ICCAIA Supports HAAPS Consortium seeking alternatives to Halon.
Press Release Summary:
According to its chairman Marion C. Blakey, International Coordinating Council of Aerospace Industries Association (ICCAIA) supports international aerospace community in seeking to replace Halon as aircraft fire extinguishing agent. This follows formation of Halon Alternatives for Aircraft Propulsion Systems (HAAPS) consortium and is in preparation for imposed ban on new production of Halon by international protocol regarding substances that deplete Earth's ozone layer.
Original Press Release:
ICCAIA Supports International Consortium Seeking Alternatives to Halon Fire Suppressant
Statement by International Coordinating Council of Aerospace Industries Association Chairman Marion C. Blakey
Arlington, Va. – The International Coordinating Council of Aerospace Industries Association (ICCAIA) supports the international aerospace community as it seeks a timely and effective replacement for Halon, widely used as an aircraft fire extinguishing agent.
In a recent announcement, Airbus SAS, The Boeing Company, Bombardier Inc., Embraer S.A., Textron Inc., and the Ohio Aerospace Institute have initiated activities to form the Halon Alternatives for Aircraft Propulsion Systems (HAAPS) consortium. The announcement states “This international collaboration among aircraft manufacturers, fire extinguishing system suppliers, engine/auxiliary power unit/nacelle companies, and other key stakeholders aims to identify a common environmentally- acceptable non-halon fire extinguishing solution(s) for use in engine and auxiliary power unit (APU) fire zones”. The full text of the announcement can be found at http://www.oai.org/docs/Final-Approved-HAAPS-Press-Release-2015-01-26.pdf .
New production of Halon has been banned by international protocol on substances that deplete the Earth’s ozone layer. The European Union and International Civil Aviation Organization require the use of non-Halon engine and APU fire extinguishing alternatives on new design aircraft beginning this year. The EU also has set a requirement of 2040 to retrofit all existing aircraft.
With this in mind, ICCAIA supports the HAAPS consortium goal. We anticipate that this consortium will not only discover an acceptable solution to this challenge, but also shorten the time and expense required.
