[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 49, Volume 2]

[Revised as of October 1, 2005]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 49CFR173.27]



[Page 444-446]

 

                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION

 

   CHAPTER I--PIPELINE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY 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 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.



[[Page 445]]



    (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 this 

paragraph for transport aboard passenger-carrying aircraft and table 2 

of this paragraph for transport aboard cargo aircraft only, as follows:



[[Page 446]]







       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) Effective October 1, 2006, each person who offers a hazardous 

material for transportation by aircraft must include the certification 

statement specified in Sec. 172.204(c)(3).



[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; 

69 FR 76155, Dec. 20, 2004]