New film to meet FAA's Flame Requirements for Aircraft Insulation Systems

19-Sep-08

To meet the new FAA fuselage "burn-through" barrier requirement for all new aircraft manufactured after September 1, 2009, commercial aircraft producers and insulation manufacturers are actively developing new lightweight thermal acoustic blanket (TAB) insulation systems constructed with APTIV™ PEEK-based covering film. The APTIV covering film adheres to the FAA's new performance requirements while providing the airlines a low weight solution relative to the conventional PVF covering films. The new FAA requirement specifies that insulation surrounding the cargo bay must also be resistant to "burn-through" in an intense thermal environment like that of a fuel-fed fire. This change is driving the redesign of current aircraft insulation systems. APTIV film coverings meet FAA's radiant panel testing which requires the improved resistance to flame propagation for thermal and acoustic insulation blankets, as per a senior executive with the company. Further. APTIV films can be laminated to specialized burn-through barrier systems that meet FAA FAR 25.856(b) resulting in a complete system that will meet the new FAA requirements. The APTIV film is lightweight; an important factor is reducing aircraft weight and increasing fuel economy. Also, APTIV film can be produced at 6µm (micron) thickness offering significant weight cutting compared to the existing 12µm PVF insulation systems. In addition to being thinner, APTIV film has lower specific gravity (1.26) versus traditional PVF film solutions (1.38-1.72) which results in a film that is more than 50% lighter while still maintaining all the necessary mechanical and flame characteristics. APTIV film is produced from VICTREX® PEEK™ polymer and provides all of the properties of VICTREX PEEK in a flexible format.