standards for GA, charter or RPT.. :confused:

.Most people can be trained to perform these inspections and tests competently after about 2-3 hours on a relevant training course.

Trained perhaps, but qualified and authorised by a relevant authority such as AMSA or CASA? I would suggest not. The assertion of anyone being trained to inspect lifejackets is fine so long is it is confined to jackets for their own private use. If I use or provide a jacket to a third party then I want to make sure the item is going to be able to perform its job in an emergency and being inspected by someone who knows "a little about them" doesn't quite cut it with me.

I had one jacket recently returned which was partially inflated. I cannot say for sure, but the balance of probabilities leads me to the conclusion that it was being worn, inflated, inside the aircraft during an over water flight. As a trainer in helicopter underwater escape I know only to well the dangers of this practice.

Back to my orginal question:

Where can I find authoritative advice which states either way that if a jacket has been tampered with or removed from packaging since last survey then it is considered not to be serviceable as a lifesaving device in an aircraft.

Checkboard
13th May 2002, 05:54
LIfe jackets are approved under TSO-C 13f (http://av-info.faa.gov/tso/Tsocur/C13f.doc), as per CAO 103.13 (http://www.casa.gov.au/download/orders/cao103/10313.pdf) (NB the CAO mentions the superceeded TSO-C 13e), or ATSO-1C13 (http://www.casa.gov.au/avreg/aircraft/download/atso1c13.pdf)

Each manufacturer details their own maintenance standard for each type of life jacket, which includes the method of storage. This means you will need to write to the individual jacket manufacturer and ask if their required maintenance schedule includes the jacket being sealed within the plastic sheath.

Reading the TSO, the standard requires the manufacturer to guarantee the seals and material for the inspection period of the life preserver (along with the method of storage), and you can see that the "cheapies" used by the airlines aren't particularly tough. I would assume that the tough plastic sheath is required for storage, in order to protect the seal and material integrity. Life preservers that I have seen and used that weren't stored in a plastic sheath were all built from very tough nylon, much tougher than the stored types.

I think that you will be out of luck, should the jacket not be stored in the plastic sheath provided.

Islander Jock
13th May 2002, 11:56
Ah Checkers me old mate,

Knew I could rely on you. :D

Tried to find something under TSO-C 13e to which CAR103.13 refers but without luck. I will be putting together an article for our next newsletter on the matter.

The pilots / pax are perfectly correct to don an approved jacket for their weekend 10 minute flights over to Rotto but the big question of it's condition upon it's return is the issue here.

I know, having flown offshore a bit, that many of the yolk type aviation jackets have a security thread either on the velcro seam or on the activation tab. Makes you feel a hell of a lot more confident about their serviceability.

Islander Jock
27th Jun 2002, 01:00
After a lot of phone calls and emails I have finally come up with something on this one.

The Eastern Aero Marine, (who manufacture the EAM aviation lifejacket) Component Maintenance Manual states:

Life preservers removed from their packaging, functionally tested, inflated or deployed for demonstration or training purposes must undergo maintenance inspection before being returned to service regardless of their date of manufacture or "in service" status

So looks like my original suspicions were correct regarding these things. Good thing about the EAM jackets is that the pouch has the belly band sewn to the outside of it and also to the jacket which means it can be fastened around the waist. In an emergency, all that is required is to open the pouch and pull it over the head. Another good reson for people not tampering with them and re-packing themselves. For pilots who want to fly wearing a lifejacket the best option will be the horse collar type ie. RFD 11A or similar.

Checkboard
27th Jun 2002, 04:23
If the regs state that the jacket must be worn, and the EAM product comes with a strap to strap it around your waist - aren't you then wearing it (for the purpose of the regs) even thought the jacket itself is still within its protective package?

As you don't inflate life jackets inside the aircraft anyway, I would have thought that the purpose for the regulation is that you have a jacket on you if you have to jump into the water with little or no notice. haveing the thing strapped to you waist would seem to meet that requirement.

Islander Jock
27th Jun 2002, 07:07
G'day Checkers,

Exactly our interpretation too about the belly bands. My main concern was with the jackets being removed from the pouches and being worn over the head. Associated risks of damage to chambers, lights etc. Not to mention the temptation of premature inflation.

Will be putting together something on this soon for CASA.

Cheers