EASA AD No : 2010-0261

EASA Form 110 Page 1/3 

## EASA AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE

AD No.: 2010-0261

Date: 09 December 2010

Note: This Airworthiness Directive (AD) is issued by EASA, acting in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 216/2008 on behalf of the European Community, its Member States and of the European third countries that participate in the activities of EASA under Article 66 of that Regulation.

This AD is issued in accordance with EC 1702/2003, Part 21A .3B. In accordance with EC 2042/2003 Annex I, Part M.A.301, the continuing airworthiness of an aircraft shall be ensured by a ccomplishing any applicable ADs. Consequently, no person may opera te an aircraft to which an AD applies, except in accordance with t he requirements of that AD, unless otherwise specified by the Ag ency [EC 2042/2003 Annex I, Part M.A.303] or agreed with the Authority of the State of Registry [EC 216/2008, Article 14(4) exemptio n]. 

### Type Approval Holder’s Name :

Fokker Services B.V. Type/Model designation(s) :
F27 and F28 aeroplanes

TCDS Number : EASA.A.036 and A.037

Foreign AD : Not applicable

Supersedure : This AD supersedes EASA AD 2010-0200 dated 04 October 2010.



### ATA 33 Lights – Emergency Lighting Tritium Exit Signs – Inspection / Replacement

Manufacturer(s): Fokker Aircraft B.V.

Applicability: F27 Mark 050 and Mark 0502 aeroplanes serial numbers: 20104, 20105, 20121 thru 20123, 20130 thru 20135, 20141 thru 20145, 20150, 20156 thru 20176, 20178 thru 20180, 20182 thru 20199, 20202, 20204 thru 20207, 20210, 20211, 20213 thru 20252, 20254 thru 20266, 20270 thru 20279, 20281, 20283 thru 20288, 20296 thru 20303, 20306, 20307, 20312, 20313, 20316, 20317, 20328, 20331, 20333 and 20335. F28 Mark 0070 and Mark 0100 aeroplanes serial numbers: 11257, 11258, 11262, 11264 thru 11266, 11287, 11301, 11317, 11340, 11342, 11352 thru 11356, 11360, 11368 thru 11370, 11376, 11377, 11385, 11395, 11402, 11403, 11405 thru 11408, 11411 thru 11419, 11425 thru 11428, 11434 thru 11437, 11447 thru 11449, 11457 thru 11459, 11467, 11469, 11478, 11479, 11481, 11482, 11487, 11492 thru 11495, 11497, 11498, 11501, 11503, 11506, 11507, 11509, 11514, 11521, 11528, 11529, 11532, 11536 thru 11541, 11543, 11545, 11547, 11549, 11551, 11553 thru 11583 and 11585. F28 Mark 0100 aeroplanes, if in a post-Service Bulletin SBF100-52-060 configuration, serial numbers: 11244 thru 11256, 11259 thru 11261, 11263, 11267 thru 11286, 11288 thru 11300, 11302 thru 11316, 11318 thru 11339, 11341, 11343 thru 11351, 11357 thru 11367, 11371 thru 11375, 11378 thru 11384, 11386 thru 11394, 11396 thru 11401, 11404, 11409, 11410, 11420 thru 11424, 11429 thru 11433, 11438 thru 11446, 11450 thru 11456, 11460 thru 11466, 11468, 11470 thru 11477, 11480, 11483 thru 11486, 11488 thru 11491, 11496, 11499, 11500, 11502, 11504, 11505, 11508, 11510 thru 11513, 11515 thru 11520, 11522, 11523 and 11527.EASA AD No : 2010-0261

EASA Form 110 Page 2/3 Reason: As required by current certification standards, each transport aeroplane has passenger compartment exit signs and em ergency lighting strips installed to locate the emergency exits. A number of these strips and signs are not electrically powered, but are self illuminated by means of a hydrogen isotope, known as Tritium. As this isotope decays ov er time, these signs will loose their brightness.
To remain compliant with regulations, Tritium exit signs and lighting strips should be replaced when their brightness has deteriorated below accepted levels. Currently, the Maintenance Review Board (MRB) Maintenance Planning Document does not include an inspection task for signs and strips containing Tritium.
This condition, if not detected and correc ted, could result in insufficiently bright exit signs and lighting strips , preventing safe evacuation during an emergency, possibly resulting in injury to occupants.

To correct this unsafe conditi on, EASA issued AD 2010-0200, which required an inspection of the brightness of all Tritium exit signs and strips and, depending on findings, replacement of insufficiently bright signs and lighting strips. Following the issuance of AD 2010-0200, Fokker Services discovered that one Service Bulletin (SB), SBF100-33-023, contained errors in the two groups of aeroplane serial numbers and, consequently, in the related instructions for those aeroplanes in that SB.
For the reasons described above, this new AD retains the requirements of EASA AD 2010-0200, which is superse ded, amends the Applicability and refers to Revision 1 of SBF100-33-023 for the accomplishment instructions.
Note: The MRB document will be updated before July 2011 to include an appropriate maintenance task to ensure that the Tritium exit signs and lighting strips meet the mini mum brightness requirements.

Effective Date: 23 December 2010

Required Action(s) and Compliance Time(s): Required as indicated, unless accomplished previously:
(1) Within 6 months after 18 October 2010 [the effective date of EASA AD 2010-0200], inspect the Tritium exit signs and emergency lighting strips to determine whether they meet t he required brightness and replace any insufficiently bright signs and light ing strips, in accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions of Fokker Services SBF50-33-038 or SBF100-33-023 Revision 1, as applicable to the aeroplane type.
(2) If it can be determined from records that the Tritium exit signs and emergency lighting strips installed on an aeroplane have been manufactured in 2003 or earlier, the inspection for brightness as specified by paragraph (1) of this AD is not required and only replacement must be accomplished.
(3) Inspections and corrective actions, accomplished prior to the effective date of this AD, in accordance with the Accomplishment Instructions of Fokker Services SBF100-33-023 original issue dated 05 July 2010, are acceptable to comply with the requ irements of paragraph (1) of this AD.
(4) From 18 October 2010 [the effe ctive date of EASA AD 2010-0200], do not install on any aeroplane Tritium exit signs or emergency lighting strips if the manufacturing date is 7 years or more before the intended installation date, or if the manufacturing date cannot be determined, unless the brightness is sufficient to pass the inspection as required by paragraph (1) of this AD.EASA AD No : 2010-0261

EASA Form 110 Page 3/3 Ref. Publications: Fokker Services SBF50-33-038 dated 05 July 2010.
Fokker Services SBF100-33-023 Revision 1 dated 04 November 2010. The use of later approved revisions of these documents is acceptable for compliance with the requirements of this AD.

Remarks: 1. If requested and appropriately substantiated, EASA can approve Alternative Methods of Compliance for this AD. 2. The required actions and the risk allowance have granted the issuance of a Final AD with Request for Comments, postponing the public consultation process after publication. 3. Enquiries regarding this AD should be referred to the Airworthiness Directives, Safety Management & Re search Section, Certification Directorate, EASA. E-mail ADs@easa.europa.eu

. 4. For any question concerning the te chnical aspects of the requirements in this AD, please contact: Fokker Services B.V., Technica l Services Dept., P.O.Box 231, 2150 AE Nieuw-Vennep, The Netherlands; telephone (31) 252-627-350; facsimile (31) 252-627-211; e-mail: technicalservices@fokker.com

. The referenced publications can be downloaded from www.myfokkerfleet.com