UN 3480, lithium-ion batteries (batteries not packed with or contained in equipment) are forbidden on passenger carrying aircraft and cannot exceed a 30% state of charge (SoC) when transported on cargo aircraft. Lithium-ion power banks are included in this requirement. In December 2024, an undeclared package containing three lithium-ion power banks
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This study introduces a novel approach to enhance fire protection in aircraft cargo compartments, motivated by the urgency to address catastrophic in-flight fires recorded between 2006 and 2011. The method uses ultra-high frequency (UHF) radio frequency identification (RFID) temperature sensing tags and advanced algorithmic analysis to enhance fire
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The number of thermal runaway incidents from portable electronic devices (PEDs) in the aircraft cabin is growing at a notable rate. Recent data indicates that lithium battery incidents occur on average more than once per week on passenger aircraft. In response to this problem, many airlines have adopted the use of fire containment products as a mea
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This report summarizes the research effort undertaken by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to develop an improved test methodology for determining the performance of aircraft evacuation slide materials when exposed to radiant heat. A laboratory-scale test method was previously developed by the FAA circa 1983, which used a pressurized cylind
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As a result of the COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, over 12.7 billion vaccine doses were shipped and administered across 184 countries. Transportation via aircraft was a significant contributor in this effort. Many of the COVID-19 vaccines need to be stored at extremely low temperatures to maintain efficacy, therefore, dry ice has been used as a met
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A radiant panel insulation test round robin with 24 labs was conducted in 2015 and the test results varied considerably between labs. Dimension data about each apparatus was collected from each participating lab and the air openings around the sliding platform were identified as one possible cause of the test discrepancies. Preliminary studies were
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The transportation of lithium batteries is heavily regulated. UN 3480, lithium-ion batteries (batteries not packed with or contained within equipment) are forbidden on passenger aircraft and cannot exceed 30% state of charge (SoC) when transported on cargo aircraft. In March 2024, two packages containing lithium-ion cells (UN3480) started to smolde
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The fire growth rate of interior linings, furnishings, and construction materials is measured in full-scale fire tests such as the ASTM E84 Steiner Tunnel, the ISO 9705 room fire, and a passenger aircraft cabin as the flame spread rate, time-to-flashover, or time to incapacitation, respectively. The results are used to indicate the level of passive
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Electrical odors and smoke incidents in aviation have become a pressing concern, with over half of the detector activations resulting in false alarms, leading to uncertainties for flight crews. The escalating costs of diversions and growing awareness of associated health risks underscore the need for more reliable detection and discrimination from
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With a rising interest in hydrogen-fueled aircraft comes many design and safety concerns. There are many problems to be solved and safety standards and precautions established if aircrafts are going to be equipped with hydrogen. To that end, the objective of this project is to understand the fundamental characteristics of hydrogen flames. More spec
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Additive manufacturing (AM), commonly referred to as three-dimensional (3D) printing, is a modern manufacturing technology that can be applied within many different areas of the aerospace industry due to its ability to produce light and durable parts with complex geometries. Aircraft manufacturers and airlines have expressed interest in the use of
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This report summarizes a short test conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to determine the effectiveness of a trained canine to detect lithium batteries hidden inside of boxes. Fifteen identical cardboard boxes that either contained different types of lithium batteries, or were empty, were spread out around a building for the canin
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A study was conducted to determine the feasibility of adding the capability of measuring material smoke emissions to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rate of heat release test method, which is performed in a specially developed test device that is commonly referred to as the Heat Release Rate 2 Apparatus (HR2). A laser/sensor means of meas
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The transport of oxidizers and compressed oxygen within aircraft is heavily regulated, largely as a result of the fatal 1996 ValuJet accident. Past Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) studies have found that released oxidizers can exacerbate burning within a halon-suppressed cargo compartment fire, potentially overwhelming the fire suppression sy
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A thermal event involving a package containing lithium-ion pouch cells occurred within a sorting facility of an all-cargo airline in December 2022. This package had been previously shipped via air and was being handled for delivery to its next destination. Following the incident, the package was sent to the William J. Hughes Technical Center for fu
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This report documents proven methods of collection and analysis for acid gases in fire tests conducted at the FAA Technical Center. It focuses on methods of collection and analysis requiring trapping hot acid gases at the sampling point and avoiding errors due to sample line losses. The sampling system, collection tubes and procedures are described
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Suitable alternatives to Halon 1301 are being sought throughout the aviation industry as a result of a worldwide agreement to ban the production and use of Halon 1301 due to the detrimental effects to the atmosphere. Fire extinguishing agents proposed for use in transport category airplane cargo compartments must demonstrate effective firefighting
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The aircraft industry in partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) formed a task group in 2013 to consider using the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D7309 “Standard Test Method for Determining Flammability Characteristics of Plastics and Other Combustible Solid Materials Using Microscale Combustion Calorimetry” (M
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A simulated model of a full-sized aircraft cargo compartment was used to determine the effect of active cargo containers. Physical testing in conjunction with the simulated cargo compartment was used to validate the accuracy of the Fire Dynamics Simulator model which included an artificial smoke generator. The artificial smoke generator is currentl
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A method and criterion are described to assess the no-effect level of a constituent change on the fire performance of aircraft cabin material or construction. A constituent may be a thermosetting resin, coating, composite, adhesive, potting compound, film, fabric, elastomer, rubber, or thermoplastic. This can be used in the construction of a cabin
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