AMC 25.1365(b) Installation of Cooktops

ED Decision 2017/015/R

The following acceptable means of compliance are applicable to cooktops with electrically powered heating elements. Use of other types of heat sources, such as gas, is unlikely to be acceptable. If such a design is desired, EASA should be contacted for advice.

(1)     Suitable means, such as conspicuous element ‘on’ indicators, physical barriers, or handholds, should be installed to minimise the potential of inadvertent personnel contact with hot surfaces of both the cooktop and cookware. Conditions of turbulence should also be considered.

(2)     Sufficient design means should be provided to restrain cookware, including their contents, in place on the cooktop against flight loads and turbulence.

(a)      Restraints should be provided to preclude hazardous movement of cookware and contents thereof. These restraints should accommodate the cookware that is approved for use with the cooktop.

(b)      Restraints should be designed to be easily used and effective in service. The cookware restraint system should also be designed in a way that it may not be easily disabled, thus rendering it unusable.

(c)      Appropriate placarding should be installed prohibiting the use of cookware not approved for use with the cooktop.

(3)     Appropriate placarding should be installed prohibiting the use of cooktops (i.e. power on any heating surface) during taxiing, take-off, and landing.

(4)     Suitable means should be provided to address the possibility of a fire starting on the cooktop or in its immediate vicinity. The following two means are acceptable:

(a)      Appropriate placarding should be installed that prohibits any heating surface from being powered when the cooktop is unattended (Note: this would prohibit a single person from cooking on the cooktop and intermittently serving food to passengers while any surface is powered). A fire detector should be installed in the vicinity of the cooktop, which provides a warning audible throughout the passenger cabin; moreover, a fire extinguisher of appropriate size and extinguishing agent should be installed in the immediate vicinity of the cooktop. Access to the extinguisher should not be blocked by a possible fire on or around the cooktop. One of the fire extinguishers required by CS 25.851 may be used to satisfy this requirement if it is located in the vicinity of the cooktop and the total complement of extinguishers remains evenly distributed throughout the cabin. If this is not possible, then the extinguisher in the cooktop area should be additional to those required by CS 25.851; or

(b)      An automatic (e.g. thermally activated) system should be installed to extinguish a fire at the cooktop and immediately adjacent surfaces. The agent used in the system should be an approved flooding agent suitable for use in an occupied area. The fire suppression system should have an appropriately located manual activation control. Activation of the fire suppression system (automatic or manual) should also automatically shut off power to the cooktop.

(5)     The surfaces of the galley surrounding the cooktop, which would be exposed to a fire on the cooktop surface or in cookware on the cooktop, should be constructed of materials that comply with the flame penetration resistance requirements of Appendix F, Part III. During the selection of all galley materials in the vicinity of the cooktop, consideration should be given to ensure that the flammability resistance characteristics of the materials will not be adversely affected by the use of cleaning agents and utensils used to remove cooking stains.

(6)     The cooktop should be ventilated with a system independent of the aeroplane cabin and cargo ventilation system. Maintenance procedures and time intervalsshould be established for inspection and cleaning or replacement of ventilation system components to prevent the accumulation of flammable oils creating a fire hazard. These procedures and time intervals should be included in the instructions for continued airworthiness as required by CS 25.1529. The ventilation system ducting should be protected by a flame arrester (Note: the applicant may find additional useful information in Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Aerospace Recommended Practice (ARP) No 85, Revision E, ARP85E ‘Air Conditioning Systems for Subsonic Airplanes’ of 1 August 1991).

(7)     Means should be provided to contain spilled foods or fluids in a manner that will prevent the creation of a slipping hazard to occupants as well as the loss of structural strength due to aeroplane corrosion.

(8)     Cooktop installations should provide adequate space for the user to immediately escape a hazardous cooktop condition.

(9)     A means to shut off power to the cooktop should be provided at the galley containing the cooktop and in the cockpit. If one (or more) dedicated switch(es) is (are) provided in the cockpit, smoke or fire emergency procedures should be provided in the AFM to cover their use.

(10)    The cooktop should have either a lid that will completely enclose the cooking surface, or an appropriately located fire blanket of a size sufficient to completely cover the cooking surface should be provided. If a lid is installed, there should be a means to automatically shut off power to the cooktop when the lid is closed. The fire blanket material should be demonstrated to meet the European Standard (EN) 1869:1997, Fire blankets, or equivalent.

[Amdt 25/19]