contain flammable vapors during flight. But the Flight 800 explosion230. people,
The new maintenance and inspection procedures are designed to catch such problems as frayed wiring, worn pumps and broken grounding straps that allow a spark to get into the tank.
In its documentation, the FAA listed 29 ways that sparks could enter the tank - all of them scenarios that have been found on in-service airliners "contrary to policies intended to preclude the development of ignition sources within airplane fuel-tank systems."
The new rules will cost $170 million over 10 years, including costs to manufacturers and costs to airlines for new maintenance procedures. The FAA seldom asks manufacturers to revalidate a design on this scale.
"It is unusual in this magnitude," Elizabeth Erickson, the FAA's director of aircraft certification, said. "I don't know that we've done something quite so in-depth."
The regulation on new aircraft means that most of the jet planes flying today would not pass muster if they were being certified next year, when the rule is expected to take effect. In documents submitted to the Federal Register, the FAA