passenger address system

[xpc]

any FARs on inoperative passenger address systems?:confused:

[Captain Stable]

THIS DATA CURRENT AS OF THE FEDERAL REGISTER DATED JUNE 25, 2003

14 CFR - CHAPTER I - PART 25

§ 25.1423 Public address system.

A public address system required by this chapter must --

(a) Be powerable when the aircraft is in flight or stopped on the ground, after the shutdown or failure of all engines and auxiliary power units, or the disconnection or failure of all power sources dependent on their continued operation, for --

(1) A time duration of at least 10 minutes, including an aggregate time duration of at least 5 minutes of announcements made by flight and cabin crewmembers, considering all other loads which may remain powered by the same source when all other power sources are inoperative; and

(2) An additional time duration in its standby state appropriate or required for any other loads that are powered by the same source and that are essential to safety of flight or required during emergency conditions.

(b) Be capable of operation within 10 seconds by a flight attendant at those stations in the passenger compartment from which the system is accessible.

(c) Be intelligible at all passenger seats, lavatories, and flight attendant seats and work stations.

(d) Be designed so that no unused, unstowed microphone will render the system inoperative.

(e) Be capable of functioning independently of any required crewmember interphone system.

(f) Be accessible for immediate use from each of two flight crewmember stations in the pilot compartment.

(g) For each required floor-level passenger emergency exit which has an adjacent flight attendant seat, have a microphone which is readily accessible to the seated flight attendant, except that one microphone may serve more than one exit, provided the proximity of the exits allows unassisted verbal communication between seated flight attendants.

[Doc. No. 26003, 58 FR 45229, Aug. 26, 1993]

[xpc]

thank you for your reply.

would the use of megaphones by cabin crew substitute for inoperative cabin pa system since their use would satisfy the FAR, (cockpit pa operative).

[CD]

Hi xpc...

If you're looking for information on inoperative equipment, you need to check the aircraft MEL. The FAA Master MEL's are developed using policy letters that are found online at:

Opspecs.com (http://www.opspecs.com/)

MMEL Policy Letter 9 identifies the relief provisions associated with inoperative Public Address System, Crewmember Interphone and Alerting Systems.

PL-9 ~ Public Address System (http://www.opspecs.com/MELPolicyTalks/_disc4/00000034.htm)

[xpc]

thank you for your links to those websites they were very informative.

xpc

[ICT_SLB]

Not strictly on thread but the other requirement for P.A.s is C.A.A. Specification 15. This is an old spec. but still in common use by authorities. It basically requires a minimum sound level above ambient such that announcements can be clearly heard anywhere in the cabin (even the lavatories). From my experience you need at least 6dB difference to have any chance to meet this.