Overpack Definition For Aircraft Oxidizers

The US DOT has published the Final Rule on "HM-224A — Chemical Oxidizers & Compressed Oxygen Aboard Aircraft" in the Federal Register, August 19, 1999. This Final Rule prohibits liquid and solid oxidizers in aircraft cargo compartments. Spent oxygen generators are prohibited on any aircraft and are only permitted to be transported by the surface mode. Compressed oxygen cylinders will be permitted in inaccessible cargo compartments on passenger and cargo aircraft provided that they are in an overpack meeting specifications such as those provided in the Air Transport Association of America (ATA) "Specification 300 — Packaging of Airline Supplies." Under the "One cylinder per passenger requiring oxygen at destination" provision, the operator is not required to provide the oxygen cylinder packaging (overpacks) nor is the operator responsible to provide the oxygen cylinder itself. If the operator chooses to provide these services for its customer, they are free to charge for the use of an overpack packaging as well as for the oxygen cylinder. Please note that the references to "Overpack" in this Final Rule are not directly related to the definition of "Overpack" as found in the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations. The term "Overpack" in this Final Rule is the term used by DOT to describe the outer container required to contain the oxygen cylinders.