Hazardous Waste Tank Closure Certification: Fill & Download for Free

In all airplanes where there is a toilet, human waste is always collected into a waste tank, where it is deodorized and solid waste disintegrated by chemical liquids, coloured blue in the past, to be disposed of after landing at the next suitable airport by a licensed facility.Public health will allow nothing less.‘Blue ice’: The gross truth about what aeroplanes actually do with your pooHowever, it is a fact that in some older toilet designs, small amounts of this fluid would leak past the ground servicing port (located on the fuselage exterior) in flight due to defective seals. This would immediately freeze and gradually form into a lump of “blue ice” on the fuselage exterior, which would eventually depart and fall from the aircraft, and could possibly damage other parts of the aircraft or its engines or land on a human or on human property.There was a vicious rumour going around that one such piece crashed through the roof and landed in the sink of a man who was shaving, missing him by inches!With the number of “blue ice” incidents on the rise, the FAA issued several airworthiness directives mandating repetitive inspections and modifications to toilet drain systems on all Boeing 737, McDonnell Douglas DC-10 and MD-11F transports from 1995 onward, and expanded applicability to other aircraft. Blue ice is formed by liquids that accumulate in leaking toilet drain systems, freeze and eventually dislodge from an aircraft, sometimes striking parts of the airframe or damaging engines, and/or people or property on the ground.A sample is given below.Federal Aviation Administration14 CFR Part 39[Docket No. 97-NM-242-AD; Amendment 39-12646; AD 2002-03-05]RIN 2120-AA64Airworthiness Directives; McDonnell Douglas Model DC-8 Series AirplanesACTION: Final rule.SUMMARY: This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to certain McDonnell Douglas Model DC-8 series airplanes, that requires, among other things, repetitive leak tests of the lavatory drain systems and repair, if necessary; installation of a lever lock cap, vacuum breaker check valve, or flush/fill line ball valve on the flush/fill line; periodic seal changes; and replacement of "donut" type waste drain valves installed in the waste drain system. This amendment is prompted by continuing reports of damage to engines, airframes, and property on the ground, caused by "blue ice" that forms from leaking lavatory drain systems on transport category airplanes and subsequently dislodges from the airplane fuselage. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent such damage associated with the problems of "blue ice."Effective March 19, 2002.Regulatory Information2002-03-05 McDonnell Douglas: Amendment 39-12646. Docket 97-NM-242-AD.Applicability: Model DC-8 series airplanes equipped with a lavatory drainage system; certificated in any category.To prevent engine damage, airframe damage, and/or hazard to persons or property on the ground as a result of "blue ice" that has formed from leakage of the lavatory drain system or flush/fill system and dislodged from the airplane, accomplish the following:(a) Accomplish the applicable requirements of paragraphs (a)(1) through (a)(9) of this AD at the time specified in each paragraph. For the waste drain system of any lavatory that incorporates more than one type of valve, only one of the waste drain system leak test procedures (the one that applies to the equipment with the longest leak test interval) must be conducted at each service panel location. During the performance of the waste drain system valve leak tests specified in this AD, fluid shall completely cover the upstream end of the valve being tested. The direction of the 3-pounds per square inch differential pressure (PSID) shall be applied in the same direction as occurs in flight; the other waste drain system valves shall be open, and the minimum time to maintain the differential pressure shall be 5 minutes. Any revision of the seal change intervals or leak test intervals must be approved by the Manager, Los Angeles Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate.(1) Replace the valve seals with new valve seals in accordance with the applicable schedule specified in paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii), and (a)(1)(iii) of this AD.(i) For each lavatory drain system that has an in-line drain valve installed, Kaiser Electroprecision P/N series 2651-278 or 2651-357: Replace the seals within 5,000 flight hours after the effective date of this AD, or within 48 months after the last documented seal change, whichever occurs later. Thereafter, replace the seals at intervals not to exceed 48 months.(ii) For each lavatory drain system that has a Pneudraulics part number series 9527 valve: Replace the seals within 5,000 flight hours after the effective date of this AD, or within 18 months after the last documented seal change, whichever occurs later. Thereafter, replace the seals at intervals not to exceed 18 months or 6,000 flight hours, whichever occurs later.(iii) For each lavatory drain system that has any other type of drain valve: Replace the seals within 5,000 flight hours after the effective date of this AD, or within 18 months after the last documented seal change, whichever occurs later. Thereafter, replace the seals at intervals not to exceed 18 months.(2) For each lavatory drain system that has an in-line drain valve installed, Kaiser Electroprecision P/N series 2651-278: Within 4,500 flight hours after the effective date of this AD, and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 4,500 flight hours, accomplish the procedures specified in paragraphs (a)(2)(i) and (a)(2)(ii) of this AD.(i) Conduct a leak test of the toilet tank dump valve (in-tank valve that is spring-loaded closed and operable by a T-handle at the service panel) and the in-line drain valve. The toilet tank dump valve leak test must be performed by filling the toilet tank with a minimum of 10 gallons of water/rinsing fluid and testing for leakage after a period of 5 minutes. Take precautions to avoid overfilling the tank and spilling fluid into the airplane. The in-line drain valve leak test must be performed with a minimum of 3 PSID applied across the valve.(ii) If a service panel valve or cap is installed, perform a visual inspection to detect wear or damage that may allow leakage of the service panel drain valve outer cap/door seal and the inner seal (if the valve has an inner door with a second positive seal), and the seal mating surfaces.(3) For each lavatory drain system that has any of the following service panel drain valves installed: Pneudraulics P/N series 9527, Kaiser Electroprecision P/N 2651-357, or the Shaw Aero P/N's listed in Table 1 of this paragraph: Within 2,000 flight hours after the effective date of this AD, and thereafter at intervals not to exceed 2,000 flight hours, accomplish the procedures specified in paragraphs (a)(3)(i) and (a)(3)(ii) of this AD. Table 1 is as follows:Table 1.--Shaw Aero Valves Approved for 2,000 Flight Hour Leak Test Interval…………………………………..(i) Conduct a leak test of the toilet tank dump valve and the service panel drain valve. The toilet tank dump valve leak test must be performed by filling the toilet tank with a minimum of 10 gallons of water/rinsing fluid and testing for leakage after a period of 5 minutes. Take precautions to avoid overfilling the tank and spilling fluid into the airplane. The leak test of the service panel drain valve must be performed with a minimum of 3 PSID applied across the valve inner door/closure device.(ii) Perform a visual inspection of the outer cap/door and seal mating surface for wear or damage that may cause leakage.….and so on.After the inspections introduced by this AD, cases of blue ice dropping from transport category airplanes have dropped to practically nil.However, “blue ice” does get blamed even now:Did Poop Fall From The Sky Again? (VIDEO)Where Do Airplanes Dump Their Waste? What About Trains and Boats?Wikipedia is the last place you should go to for authentic knowledge, but it does introduce you to the subject:Blue ice (aviation) - WikipediaIt doesn’t help that public perception is formed by the railways dumping poo and liquid waste right onto the tracks on the ground (things are changing now).