[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 49, Volume 2]
[Revised as of October 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 49CFR173.27]

[Page 436-438]
 
                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION
 
 CHAPTER I--RESEARCH AND SPECIAL PROGRAMS ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF 
                             TRANSPORTATION
 
PART 173_SHIPPERS_GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SHIPMENTS AND PACKAGINGS--Table 
of Contents
 
     Subpart B_Preparation of Hazardous Materials for Transportation
 
Sec. 173.27  General requirements for transportation by aircraft.

    (a) The requirements of this section are in addition to the 
requirements in Sec. 173.24 and apply to packages offered or intended 
for transportation aboard aircraft. Notwithstanding any Packing Group 
III performance level specified in Column 5 of the Sec. 172.101 table, 
the required performance level for packages containing Class 4, 5, or 8 
materials, when offered or intended for transportation aboard aircraft, 
is at the Packing Group II performance level, unless otherwise excepted 
from performance requirements in subpart E of this part.
    (b) Packages authorized on board aircraft. (1) When Column 9a of the 
Sec. 172.101 table indicates that a material is ``Forbidden'', that 
material may not be offered for transportation or transported aboard 
passenger-carrying aircraft.
    (2) When Column 9b of the Sec. 172.101 table indicates that a 
material is ``Forbidden'', that material may not be offered for 
transportation or transported aboard aircraft.
    (3) The maximum quantity of hazardous material in a package that may 
be offered for transportation or transported aboard a passenger-carrying 
aircraft or cargo aircraft may not exceed that quantity prescribed for 
the material in Column 9a or 9b, respectively, of the Sec. 172.101 
table.
    (4) A package containing a hazardous material which is authorized 
aboard

[[Page 437]]

cargo aircraft but not aboard passenger aircraft must be labeled with 
the CARGO AIRCRAFT ONLY label required by Sec. 172.402(c) of this 
subchapter and may not be offered for transportation or transported 
aboard passenger-carrying aircraft.
    (c) Pressure requirements. (1) Packagings must be designed and 
constructed to prevent leakage that may be caused by changes in altitude 
and temperature during transportation aboard aircraft.
    (2) Packagings for which retention of liquid is a basic function 
must be capable of withstanding without leakage the greater of--
    (i) An internal pressure which produces a gauge pressure of not less 
than 75 kPa (11 psig) for liquids in Packing Group III of Class 3 or 
Division 6.1; or 95 kPa (14 psig) for other liquids; or
    (ii) A pressure related to the vapor pressure of the liquid to be 
conveyed, determined by one of the following:
    (A) The total gauge pressure measured in the receptacle (i.e., the 
vapor pressure of the material and the partial pressure of air or other 
inert gases, less 100 kPa (15 psia)) at 55 [deg]C (131 [deg]F), 
multiplied by a safety factor of 1.5; determined on the basis of a 
filling temperature of 15 [deg]C (59 [deg]F) and a degree of filling 
such that the receptacle is not completely liquid full at a temperature 
of 55 [deg]C (131 [deg]F) or less;
    (B) 1.75 times the vapor pressure at 50 [deg]C (122 [deg]F) less 100 
kPa (15 psia); or
    (C) 1.5 times the vapor pressure at 55 [deg]C (131 [deg]) less 100 
kPa (15 psia).
    (3) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (c)(2) of this 
section--
    (i) Hazardous materials may be contained in an inner packaging which 
does not itself meet the pressure requirement provided that the inner 
packaging is packed within a supplementary packaging which does meet the 
pressure requirement and other applicable packaging requirements of this 
subchapter.
    (ii) Packagings which are subject to the hydrostatic pressure test 
and marking requirements of Sec. Sec. 178.605 and 178.503(a)(5), 
respectively, of this subchapter must have a marked test pressure of not 
less than 250 kPa (36 psig) for liquids in Packing Group I, 80 kPa (12 
psig) for liquids in Packing Group III of Class 3 or Division 6.1, and 
100 kPa (15 psig) for other liquids.
    (d) Closures. Stoppers, corks or other such friction-type closures 
must be held securely, tightly and effectively in place by positive 
means. Each screw-type closure on any packaging must be secured to 
prevent closure from loosening due to vibration or substantial change in 
temperature.
    (e) Absorbent materials. Except as otherwise provided in this 
subchapter, liquid hazardous materials of Class 3, 4, or 8, or Division 
5.1, 5.2 or 6.1 that are packaged and offered for transport in glass, 
earthenware, plastic or metal inner packagings must be packaged using 
absorbent material as follows:
    (1) Packing Group I liquids on passenger aircraft must be packaged 
using materials capable of absorbing the entire contents of the inner 
packagings.
    (2) Packing Group I liquids on cargo aircraft, and Packing Group II 
liquids including Division 5.2 liquids on passenger and cargo aircraft, 
must be packaged using a sufficient quantity of absorbent material to 
absorb the entire contents of any one of the inner packagings containing 
such liquids. When the inner packagings are of different sizes and 
quantities, sufficient absorbent material must be used to absorb the 
entire contents of the inner packaging with the greatest volume of 
liquid.
    (3) When absorbent materials are required and the outer packaging is 
not liquid tight, a means of containing the liquid in the event of a 
leakage must be provided in the form of a leakproof liner, plastic bag 
or other equally efficient means of containment.
    (4) Absorbent material must not react dangerously with the liquid 
(see Sec. Sec. 173.24 and 173.24a.).
    (5) Absorbent material is not required if the inner packagings are 
so protected that they are unlikely to break and leak their contents 
from the outer packaging under normal conditions of transportation.
    (f) Combination packagings. Unless otherwise specified in this part, 
or in Sec. 171.11 of this subchapter, when combination packagings are 
offered for transportation aboard aircraft, inner packagings must 
conform to the quantity limitations set forth in table 1 of

