SpecialFocus
Elevating safety: Plastics for a secure aerospace
hen it comes to our modern world, we understand that every facet of our lives needs plastics. In aerospace, plastics transform a flying metal tube into a safe, durable and lighter-weight high-functioning environment that is aesthetically pleasing and comfortable. Plastics are an integral part of an aircraft’s ability to function and many parts using plastics are not there solely for the sake of a lightweight solution. Plastics used in aircrafts are engineered and designed to provide additional benefits, such as fire resistance, chemical resistance, visibility and strength.

While flame-ratings are usually top of mind when considering which plastic works best for various parts in an airplane, it’s more than simple fire resistance. Plastics need to meet specific fire rating characteristics; but what does that mean?
The Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) outline the following standards:
- FAR 25.853 paragraph (a): How fast materials will burn (measured in vertical or horizontal burn test) – Flash fires cannot occur.
- FAR 25.853 paragraph (a): How much melting may occur (observation of dripping/flaming material in burn test) – Material cannot spread the fire to other areas.
- FAR 25.853 paragraph (d) Part IV & Part V: How much heat and smoke come off the materials if combustion occurs (OSU 65/65 test and smoke density test) – There cannot be smoke so thick so you cannot see an exit or too much heat to prevent you from getting to the exit.
All these requirements are carefully considered so that passengers have time to exit an aircraft in case of an emergency, but it is also important to consider some of the less obvious safety needs of various components.
Planes are subjected to many harsh conditions, both climate and chemical, on a day-to-day basis. Some plastics can withstand wide temperature swings and corrosive chemicals. Designers and engineers look for interior components that can withstand the constant use of cleaning chemicals that keep passengers protected from illness but are tough on the parts.
Those are considerations for the aircraft itself, but what about passengers, pilots and ground crews? Instrumentation panels which provide critical data to the pilots require plastics that protect them while also enhancing the visibility of the information displayed, whether it’s during the bright light of day or the dark of night.
While instrumentation plays a very important part in a pilot’s ability to get passengers into the air and back on the ground, visibility in the air and on the ground is also essential. The plastic materials of cockpit windows are highly engineered transparency systems that are designed to withstand high impact and resist scratching while providing the utmost clarity.

- Seating and structural components such as bulkheads and galley areas use acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC)/acrylic, PVC/ABS and thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO), possibly with laminated decorative films and/or embossing.
- Flame-rated sheets are used in shims in batteries.
- Cell cast and stretched acrylic are used in military, commercial and general aviation glazing applications for fixed and rotary wing aircrafts, including:
- Aircraft transparencies
- Helicopter bubbles
- Cabin windows
- Edge-lit illuminated panels
- Wing tip lenses
Andy Baumler is the market development manager, aerospace & transportation for Spartech. For or more information, contact Spartech at 11650 Lakeside Crossing Court, Maryland Heights, MO 63146-8606 USA; by phone at (314) 569-7400; or online at www.spartech.com.