Narrative:

This concerns the recent DC9 bulletin for the S80 operating manual. The bulletin addresses the cabin or cockpit fire/smoke procedure in volume 1 -- fire 5. This procedure calls for the establishment and maintenance of constant interphone communications between cockpit and cabin in the event of fire/smoke in the cabin. Page 3 of the emergency/abnormal preface of the same manual reiterates this by stating in part, 'a flight attendant will remain in constant interphone communication with cockpit to report the progress of the fire fighting.' bulletin DC9 modifies this by stating that this procedure can be accomplished with an inoperative interphone system -- by face-to-face contact or by use of the PA. I believe this brings up some safety concerns. The procedure for cabin smoke directs that the cockpit door and the cockpit door smoke screens both be closed. This would make the face-to-face method of communication impractical. The use of the PA by the flight attendants to keep the cockpit abreast of the progress of the fire fighting has a very real potential for causing panic in the cabin. I would think it best to reserve the PA for reassuring the passenger and to prepare them for evacuate/evacuation -- not to make them privy to the progress of a fire. As a practical matter, it is often difficult to clearly hear the cabin PA xmissions over the cockpit headsets or overhead speakers. As a captain, I don't feel that departing with an inoperative interphone system would be a safe course. I urge that the bulletin be eliminated. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter noted that the bulletin in question has been removed, but was replaced in the most recent change to the operations manual by stating that the flight attendant shall maintain established communication with the cockpit.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 PLT EXPRESSES CONCERN OVER A COMPANY OPERATING BULLETIN THAT MODIFIES A CABIN FIRE SMOKE PROC.

Narrative: THIS CONCERNS THE RECENT DC9 BULLETIN FOR THE S80 OPERATING MANUAL. THE BULLETIN ADDRESSES THE CABIN OR COCKPIT FIRE/SMOKE PROC IN VOLUME 1 -- FIRE 5. THIS PROC CALLS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF CONSTANT INTERPHONE COMS BTWN COCKPIT AND CABIN IN THE EVENT OF FIRE/SMOKE IN THE CABIN. PAGE 3 OF THE EMER/ABNORMAL PREFACE OF THE SAME MANUAL REITERATES THIS BY STATING IN PART, 'A FLT ATTENDANT WILL REMAIN IN CONSTANT INTERPHONE COM WITH COCKPIT TO RPT THE PROGRESS OF THE FIRE FIGHTING.' BULLETIN DC9 MODIFIES THIS BY STATING THAT THIS PROC CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED WITH AN INOP INTERPHONE SYS -- BY FACE-TO-FACE CONTACT OR BY USE OF THE PA. I BELIEVE THIS BRINGS UP SOME SAFETY CONCERNS. THE PROC FOR CABIN SMOKE DIRECTS THAT THE COCKPIT DOOR AND THE COCKPIT DOOR SMOKE SCREENS BOTH BE CLOSED. THIS WOULD MAKE THE FACE-TO-FACE METHOD OF COM IMPRACTICAL. THE USE OF THE PA BY THE FLT ATTENDANTS TO KEEP THE COCKPIT ABREAST OF THE PROGRESS OF THE FIRE FIGHTING HAS A VERY REAL POTENTIAL FOR CAUSING PANIC IN THE CABIN. I WOULD THINK IT BEST TO RESERVE THE PA FOR REASSURING THE PAX AND TO PREPARE THEM FOR EVAC -- NOT TO MAKE THEM PRIVY TO THE PROGRESS OF A FIRE. AS A PRACTICAL MATTER, IT IS OFTEN DIFFICULT TO CLRLY HEAR THE CABIN PA XMISSIONS OVER THE COCKPIT HEADSETS OR OVERHEAD SPEAKERS. AS A CAPT, I DON'T FEEL THAT DEPARTING WITH AN INOP INTERPHONE SYS WOULD BE A SAFE COURSE. I URGE THAT THE BULLETIN BE ELIMINATED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR NOTED THAT THE BULLETIN IN QUESTION HAS BEEN REMOVED, BUT WAS REPLACED IN THE MOST RECENT CHANGE TO THE OPS MANUAL BY STATING THAT THE FLT ATTENDANT SHALL MAINTAIN ESTABLISHED COM WITH THE COCKPIT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.