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TRANSPORT CANADA’S COMPREHENSIVE
APPROACH TO AIRCRAFT FIRE SAFETY
Canada has one of the safest air transportation systems in the world. This
system operates on the principle that, both in the air and on the ground, safety
is a shared responsibility among all parties involved — regulators,
manufacturers and operators.
Aircraft fire safety is a key aspect of Transport Canada’s safety
responsibilities. Specifically, Transport Canada is responsible for the development,
implementation and enforcement of safety standards and regulations under the Canadian
Aviation Regulations.
Fire safety on-board aircraft involves complex issues that require
international cooperation among regulators, manufacturers and operators.
Transport Canada works actively with partner authorities, particularly the U.S.
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Joint Aviation
Authorities, along with industry at home and around the world, both
directly and within recognized international working groups and committees, to
address pertinent issues. Examples of such groups include the FAA’s
International Aircraft Materials Fire Test Working Group and International
Aircraft Systems Fire Protection Working Group, as well as the Aging Transport
System Rulemaking Advisory Committee.
Canadian design certification standards include several measures to minimize
the likelihood of on-board fires and to counteract fires in areas that have been
identified as being most vulnerable, such as engines, cargo compartments and
lavatories. These measures are based on a thorough assessment of fire risks and
conditions. The standards require the provision of fire/smoke detection systems
and suppression/extinguishing systems, the isolation of ignition sources and the
means to prevent, through design, the accumulation of flammable fluids and
vapours.
Transport Canada’s progress on significant fire safety improvements has
focused on the following areas:
- stringent flammability and fire resistance standards for seat cushions and
cabin interior materials to extend evacuation time, for escape slides to
augment their resistance to radiant heat from fires and for cargo
compartments to contain possible fires;
- cabin floor emergency lighting systems to provide guidance to exits in
smoky conditions;
- improved on-board fire fighting equipment to enhance in-flight fire
fighting; and
- fire detection, extinguishing and suppression systems for lavatories
and for cargo compartments that are not accessible inflight.
Transport Canada is also working with other regulatory authorities to improve
standards for other materials and technologies. This work includes:
- developing improved flammability criteria for hidden materials such as wiring to reduce their propensity for ignition and flame propagation;
- investigating new technologies and systems which can mitigate the risk of
ignition, such as arc-fault interrupters;
- reviewing fire risks and conditions in various hidden areas and
investigating means to provide enhanced detection and suppression in such
areas; and
- developing advanced fire-resistant materials.
January 2006
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