SFAR 88/CDCCL COURSE
Welcome to Fuel Tank Safety Training -
AD Mandated Course
The purpose of this course is for you to
become familiar with the requirements
for:
Critical Design Configuration and Control
Limitations (CDCCLs); you must comply with
these mandatory SFAR 88 procedures beginning
December 16, 2008
Electrical Wiring Interconnection System
(EWIS); you must immediately comply with these
policies and procedures due to NWA policy, but
the FAA requires all airlines comply to EWIS
beginning 2011
This course is made up of three topics:
CDCCL – This topic explains how to follow these
instructions when maintaining aircraft and
components; you will see a few examples of
CDCCLs in documentation
EWIS – This topic introduces EWIS, related terms
and the concept of wiring as a system (rather
than as a component)
Clean As You Go – This topic explains the
‘clean as you go’ philosophy; this philosophy is a
result of EWIS
Fuel Tank Safety History
EWIS, CDCCLs, and the Clean As You Go philosophy were
mandated by the FAA in reaction to two aircraft disasters, TWA
Flight 800 and Swiss Air Flight 111. The causes of both disasters
were likely due to faulty wiring, and in the case of TWA Flight
800 the faulty wiring was over the center wing fuel tank.
Below is a brief explanation of both disasters.
TWA Flight 800 — On July 17, 1996 Flight 800 crashed into the
Atlantic Ocean near East Moriches, New York while enroute from Reconstruction of TWA 800 wreckage at the Naval Weapons
JFK to Leonardo da Vinci Airport (FCO) in Rome, Italy. All 230 Industrial Reserve Plant.
people on board died. After a four year investigation, it was
determined that the probable cause of the crash was due to an
explosion of the center wing fuel tank because of faulty wiring.
Swiss Air Flight 111 — On September 2, 1998 Flight 111
crashed into the Atlantic Ocean southwest of Halifax International
Airport while enroute from JFK to Cointrin International Airport
(GVA) in Geneva, Switzerland. All 229 people on board died.
After a four year investigation, it was determined that the inflight
fire was due to faulty wiring, leading to instrument failure and
loss of control.
Reconstruction of Swiss Air 111 wreckage at the Shearwater
Canadian Forces Base.
Topic 1: Critical Design Configuration Control
Limitation (CDCCL)
CDCCL is a mandatory requirement of SFAR 88. As stated earlier
in this course, SFAR 88 is the regulation that establishes
requirements for fuel system safety.
CDCCLs identify certain design configuration features that prevent
a fuel tank ignition source during the operational life of an aircraft.
CDCCLs are statements that you will encounter in different
maintenance documentation, including the AMM, and vendor and
component manuals.
Whenever you see a CDCCL in any documentation, you must follow
its instructions exactly.
Examples of tasks that include CDCCLs are:
•The bonding and grounding of fuel system components
•The routing of fuel system wiring
•The maintenance of the center wing sump pump drain valve
NOTE: CDCCLs affect all aircraft fleets.
SFAR 88 and Non-Routine Tasks
Fuel system maintenance and repair are typically non-routine tasks, so you will not
receive a job card. However, while performing maintenance on the fuel system, you still
need to comply with SFAR 88 requirements, which include following CDCCL procedures
and treating the wiring in the area as a wiring system. CDCCLs are unique and specific
for each fleet type.
Here are three instances where you must follow CDCCL procedures and SFAR 88
requirements when maintaining or repairing the fuel system:
Any time you access floor panels over the center wing tank on 747 and 757 aircraft,
you must conduct a detailed inspection of the wire bundles routed over the center wing
fuel tank
Any time a fuel pump circuit breaker is tripped, you must:
Follow the OEM troubleshooting procedures: these are located in the COM for
when the aircraft is in the air, and the FIM or TSM for when the aircraft is on
the ground
Isolate and correct the fault that caused the circuit breaker to trip before
resetting the circuit breaker
Any time you perform maintenance on the Fuel Quantity Indicating System (FQIS)
wire bundle in the unpressurized zone (outside of fuselage), you must inspect the
connectors and conduct a Loop Resistance Test
IMPORTANT: If work is assigned, and subject to an SFAR 88 or a CDCCL procedure,
the task must be followed and completed in its entirety in order for the task to be
closed. For example, an MEL cannot be closed if the procedure includes a CDCCL
requiring a loop resistance check. But, this check cannot be performed even though all
other maintenance steps have been completed. (The MEL must remain as an open and
active MEL, and deferred for later completion).
