July 14, 2009
Membership Update
NFPA 409
2009 Fall Revision Cycle – Report on Comments
In April, National Air Transportation Association President James K. Coyne and Mercer Dye of Dye Aviation Facilities appeared before the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Technical Committee (TC) on Airport Facilities to discuss proposed changes to NFPA 409 – Standard on Aircraft Hangars. The proposed changes call for adding language that would require the installation of automatic sprinkler systems into most newly constructed general aviation hangars under 12,000 square feet.
Coyne’s and Dye’s comments to the NFPA TC focused on the lack of data to support such a costly proposed change and also addressed the chilling impact the proposed changes could have an new hangar construction. Coyne’s full comments to the TC on Airport Facilities are available at www.nata.aero or by clicking here.
After the meeting, the TC was treated to a tour of Galvin Flying Services’ facilities at nearby Boeing field. This tour gave the committee members the opportunity to see a general aviation facility and ask questions regarding the uniqueness of general aviation operation.
The NFPA TC has released its Report on Comments for the proposed changes to NFPA 409. This report details the committee’s action on comments it has received. Regarding the proposed change to require automatic sprinkler systems in most newly constructed general aviation hangars under 12,000 square feet, the committee agreed in principle with NATA and Dye’s comments and has proposed rewriting the change to require fixed fire suppression systems in newly constructed general aviation hangars less than 12,000 square feet in size only when it is already required by local ordinance or code with one exception. The language in the standard would be modified to require automatic sprinkler systems in “hangars also used as a residence.” The committee fails to include any language that specifically defines “a hangar also used a residence.”
Overall, NATA is very pleased that the NFPA TC on Airport Facilities has chosen to accept its view that requiring automatic fire suppression systems in small general aviation hangars is not justified. NATA has nominated its Manager of Regulatory Affairs, Mike France, to be a member of the NFPA TC on Airport Facilities. France’s membership application will be voted on by the NFPA Standards Council this August. NATA looks forward to partnering with NFPA in the near future to ensure that fire code standards balance the actual risk of fire with the their cost of implementation.
NATA Staff Contact: Mike France – Manager, Regulatory Affairs – mfrance@nata.aero