SAIB CE-00-24

SPECIAL

AIRWORTHINESS

INFORMATION

BULLETIN

REGULATORY SUPPORT DIVISION P.O. BOX 26460 OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA 73125-0460

U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration No. CE-00-24 July 11, 2000 SAIB’s are posted on the internet at http://av-info.faa.gov This is issued for informational purposes only and any recommendation for corrective action is not mandatory.

INTRODUCTION The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued Recommendation A-97-36 on May 22, 1997. This recommendation stated:

"Promptly require the inspection of the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and associated equipment on all Beech 1900 aircraft and ensure that operators take corrective action to repair deficient CVR systems so that the intelligibility of recorded communications, including radio transmissions to and from the airplane, is as high as practicable."

BACKGROUND The FAA, Small Airplane Directorate has now received service information from Raytheon Aircraft Company that specifies modification to the CVR systems of the Raytheon Model Beech 1900, 1900C and 1900D airplanes that improve the CVR systems in a manner consistent with the NTSB recommendation.

Raytheon has designed an improved CVR amplifier and also new circuitry for the side tone wiring and has issued Service Bulletin (SB) SB 23-3094: "Communication -- Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) Audio Amplifier Modification" recommending the incorporation of these changes. These changes went into production with Raytheon Model Beech 1900D airplane serial UE-377.

The FAA strongly urges the incorporation of the provisions of service bulletin SB 23-3094 Communication -- Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) Audio Amplifier Modification on all affected airplanes.

The FAA has also issued a Flight Standards Information Bulletin for Airworthiness, FSAW 99-04, on June 22, 1999, that provides FAA inspectors with policy/guidance to ensure continued proper operation and recording of the CVR. This guidance is intended to provide FAA inspectors with guidance needed to evaluate air carrier CVR maintenance programs to ensure that CVR’s are maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications and meet acceptable recording standards. The maintenance program should include a periodic functional test for checking recorder play back clarity. Deficient CVR’s should be replaced with serviceable or improved units. Operators and maintainers of these airplanes should be advised of the existence of the requirements of this bulletin, and of the need to always comply with AFM and maintenance provision of applicable manual with respect to the CVR systems.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT Federal Aviation Administration, Wichita Aircraft Certification Office, Manager, Systems and Propulsion Branch, (ACE-116W), 1801 Airport Road, Room 100, Wichita, Kansas, 67209, telephone: (316) 946-4102, fax: (316) 946-4407.