Agency Wants To Confirm Fire-Suppression Safety Of Composites

The FAA has spoken... and the agency says Boeing needs to demonstrate its upcoming, composite-bodied 787 Dreamliner offers a level of fuel-tank fire suppresion safety comparable to aluminum-bodied airliners.

At issue is Boeing's use of composite fuel tanks in the fuselage and wing structures of its first-generation 787-8, which is expected to enter service in 2008. Previous use of such tanks has been limited to military aircraft, and the empennage structure of some Airbus designs.

“The use of composite structure should not decrease this existing level of safety,” the FAA proposal states. “Boeing must demonstrate that the 787 has sufficient post-crash survivability.”

While the request is hardly a surprise -- as such tests are necessary for certification of any passenger-transport aircraft -- it does represent the first time such testing will be performed on a largely composite-bodied plane, Reuters.

“This is very much expected and the timing is expected as well. This is something we've been very intentional about in working with the FAA on the 787 program – to identify all applicable rules as early as possible,” said Jeff Hawk, who is overseeing the 787-8 certification effort for Boeing.

The FAA is also expected to issue a second proposal request shortly, calling for Boeing to conduct special crashworthiness testing on the 787, for largely the same reasons as the fuel tank tests.

Hawk adds neither test requirement is expected to delay the 787's entry into service, as the company does not expect the FAA to demand any airframe changes.

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.boeing.com