NATA Foam Fire Suppression Survey Results

Recently, The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) asked its members who own or operate aircraft hangars to complete a survey gauging the economic impact that foam fire suppression system requirements have on their business. As expected, the survey results clearly indicate the prohibitive effect of the foam fire suppression system requirements on the general aviation industry.

Forty-four percent of respondents claim that they have cancelled plans to build a hangar or have reduced hangar size because of the cost of compliance with NFPA 409. Seventy-eight percent of respondents stated that the additional cost of complying with NFPA 409, including a mandatory fire suppression system for Group III hangars (under 12,000 square feet), would prevent member companies from constructing new hangars.

The results from this survey will be presented by NATA President James K. Coyne during the next National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Airport Facilities Technical Committee meeting on April 21 at Boeing Field in Seattle, WA. NATA will make a copy of these comment available to members later this month.

Also, NATA Manager of Regulatory Affairs Michael France has applied to the NFPA's Airport Facilities Technical Committee to represent aviation businesses nationwide. The NFPA Airport Facilities Technical Committee is responsible for making recommendations to the NFPA Standards Council on fire protection requirements for airport facilities.

The ultimate goal of these ongoing activities is to convince the NFPA of the detrimental impact that foam fire suppression system requirements have on aviation businesses nationwide and to explore new requirements more appropriate for Group II and III hangars.