NPA 2015-15

Additional airworthiness specifications for operations: Thermal/acoustic insulation material

This Notice of Proposed Amendment (NPA) addresses a safety and harmonisation issue related to flame propagation and flame penetration resistance characteristics of thermal/acoustic insulation material.

The specific objective is to improve the protection of occupants of large aeroplanes operated in Commercial Air Transport (CAT) by improving certain characteristics of the insulation material installed in the fuselage: their capability to resist propagation of flame and to resist penetration of flame through the material (burnthrough).

This NPA proposes to amend Part-26 and CS-26 by introducing specifications on flammability standards for thermal/acoustic insulation material, which are based on CS 25.856 (a) and (b), and are applicable to already type-certified large aeroplanes used for CAT.

The proposed changes are expected to increase safety of large aeroplanes operated in CAT by preventing or reducing the risk of fire propagation or penetration into the aeroplane fuselage.

The proposed changes will also improve harmonisation with the FAA on this subject.