CUSTOMER SERVICES DIRECTORATE

1 ROND POINT MAURICE BELLONTE

31707 BLAGNAC CEDEX FRANCE

TELEPHONE + 33 (0)5 61 93 33 33

ALERT OPERATORS TRANSMISSION - AOT

AOT ref: A35N006-14 Rev 00 Page 1 of 4 Date: 10-DEC-2014

© AIRBUS S.A.S. 2014. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY DOCUMENT

SUBJECT: ATA 35 – CHEMICAL OXYGEN GENERATORS EARLY REPLACEMENT

AIRCRAFT TYPE: A318,A319,A320,A321

OUR REF.: A35N006-14 Rev 00 dated 10-DEC-2014.

1. AIRCRAFT AFFECTED

All A318, A319, A320, A321 equipped with 15 & 22 minutes chemical oxygen generators PN 117042-XX 

manufactured in 2000 and 2001 by B/E Aerospace.

Oxygen generators PN details:

117042-02 (15 min – 2 masks)

117042-03 (15 min – 3 masks) 

117042-04 (15 min – 4 masks)

117042-22 (22 min – 2 masks)

117042-23 (22 min – 3 masks)

117042-24 (22 min – 4 masks)

2. REFERENCED DOCUMENTATION

B/E Aerospace SIL D1019-01

B/E Aerospace VSB 117042-35-001

2.1 APPENDIX

Appendix A: Generator activation template

2.2 REFERENCES

Ref 1: MPD task 352142-01-1 - Discard chemical oxygen generators

Ref 2: AMM task 35-21-00-920-001-A - Discard oxygen generators

Ref 3: AMM task 35-21-41 PB 401 - Container - emergency oxygen - removal/installation

3. REASON

This AOT is issued to inform the affected operators of identified and still under investigation premature 

ageing on chemical oxygen generator PN 117042-XX manufactured by B/E Aerospace. Some operators 

reported that some generators manufactured in 1999, 2000 and 2001 failed to activate. Given the 

number of failed units reported, all the generators dated 1999, 2000 and 2001 shall be removed from 

the field.

 As required by MPD task “Ref 1”, the generators manufactured in 1999 must be discarded 

before end of 2014. Therefore, this population is considered as being already covered by 

existing MPD task and is not considered within this AOT.

 The management of generators manufactured in 2000 and 2001 is described in § 3.3.
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© AIRBUS S.A.S. 2014. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY DOCUMENT

3.1 FACTS

The MPD task “Ref 1” requires the replacement of chemical oxygen generators every 15 years. 

During this replacement, it is normally required to initiate the chemical reaction of the removed 

generators for proper disposal. B/E Aerospace SIL D1019-01 is the document which provides 

instructions for the activation and the disposal of a removed generator. 

On each chemical oxygen generator, there is an indicator which changes colour with heat, indicating 

that the reaction producing oxygen took place. Some operators reported that when they tried to activate 

generators manufactured in 1999, 2000 and 2001 after removal from the oxygen containers, some of 

them failed to activate. The affected generators PN are 117042-XX (either 15 min or 22 min oxygen 

duration).

3.2 CONSEQUENCES

Chemical generators manufactured in 1999, 2000 and 2001 may fail to activate and may not deliver 

oxygen. 

3.3 AIM

 This AOT requires the replacement of all oxygen generators manufactured in 2000, in priority. 

Airbus assume that these generators are installed on Aircraft delivered the same year or early 

2001.

 This AOT requires that the generators dated 2001 be replaced after generators dated 2000 are

replaced. However, to limit operational disturbance, when inspecting an aircraft suspected to 

have generators dated 2000, it is requested to remove any generator dated 2001 that is found.

For information, the generator manufacturing date is written on the generator label and on the 

oxygen container test lever sticker.

Note: based on feedback on operators practices, spare parts manufactured in 2000 & 2001 may 

have only been fitted on aircraft manufactured in 1988 or before. Nevertheless, operators must 

ensure that any spare generator dated 2000 or 2001, potentially fitted on their fleet, is removed in 

the same time constraints as mentioned in paragraph 4.1.1.

- For 15 min generators (PN 117042-0X), replacement generators manufactured in Lübeck, 

Germany by B/E Aerospace will be delivered with a kit in order to adapt the generator inside the 

container. Instructions for this replacement are given in the AMM task “Ref 3” and in the B/E 

Aerospace VSB 117042-35-001.

