There are times when a buyer’s due diligence of an aircraft will request proof of fireblocking. This is a frequently used aviation term that is not overly apparent in its meaning.
In short, fireblocking is treatment of the interior to withstand flames for a specific period of time. Authorities discovered that in accidents, many preventable injuries were caused by flammable interiors in post-crash fires, a situation that could have been avoided and many lives saved. Now, interiors all must prove they are able to withstand flames to a certain level, thereby reducing the risk to passengers inside.
Every part of the interior has to go through burn testing when installed. This is when a test facility will take each part of the interior and burn it to record how long it can withstand the flames and what happens when it does burn. There is a set of guidelines issued by the authorities that all interiors must comply with. If the burn centre can prove that each part passes these guidelines, they issue a document with the statement of compliance for that part. This can get quite involved, as each batch of leather for the seats, each batch of seat cushions, carpet, curtains, side walls and wood work must prove compliance with these fireblocking standards.
This is important during a purchase because any aircraft that will be used in charter service has to prove the aircraft’s fireblocking in order to be accepted by the authorities for that operation. Without this proof the aircraft will not be accepted, and in some extreme circumstances the interior has to be redone.
As with many things in aviation, little things can have a big consequence. Fireblocking compliance (in reality, it’s only a few pieces of paper) is one of these items and will have particular bearing on the ability of a transaction to proceed. Make sure your interior facility gives you clear paperwork on this point when you have your interior refurbished. Next time this comes up during a transaction, you will have a better understanding of what fireblocking is and what it exactly means.
Blogs are written from real world experience by Colibri Aircraft’s individuals. If you have any questions or comments about the topic of this blog, please feel free to contact our team at enquiries@colibriaircraft.com
