NFPA 409 Membership Update

Recently, the National Air Transportation Association (NATA) asked its members who own or operate aircraft hangars to complete a new survey gauging the economic impact that foam fire suppression system requirements have on their business. As expected, the results from this survey 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 complete NFPA survey results can be viewed by clicking here.

The results from this survey will be presented by NATA President James K. Coyne during the next National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standards Council meeting on April 21st at Boeing Field in Seattle, WA. Members will receive a final copy of these comments once they are completed next month.

Also, Eric Byer, NATA vice president of government and industry affairs, 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.

Members wishing to learn more about foam fire suppression systems and NFPA 409 may visit the association’s NFPA 409 Issue Page by clicking here.

For more information, please contact Eric Byer.

For general press inquiries, contact Shannon Chambers at 703-298-1347 or schambers@nata.aero. 

The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) has been the voice of aviation business for more than 80 years. Representing nearly 3,700 aviation businesses, NATA’s member companies provide a broad range of services to general aviation, the airlines and the military and NATA serves as the public policy group representing the interests of aviation businesses before Congress and the federal agencies.