A FOKKER 100 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH AFT CARGO COMPARTMENT BLOW OUT PANELS HANGING DOWN. CREW UNAWARE OF REQUIREMENT.

Narrative

AFTER COMPLETING THE WALK AROUND INSPECTION INCLUDING INSPECTION OF THE CARGO AREAS; A RAMP WORKER CAME UP AND INFORMED US THAT ONE OF THE CARGO BLOW OUT PANELS WAS LOOSE. BOTH THE CAPT AND I AGREED WE HAD NEVER HEARD OF A RESTRICTION ON THE PANELS. HOWEVER; AFTER A FEW SECURITY ISSUES HAD BEEN RESOLVED; WE DECIDED IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO CHK IT OUT PERSONALLY. THE CAPT WENT DOWN AND HAD ONE OF THE GND FOLKS REACH INTO THE CAVITY MAKING SURE THERE WAS NOTHING OF CONSEQUENCE IN THE CAVITY. ANYWAY; NOT THINKING THERE WAS A RESTR ON THE PANELS; WE PRESSED ON WITH THE DEP. UPON ARRIVING IN ZZZ; WE INFORMED MAINT AND THE NEXT CREW THE PANEL NEEDED TO BE RESET. THEY THEN INFORMED US THAT THE PANELS HAD TO BE SET DUE TO THE NEW CARGO FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM ON THE ACFT. WE ALSO DISCUSSED THE ISSUE WITH SEVERAL CREWMEMBERS WHO ALSO WERE UNAWARE OF ANY RESTR. IF IT ACTUALLY IS A RESTR; IT NEEDS TO BE DISSEMINATED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE COMPANY NEVER ISSUED AND ALERT BULLETIN OR PUBLISHED ANY INFO ON THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE BLOW OUT PANELS TO BE IN PLACE AND SERVICEABLE. THE RPTR SAID HALF OF THE CREWS AND TECHNICIANS TALKED TO ABOUT THE SITUATION ARE ALSO UNAWARE OF THE REQUIREMENT. CALLBACK FROM ACN 537948: THE RPTR STATED THAT NO ALERT BULLETIN OR ADDITION TO THE FLT MANUAL WAS ISSUED BY THE COMPANY REGARDING THE BLOW OUT PANELS. THE RPTR SAID THE AFT CARGO BLOW OUT PANELS WERE HANGING DOWN AT DISPATCH AND WERE REPAIRED AT ZZZ AFTER THE REQUIREMENT WAS DISCOVERED. THE RPTR STATED THE MINIMUM EQUIP LIST WAS NOT REVIEWED TO SEE FOR CERTAIN IF THE PANELS WERE A NO GO ITEM.