[[Page 438]]

this paragraph for transport aboard passenger-carrying aircraft and 
table 2 of this paragraph for transport aboard cargo aircraft only, as 
follows:

       Table 1--Maximum Net Capacity of Inner Packaging for Transportation on Passenger-Carrying Aircraft
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 Maximum authorized net capacity of each inner packaging
 Maximum net quantity per package from  ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Column 9a of the Sec. 172.101 table    Glass, earthenware or fiber inner
                                                      packagings               Metal or plastic inner packagings
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Liquids:
    Not greater than 0.5L..............  0.5L...............................  0.5L.
    Greater than 0.5L. not greater than  0.5L...............................  lL.
     lL.
    Greater than 1L, not greater than    1L.................................  5L.
     5L.
    Greater than 5L, not greater than    2.5L...............................  10L.
     60L.
    Greater than 60L, not greater than   5L.................................  25L.
     220L.
    Greater than 220L..................  No limit...........................  No limit.
Solids:
    Not greater than 5 kg..............  0.5 kg.............................  1 kg.
    Greater than 5 kg, not greater than  1 kg...............................  2.5 kg.
     25 kg.
    Greater than 25 kg, not greater      5 kg...............................  10 kg.
     than 200 kg.
    Greater than 200 kg................  No limit...........................  No limit.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


              Table 2--Maximum Net Capacity of Inner Packaging for Transportation on Cargo Aircraft
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 Maximum authorized net capacity of each inner packaging
 Maximum net quantity per package from  ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Column 9b of the Sec. 172.101 table    Glass, earthenware or fiber inner
                                                      packagings               Metal or plastic inner packagings
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Liquids:
    Not greater than 2.5L..............  1L.................................  1L.
    Greater than 2.5L, not greater than  2.5L...............................  2.5L.
     30L.
    Greater than 30L, not greater than   5L.................................  10L.
     60L.
    Greater than 60L, not greater than   5L.................................  25L.
     220L.
    Greater than 220L..................  No limit...........................  No limit.
Solids:
    Not greater than 15 kg.............  1 kg...............................  2.5 kg.
    Greater than 15 kg, not greater      2.5 kg.............................  5 kg.
     than 50 kg.
    Greater than 50 kg, not greater      5 kg...............................  10 kg.
     than 200 kg.
    Greater than 200 kg................  No limit...........................  No limit.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (g) Cylinders. For any cylinder containing hazardous materials and 
incorporating valves, sufficient protection must be provided to prevent 
operation of, and damage to, the valves during transportation, by one of 
the following methods:
    (1) By equipping each cylinder with securely attached valve caps or 
protective headrings; or
    (2) By boxing or crating the cylinder.
    (h) Tank cars and cargo tanks. Any tank car or cargo tank containing 
a hazardous material may not be transported aboard aircraft.
    (i) Air eligibility marking. Each person who offers for 
transportation a hazardous material by aircraft must mark the packages 
containing the hazardous materials with an air eligibility mark as 
specified in Sec. 172.321 of this subchapter.

[Amdt. 173-224, 55 FR 52612, Dec. 21, 1990, as amended at 56 FR 66266, 
Dec. 20, 1991; Amdt. 173-138, 59 FR 49133, Sept. 26, 1994; 65 FR 58629, 
Sept. 29, 2000; 66 FR 45380, Aug. 28, 2001; 68 FR 45032, July 31, 2003]