AAR receives FAA approval for 747-400 oxygen system retrofit

AAR has received Federal Aviation Administration Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) approval to perform an oxygen system retrofit for a Boeing 747-400 cargo aircraft. AAR’s design modifies the oxygen system of the 747-400 to provide additional, supernumerary occupants with the same quick-donning oxygen masks used by flight crews. The masks are mounted in ‘auto presenting’ mask boxes above the supernumerary seating. The new design also increases the aircraft’s total oxygen capacity to provide more than 180 minutes of oxygen in the event of cabin depressurization due to smoke or fire procedures. The modification design was developed by AAR Engineering Services, whose personnel also managed the process to obtain the FAA’s STC approval. In addition, AAR provided the airline customer with custom modification kits produced at AAR Aircraft Services in Indianapolis, Indiana. The oxygen system retrofit was conducted at a third-party maintenance and modification facility in Asia, with support from a team of AAR Engineering Services personnel from Indianapolis and Singapore.