Airworthiness Directive · Amendment 39-21677 · Air conditioning
The Boeing Company Airplanes
This AD applies to The Boeing Company airplanes, certificated in any category, as identified in paragraphs (c)(1) through (3) of this AD.
(1) All Model 737-8, 737-9, and 737-8200 airplanes.
(2) Model 737-800 series airplanes, line numbers 5684 and 5759 and subsequent.
(3) Model 737-900ER series airplanes, line numbers 5768 and subsequent.
The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all The Boeing Company Model 737-8, 737-9, and 737-8200 (737 MAX) airplanes; and certain Model 737-800 and 737-900ER series airplanes. This AD was prompted by the determination that the aft cargo compartment fire suppression capability is reduced if the airplane is dispatched or released with failed electronic flow control of air conditioning packs, as is currently allowed by these airplane models' master minimum equipment lists (MMELs). This AD prohibits the carriage of cargo in the aft cargo compartment when the airplane is dispatched or released with failed electronic flow control of air conditioning packs. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
Beginning August 19, 2021, no person may dispatch or release an airplane with cargo in the aft cargo compartment with failed electronic flow control of air conditioning packs, unless the aft cargo compartment remains empty, or is verified by the operator to contain only non-combustible and/or non-flammable empty cargo handling equipment, ballast, and/or fly-away kits.
Note 1 to paragraph (g): The operator's existing FAA-approved minimum equipment list (MEL) defines which items are approved for inclusion in the fly-away kits, and which materials may be used as ballast.
The master minimum equipment list (MMEL) items specified in paragraphs (h)(1) and (2) of this AD are affected by the prohibition specified in paragraph (g) of this AD, and therefore may affect the operator's existing FAA-approved MEL.
(1) For Model 737-8, 737-9, and 737-8200 airplanes: MMEL System No. 21, Sequence No. 51-02-01, “Electronic Flow Control.”
(2) For Model 737-800 and 737-900ER series airplanes: MMEL System No. 21, Sequence No. 02-03, “Electronic Flow Control.”
Note 2 to paragraph (h): The MMEL items specified in paragraph (h) of this AD can be found in the applicable FAA-approved MMEL: Boeing 737 (B-737-100/200/300/400/500/600/700/800/900/900ER) MMEL, Revision 61, dated July 8, 2020; and Boeing 737 MAX (B-737-8/-8200/-9) MMEL, Revision 3, dated April 12, 2021. These MMELs can be found on the Flight Standards Information Management System (FSIMS) website, https://fsims.faa.gov/PICResults.aspx?mode=Publication&doctype=MMELByModel.
The aircraft, engines and makers this AD names, by the model designations in its text. A model listed here may still be outside the AD's serial ranges.