- For 22 min generators (PN 117042-2X), fully interchangeable containers manufactured in 

Lübeck, Germany by B/E Aerospace will be delivered. Alternatively, replacement generators 

manufactured in Lenexa, US can also be ordered. They will fit directly in the current 

containers and will not need any adaptation such as the 15 min ones. The 22 min generator 

PN remains the same. Instructions for this replacement are given in the AMM task “Ref 2 and 

3”.

If an operator has generators PN 117042-XX in stock, and manufactured after 2001, they may be 

used as well.
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© AIRBUS S.A.S. 2014. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY DOCUMENT

After the replacement, this AOT requires to activate all the removed generators (as per instructions on 

SIL D1019-01) and requires to record for each generator the PN, the date of manufacture, the lot code 

and whether or not the chemical reaction worked properly. The template to record the activation results 

is provided in the appendix A of this AOT. This feedback from the operators is necessary for supporting 

the on-going investigation, will allow to determine the extent of this issue and will help to define further 

continued airworthiness actions.

Please refer to paragraph “7. REPORTING” to submit your feedback.

4. SHORT TERM ACTION

4.1 PLANNING AND MANPOWER

4.1.1 ACCOMPLISHMENT TIMESCALE

Replacement of all oxygen generators PN 117042-XX manufactured in 2000 must be done as far as 

possible in advance of the MPD requirements and in any case not later than June 2015, whichever 

occurs first.

Replacement of all oxygen generators PN 117042-XX manufactured in 2001 must be done as far as 

possible in advance of the MPD requirements and in any case not later than December 2015 whichever 

occurs first.

4.2 DESCRIPTION

For 15 min generators (PN 117042-0X), please refer to AMM task “Ref 3” and B/E Aerospace VSB 

117042-35-001 providing instructions for disassembly, assembly and testing. 

For 22 min generators (PN 117042-2X), please refer to the AMM task “Ref 2 and 3”.

If an operator has generators PN 117042-XX in stock, and manufactured after 2001, they may be 

used as well.

This AOT is the subject of an AIRBUS monitored retrofit campaign, which will be detailed in a Retrofit 

Information Letter (RIL). 

For the organisation of this retrofit, you are kindly requested to contact AIRBUS retrofit management 

department:

AIRBUS CUSTOMER SERVICES DIRECTORATE

1 Rond-Point Maurice Bellonte

31707 BLAGNAC CEDEX

France

Tel: (33) 5 67 19 06 22

E-mail: monitored.retrofit@airbus.com

Fax: (33) 5 61 93 27 45
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© AIRBUS S.A.S. 2014. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY DOCUMENT

5. FURTHER INFORMATION

5.1 FOLLOW-UP PLAN

Airbus have currently not received any failure report on generators manufactured in 2002 and after. 

However, in order to investigate further this potential premature ageing, a sampling test on generators 

manufactured in 2002 and 2003 will be performed. The results of this sampling will allow Airbus and B/E 

Aerospace to adjust the retrofit and the sampling actions on these units if necessary.

5.2 IMPACTED DOCUMENTATION

As explained in paragraph 3.3, the 15 min replacement generators will be delivered with a kit in order to 

adapt the new generator inside the container as described in VSB 117042-35-001. This adaptation will 

lead to a container PN change. The post-MOD container is two way interchangeable with the pre-MOD 

one. The IPC will be updated accordingly.

6. AOT APPROVAL

The technical content of this document is approved under the authority of DOA nr. EASA.21J.031.

7. REPORTING

The results of generator activation and questions about this AOT and are to be sent to Airbus Customer 

Services engineering as soon as possible, after the AOT application, to the attention of:

Florent FARBOS

Engineer

Emergency & Cabin Systems, Galleys & Lav’s 

Customer Services Engineering - SEEC2

Phone: +33 (0)5 82 05 51 06

Fax: +33 (0)5 61 93 44 25

Mailto:florent.farbos@airbus.com

AIRBUS S.A.S.

1 rond-point Maurice Bellonte

31707 Blagnac Cedex

France

Best Regards,

Jean-Luc MOUYSSET

VICE PRESIDENT ENGINEERING SUPPORT

CUSTOMER SERVICES

Gilles DE CEVINS

VICE PRESIDENT A320 PROGRAMME

CUSTOMER SERVICES