Fire Protection in Aircraft Hangars

When it comes to fire safety, aircraft hangars pose an interesting challenge. Not only are they large, open areas, but the contents are usually highly flammable considering the chemical and jet fuel stored inside.

For large hangars, aircraft fuselages, wings or even scaffolding can obstruct fire detection and fire suppression equipment creating an even bigger challenge. Meanwhile, a smaller hangar meant for small aircraft will not have as big of an issue. Due to the variety of circumstances, it is important to get a fire safety engineer on site to assess your hangar and present a plan to keep the occupants and contents as safe as possible in the event of an emergency.

Unlike a regular building, large hangars for commercial airliners typically require fire suppression systems at a scale that most engineers are unfamiliar. Hangars add variables such as unusually heights and distances. Plus, added sensitivity is needed due to the presence of accelerants.

There are many options when it comes to active fire suppression systems including fire pumps, foam systems and sprinkler systems. Most building codes require a heavy amount of protection and redundancy when it comes to fire safety in aircraft hangars. Therefore it is imperative to contact a fire safety engineer to make sure your building meets all codes while maximizing design options.