Additional Examples of SFAR 88 and
Non-routine Tasks
The following pages contains additional
examples of SFAR 88 and non-routine tasks
where you must follow CDCCL procedures. SFAR
88 and CDCCL procedural requirements can be
found in any fleet type or aircraft, these are just
representative examples of what might be
required.
Note: All work must be documented and
reference the applicable manuals, for example:
AMM, SRM and CMM.
Example 1
DC9 fuel tank maintenance practices for preparing the fuel tank for exit, AMM 28-00-00
page 219, which requires multiple check point items upon closing the fuel tank.
Example 2
DC9 fuel boost pump removal and replacement, AMM 28-20-07 page 202 paragraph B,
requires a second set of eyes to witness the torque of the pump electrical connector
Topic 2: Electrical Wiring
Interconnection System (EWIS)
In this topic, you will learn:
• The EWIS-related terms and regulations,
including SFAR 88, Enhanced Zonal
Analysis Program (EZAP) and Enhanced
Airworthiness Program for Airline
Systems (EAPAS)
• The importance of regarding wiring as
a system
Aircraft wiring, especially those on
aging aircraft, can be affected by
many factors. Several are listed on the
graphic on the left. The policies of
EAPAS and EWIS require that you
visually inspect the wiring in the area
you are performing maintenance. This
extra effort on your part helps ensure
that aircraft wiring is in good working
order to help ensure aircraft safety.
EAPAS, EWIS, and SFAR 88
The FAA’s Enhanced Airworthiness Program for Airline Systems
(EAPAS) is part of the aging aircraft initiative to enhance safety.
EAPAS requires taking additional safety measures to protect
Electrical Wiring and Interconnection Systems (EWIS).
The FAA defines EWIS as:
Any wire, wiring device, or combination of these, including
termination devices, installed in the airplane for transmitting
electrical energy between two or more termination points.
Also, the Special Federal Aircraft Regulation (SFAR) 88, regulates
fuel system safety by minimizing fuel ignition sources. Because
electrical components are present in the fuel pumping and fuel
level indications system, it overlaps with EAPAS.
EAPAS, EWIS and EZAP affect how you do your work by requiring
you to:
Regard wiring as a system (not as a component)
Visually inspect the area around the wiring system before
performing maintenance
Clean as you go during any aircraft maintenance
EAPAS also requires engineers to conduct an Enhanced Zonal
Analysis Program (EZAP) analysis to determine how wiring systems
might be affected due to maintenance in the area. Engineers use
This diagram illustrates how the FAA's wiring safety
these analyses to create work cards.
programs came into existence.
Topic 3: Clean As You Go
In this topic, you will learn about the importance of the clean as you
go philosophy.
The clean as you go philosophy is part of the EWIS program.
Cleaning the work area before, during and after maintenance is
another way to help protect wiring systems, especially those on
aging aircraft. In addition to visually inspecting the wiring system for
possible wear and/or contamination, you are also responsible for
making sure that a wiring system does not become contaminated
while performing maintenance.
The clean as you go philosophy requires you to:
1. Conduct a general visual inspection of the area to determine
what possible contaminants could come in contact with the wiring
system during maintenance.
2. Protect the wiring system by covering it with a plastic sheet, cloth
or other protective covering before performing maintenance in
the area.
3. Clean the area of any debris, liquids, metal shavings and filings,
etc. using a vacuum or brush after completing maintenance.
4. Remove the cover from the wiring system.
5. Reclean the area.
The EWIS System Program is a cultural change that demands that
extra measures are taken so that the maintenance area remains in a
clean state to protect aging systems.
Fuel Tank Safety Training - AD
Mandated Training Summary
In this course you reviewed:
The importance of following CDCCLs exactly as they
read in any maintenance documentation, including
those that are associated with non-routine tasks
The EWIS-related terms and regulations, including
SFAR 88, Enhanced Zonal Analysis Program (EZAP),
Enhanced Airworthiness Program for Airline Systems
(EAPAS)
The need for a General Visual Inspection (GVI) of
the wiring system and the area around it
The importance of regarding wiring as a system
The clean as you go philosophy intends to protect
wiring systems while maintenance is performed
The SFAR-88 and CDCCL programs went into effect
Dec 16, 2008 and must be followed from that date
forward