Aerospace Fire Testing

Meet stringent aerospace safety requirements with Element’s specialized fire testing for critical aircraft components and materials. Our globally positioned laboratories provide comprehensive flammability, smoke, and toxicity testing to validate that your products will perform safely during fire exposure, helping you achieve certification and gain market advantage in international markets.

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What Is Aerospace Fire Testing At Element?

Aerospace fire testing evaluates how critical aircraft components and materials respond when exposed to fire conditions. At Element, we provide comprehensive fire test methods through our group company, Warringtonfire's, laboratory in Warrington, UK, and our specialized Jupiter, Florida facility in the USA. Our Warringtonfire laboratory holds UKAS accreditation and ISO/IEC 17025 certification, while our Jupiter location focuses on North American aerospace standards. Our testing measures flammability, flame spread, heat and smoke development, and flue gases to help you better understand fire behavior and improve product safety in aerospace applications.

Element testing specialist standing among environmental test chambers in product testing lab

What Can Element Offer You For Aerospace Fire Testing?

Key tests offered

Element's aerospace fire testing capabilities include comprehensive fireproof and fire resistance evaluations. Fireproof testing examines component functionality for up to 15 minutes under direct flame exposure, while fire resistance testing evaluates structural integrity and hazard prevention during 5-minute flame exposure. Both tests assess fluid/air leakage potential that could propagate flames.

15-minute fireproof functionality tests
5-minute fire resistance tests
Fluid/air leakage evaluations
Self-extinguishing capabilities
Structural degradation assessment

A fireproof test ensures that equipment maintains normal function for about five minutes and essential safety functions for at least fifteen minutes. Components containing fluid or air must be checked for leaks, as they could spread flames and lead to combustion. After testing, any remaining flame must self-extinguish if no leakage occurs.

During the five-minute fire resistance test, a component must remain safe, with no hazardous conditions or structural degradation. For parts containing fluid or air, preventing leakage is crucial, as certain fluids can ignite when exposed to flames. If a flame persists at the end of the test, it should pose no further risks and extinguish easily. Fire testing components that may encounter flames during operation is essential to assessing their safety and performance.

Components and products we test

We specialize in testing critical aircraft equipment, components, and materials that may be exposed to fire during operation. Our expertise covers engine compartment components, interior materials, fluid-containing systems, and essential safety function equipment. Each item is thoroughly evaluated for flammability, flame spread, smoke development, and flue gas production under standardized fire conditions.

Engine compartment components
Aircraft interior materials
Fluid containment systems
Air systems
Essential safety function equipment
Structural components in fire zones

Methods and solutions offered

Our experts implement industry-standard and customized fire test methods to evaluate your components thoroughly. We assess normal function maintenance, essential safety functions, structural integrity, and self-extinguishing capabilities. Our comprehensive approach ensures your products meet all necessary requirements while providing detailed performance data to guide product improvements.

Standard industry fire test protocols
Customized testing specifications
Comprehensive performance evaluations
Self-extinguishing capability assessment
Detailed performance documentation

Cutting-edge equipment we use

Element’s advanced fire testing equipment precisely replicates real-world fire conditions faced by aerospace components. Our facilities are equipped to conduct both standard and customized fire tests with exacting control over temperature, exposure time, and flame characteristics to ensure consistent, reliable results that accurately predict in-service performance.

Precision flame generation systems
Temperature-controlled testing environments
Specialized monitoring equipment
Fluid/air leakage detection systems
Advanced safety containment facilities

Which labs offer this service

Element provides aerospace fire testing through our sister company Warringtonfire's laboratory in Warrington, UK and our Jupiter, Florida facility in the USA.

Standards we test to and components we test

These are our most prevalent requests. Don't see what you're looking for? Contact us!

Department of Transportation/ Federal Aviation Administration

AC 20-135

International Organization for Standardization

ISO 2685

Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics

RTCA/DO-160

SAE International Standards

AIR 1377A
AS 1055; AS 4273

Rolls-Royce Engineering Specifications

JES 314-1
RRES90023

Your Challenges, Our Solutions

Critical safety validation

Your aerospace products must demonstrate proven fire safety performance. Our comprehensive fire testing validates flammability, smoke development, and gas emissions, ensuring certification success and passenger safety even when testing isn't legally mandated.

Meeting insurance requirements

Meeting increasing demands from insurance companies for fire protection monitoring can be complex. Our accredited testing helps you satisfy these requirements with reliable data on your products' fire behavior and safety performance.

Gaining market advantage

Standing out in a competitive marketplace requires proven product performance. Our detailed fire testing helps you better understand your products, make improvements, and demonstrate superior fire safety characteristics that give you an edge over competitors.

Improving fire protection

Understanding complex fire behavior is essential for product development. Our specialized testing measures flammability, flame spread, heat development, smoke production, and flue gases to provide comprehensive insights for ongoing product improvement.

Why Choose Element

Globally positioned laboratories

With strategically located facilities in the UK and USA, we provide convenient access to aerospace fire testing for clients worldwide.

Leading fire testing expertise

As one of the industry's leading fire test providers, we bring unmatched experience to your aerospace testing needs in both European and North American markets.

Comprehensive fire behavior analysis

We evaluate multiple aspects including flammability, flame spread, heat development, smoke production, and flue gases at our state-of-the-art facilities.

Market advantage enabler

Our testing helps you understand your products better, make improvements, and gain competitive advantages through superior fire safety in global markets.

Frequently asked questions

Is aerospace fire testing legally required?

While aerospace fire testing isn't always required by law, more insurance companies and official bodies now require monitoring and improvement of fire protection. Our testing helps you meet these increasing demands in both European and North American markets and provides data to demonstrate your products' safety performance.

Can you support both European and North American certification?

Yes, we can support certification requirements for both European and North American markets through our strategically located facilities. This allows us to provide comprehensive support for global market access requirements.

Fire testing expertise that delivers global market advantage

As one of the leading fire test providers, our team brings decades of specialized experience in aerospace fire testing. We not only help you better understand and improve your products' fire behavior, but also gain market advantage over competitors in international markets. Whether your focus is European or North American certification, our testing ensures you meet increasing demands from insurance companies and official bodies for improved fire protection monitoring.