ASTM F3238-17

Standard Specification for Design and Installation of an Infrared (IR) Searchlight System (USA)

ABSTRACT
This specification prescribes the exposure limits and safe operating guidelines for infrared (IR) radiating devices to be mounted on N registered aircraft or any aircraft which is flown or operated in the United States or its territories. The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) has established threshold limit values (TLVs) for IR radiation exposure. The TLVs represent a safe exposure limit without physical harm, even with daily exposure. For this specification, the safe exposure time has been set at 100 seconds to reach the TLV. Therefore, the safe operating distance is calculated by determining the maximum output radiation of the device such that 100 seconds of exposure does not exceed one TLV as established by ACGIH.
This specification applies to: IR device emissions in support of night vision goggles or other devices such as electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensors capable of detecting IR radiation; IR device emissions that may pose a hazard to the flight crew, aircraft, and bystanders; and IR device emissions and related safety controls such as duration, beam width, radiant intensity, and wavelength. It covers the manufacturing design, manufacturing quality system, and installation requirements for airborne IR searchlight equipment, systems, and devices, as well as hazard, malfunction, and failure assessment, airplane/rotorcraft flight manual supplement (AFMS/RFMS) and configuration control, operational guidelines, inspection, and certification.
SCOPE
1.1 This specification establishes the manufacturing design, manufacturing quality system and installation requirements for airborne infrared (IR) searchlight equipment, systems, and devices. This specification applies only to IR devices that produce incoherent IR radiation and affixed to an aircraft which is N registered or operated and flown within the United States and its territories.  
1.2 This specification establishes the minimum and maximum system performance and provides guidelines for an operator to develop functional operation requirements to ensure IR safety.  
1.3 This specification covers IR device emissions in support of night vision goggles or other devices such as electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensors capable of detecting IR radiation.  
1.4 This specification covers IR device emissions that may pose a hazard to the flight crew, aircraft, and bystanders.  
1.5 This specification covers IR device emissions and related safety controls such as duration, beam width, radiant intensity, and wavelength.  
1.6 This specification encourages an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to maintain a robust quality assurance program and a well-documented configuration control process at the component level and continued through installation at the system level.  
1.7 The OEM shall include the warnings, exposure limitations and corresponding data, and installation instructions described within this specification in their operation and installation manuals. These manuals shall be provided with the product or device.  
1.8 Units—The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.  
1.9 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.  
1.10 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 31-Mar-2017
• ICS: 49.090 - On-board equipment and instruments
• Technical Committee: F39 - Aircraft Systems
• Drafting Committee: F39.04 - Aircraft Systems

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation: F3238 − 17
Standard Specification for
Design and Installation of an Infrared (IR) Searchlight
1
System (USA)
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F3238; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
INTRODUCTION
This specification establishes the exposure limits and safe operating guidelines for infrared (IR)
radiating devices to be mounted on N registered aircraft or any aircraft which is flown or operated in
the United States or its territories. This specification applies to devices such as searchlights and
landing lights or other IR radiating devices that emit incoherent IR energy. For IR systems that emit
coherent IR radiation, refer to FAA AC 20-183. This specification does not establish the requirements
for mounting to a specific aircraft and does not authorize the installation onto an aircraft. Specific
installation requirements for each airframe type shall comply with Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA) regulations and guidelines and are in addition to the requirements set forth in this specification.
The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) has established
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threshold limit values (TLVs) for IR radiation exposure. The TLVs represent a safe exposure limit
without physical harm, even with daily exposure. In general terms, the components of the TLV are a
function of the intensity of the IR radiation (within a specified band), the distance to (or from) the
radiating source, over a period of time (exposure).
For this specification, the safe exposure time has been set at 100 seconds to reach the TLV.
Therefore, the safe operating distance is established by determining the maximum output radiation of
the device such that 100 seconds of exposure does not exceed one TLV as established by ACGIH.
1. Scope 1.3 This specification covers IR device emissions in support
of night vision goggles or other devices such as electro-optical/
1.1 This specification establishes the manufacturing design,
infrared (EO/IR) sensors capable of detecting IR radiation.
manufacturing quality system and installation requirements for
airborne infrared (IR) searchlight equipment, systems, and
1.4 This specification covers IR device emissions that may
devices. This specification applies only to IR devices that pose a hazard to the flight crew, aircraft, and bystanders.
produce incoherent IR radiation and affixed to an aircraft which
1.5 This specification covers IR device emissions and re-
is N registered or operated and flown within the United States
lated safety controls such as duration, beam width, radiant
and its territories.
intensity, and wavelength.
1.2 This specification establishes the minimum and maxi-
1.6 This specification encourages an Original Equipment
mum system performance and provides guidelines for an
Manufacturer (OEM) to maintain a robust quality assurance
operator to develop functional operation requirements to en-
program and a well-documented configuration control process
sure IR safety.
at the component level and continued through installation at the
system level.
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This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F39 on Aircraft
1.7 The OEM shall include the warnings, exposure limita-
Systems and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F39.04 on Aircraft
Systems.
tions and corresponding data, and installation instructions
Current edition approved April 1, 2017. Published April 2017. DOI: 10.1520/
described within this specification in their operation and
F3238-17.
2 installation manuals. These manuals shall be provided with the
Light and Near-Infrared Radiation: TLV(R) Physical Agents, 7th ed., American
Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, 2015, www.acgih.org. product or device.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
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F3238 − 17
NOTE 1—For all referenced documents, the latest version of the released
1.8 Units—The values stated in SI units are to be regarded
document shall be used.
as the standard. No other units of measurement are included in
this standard.
3. Terminology
1.9 This standard does not purport to address all of the
3.1 Definitions:
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
3.1.1 beam width, n—beam diameter or beam width of an
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
electromagnetic beam is the diameter along any specified line
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
that is perpendicular to the beam
...