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A dispatcher noted that the supplemental life rafts were removed from B737-800 over water aircraft and as a consequence when the aircraft have more than 160 souls on board far 121.339A is violated because not enough raft space is provided.

Narrative:

The company has removed supplemental rafts from all B737-800 with seating capacity of 160 seats. The raft capacity of these aircraft is 168. With a full passenger load (160) and a minimum crew complement (2+4=6) the total number of occupants would be 166. There is no method that the company had to account for lap children. There is the potential that a far violation (far 121.339A (2)) would occur if a flight departed with a full passenger complement and more than two lap children or a higher than a minimum crew. Attachments far 121.339 -- emergency equipment for extended over-water operations. A) except where the administrator; by amending the operations specifications of the certificate holder; requires the carriage of all or any specific items of the equipment listed below for any over-water operation; or upon application of the certificate holder; the administrator allows deviation for a particular extended over-water operation; no person may operate an airplane in extended over-water operations without having on the airplane the following equipment: 1) a life preserver with an approved survivor locator light; for each occupant of the airplane. 2) enough life rafts (each equipped with an approved survivor light) of a rated capacity and buoyancy to accommodate the occupants of the airplane. Unless excess rafts of enough capacity are provided; the buoyancy and seating capacity beyond the rated capacity of the rafts must accommodate all occupants of the airplane in the event of a loss of one raft of the largest rated capacity.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A Dispatcher noted that the supplemental life rafts were removed from B737-800 over water aircraft and as a consequence when the aircraft have more than 160 souls on board FAR 121.339A is violated because not enough raft space is provided.

Narrative: The company has removed supplemental rafts from all B737-800 with seating capacity of 160 seats. The raft capacity of these aircraft is 168. With a full passenger load (160) and a minimum crew complement (2+4=6) the total number of occupants would be 166. There is no method that the company had to account for lap children. There is the potential that a FAR violation (FAR 121.339A (2)) would occur if a flight departed with a full passenger complement and more than two lap children or a higher than a minimum crew. Attachments FAR 121.339 -- Emergency equipment for extended over-water operations. a) Except where the Administrator; by amending the operations specifications of the certificate holder; requires the carriage of all or any specific items of the equipment listed below for any over-water operation; or upon application of the certificate holder; the Administrator allows deviation for a particular extended over-water operation; no person may operate an airplane in extended over-water operations without having on the airplane the following equipment: 1) A life preserver with an approved survivor locator light; for each occupant of the airplane. 2) Enough life rafts (each equipped with an approved survivor light) of a rated capacity and buoyancy to accommodate the occupants of the airplane. Unless excess rafts of enough capacity are provided; the buoyancy and seating capacity beyond the rated capacity of the rafts must accommodate all occupants of the airplane in the event of a loss of one raft of the largest rated capacity.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.