Engineering and Development Program Plan, Aircraft Cabin Fire Safety. Revised.

The aircraft cabin Fire Safety program plan is designed to improve the survivability and safety of passengers and crew during postcrash or in-flight transport aircraft cabin fire. Four major tasks are identified to accomplish the goal 1 Cabin Fire Hazard Characterization, 2 Materials Management including test method development and evaluationdevelopment of new materials, 3 Survival and Evacuation, and 4 Fire Management and Suppression. The program emphasizes the evaluation and development of improved materials and fire management and suppression, which involve the potential for near-term products. The specific projects include seat cushion fire blocking layers, hand-held extinguishers, cargo compartment fire safety, and in-flight smoke ventilation. Of a long-term nature is the development of improved small-scale fire test methods for cabin materials that can be related to real fire behavior. Examples include mathematical and physical fire modeling of fire dynamics, toxicity of irritant gases and combustion mixtures, and measurementprediction of flame spread. Work related to evacuation includes heat resistant evacuation slides completed, emergency lighting and protective breathing devices. New material applications which will be evaluated and developed include low-weight and practical interior panels with improved fire performance and burnthrough resistant windows and door curtains. A total cabin postcrash tire protection system will be designed if shown to be effective and feasible during prototype testing. The ultimate product of the program is improved regulatory or advisory material pertaining to cabin fire safety.