A consortium of aviation manufacturers, along with other industry companies, is working to develop non-halon fire extinguishing solutions for use in aviation engines and auxiliary power unit fire zones.

Named the Halon Alternatives for Aircraft Propulsion Systems (HAAPS), the consortium is managed by Ohio Aerospace Institute (OAI).

The consortium comprises aircraft manufacturers, including Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Embraer and Textron, as well as fire extinguishing system suppliers such as engine, auxiliary power unit, nacelle companies, and other key stakeholders.

The project is designed to identify a common environmentally-acceptable non-halon fire extinguishing solution.

"The project is designed to identify a common environmentally-acceptable non-halon fire extinguishing solution."

Halon 1301 fire extinguishing agent has been in use for decades. However, production of the compound was banned in 1994 in compliance with the Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer.

Industry aircraft manufacturers, suppliers and fire suppression companies worked on producing a suitable replacement for Halon 1301, although these attempts yielded no results.

OAI said in a statement: "A limited amount of time is available for the aviation industry to transition to the use of non-halon agents.

"In addition, since cessation of new halon production per the Montreal Protocol, aviation including fleet maintenance is dependent on recycled halon supplies, which are expected to be significantly constrained in the future."

EU and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) regulations require use of non-halon engine / APU fire extinguishing agents in aircrafts designed after 2014. The EU rules mandate a retrofit deadline of 2040.