# Flightpath Services, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 11-0131
- **title:** Flightpath Services, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2011-09-01
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** 11-0131 response to Flightpath Services, Inc. concerning 180.205.
- **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-11-0131.json
- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-11-0131.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-11-0131
- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretations/2011/110131.pdf
**body:**

<<<PAGE 1>>>

U.S. Department of Transportation
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials
Safety Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue. SE
Washington. DC 20590
SEP 0 1 2011
Mr. Douglas Svoboda
Flightpath Services, Inc.
500 Hollister Road
Teterboro, NJ 07801
Ref. No. 11-0131
Dear Mr. Svoboda:
This responds to your letter requesting clarification of the cylinder requalification
provisions under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180).
Specifically, you ask whether all cylinders must be requalified before refilling or just those
cylinders where requalification is due or past due. Additionally, you ask if requalification
is required if a cylinder installed in an aircraft rapidly discharges (e.g., emergency inflation
cylinder on a life raft) before it can be returned to service.
In accordance with § 180.205(c) of the HMR, a cylinder may be requalified at any time
before or during the month and year the requalification is due. A cylinder filled before the
requalification becomes due may remain in service until it is emptied. A cylinder with a
specified service life or past its requalification date may not be refilled and offered for
transportation after its authorized service life has expired or, it is requalified, respectively.
For a cylinder installed in an aircraft that rapidly discharges, requalification is required if
the conditions specified in § 180.205(d) are met. Specifically, a cylinder must be tested
and inspected, without regard to any other periodic requalification requirements, prior to
further use if: (1) The cylinder shows evidence of dents, corrosion, cracked or abraded
areas, leakage, thermal damage, or any other condition that might render it unsafe for use
in transportation; (2) The cylinder has been in an accident and has been damaged to an
extent that may adversely affect its lading retention capability; (3) The cylinder shows
evidence of or is known to have been over-heated; or (4) The Associate Administrator
determines that the cylinder may be in an unsafe condition.
I trust this satisfies your inquiry. Please contact us if we can be of further assistance.
oj,~'"
1\ T. Glenn Foster
I " Chief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention Branch
b Standards and Rulemaking Division

<<<PAGE 2>>>

Drakeford, Carolyn (PHMSA)
From: INFOCNTR (PHMSA)
Sent: Thursday, June 02, 2011 11 :12 AM
To: Drakeford, Carolyn (PHMSA)
Subject: FW: Hazmat Information Center Feedback: Highway (Sections 177.800 &ndash; 177.870)
Hi Carolyn,
The caller below requested his e-mail be forwarded for a formal letter of interpretation.
Thanks,
Victoria
Victoria Lehman
Hazmat Information Center (HMIC)
http://phmsa.dot.gov/hazmat/info-center
(202) 366-1035
-----Original Message----From:
PHMSA-Feedback [mailto:PHMSA-Feedback]
Sent: Wednesday, June 01, 2011 8:29 PM
To: PHMSA HM InfoCenter; PHMSA Webmaster
Subject: Hazmat Information Center Feedback: Highway (Sections 177.800 &ndash; 177.870)
Some of my constituents are interpreting the sentence in 180.205 paragraph c,("However, a
cylinder filled before the requalification becomes due may remain in service until it is
emptied.")means any cylinder, not just one past it's requalification date,but regargless of
requalification date needs to be requalified before recharging. I need a interpretation in
writing to clear up this matter.
Also is there any regulation requiring requalification after a rapid discharge, such as a
emergency inflation cylinder on a life raft.
Name: Douglas Svoboda
Organization: Flightpath Services, Inc.
Email: dsvoboda@flightpathservices.com
Address: 500 Hollister Rd.
City: Teterboro
Zip Code: 07801
Phone: 201-489-7950
FAX: 201-489-8537
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