NATA Director of Regulatory Affairs Megan Eisenstein Appointed to NFPA's Technical Committee on Airport Facilities

NATA’s Director of Regulatory Affairs, Megan Eisenstein, has been appointed as a Principal to the Airport Facilities (AIS-AAA) Committee. This Committee is the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) technical committee for the NFPA 409: Standard on Aircraft Hangars. The Committee has primary responsibility for documents on fire safety for the construction and protection of airport facilities involving construction engineering (excluding airport fixed fueling systems). These documents include: The Standard for Construction and Protection of Aircraft Engine Test Facilities (NFPA 423), the Standard on Aircraft Hangars (NFPA 409), and the Standard on Airport Terminal Buildings, Fueling Ramp Drainage, and Loading Walkways (NFPA 415). NATA’s Managing Director of Safety and Training, Michael France, also serves as an alternate on this committee.

“Megan Eisenstein has a keen understanding of the aviation business industry and a pulse on the needs of our membership. The Airport Facilities Committee will greatly benefit from Megan’s experience as a pilot, staff liaison to the Association’s Airport Business Committee, and a participant on various industry working groups,” stated NATA Chairman of the Board Curt Castagna.

This past year, Megan and Michael have led the Association’s efforts to amend NFPA 409, with the aim of removing the requirement for many business aviation hangars to have fire foam suppression systems. Feedback from NATA members indicated that the costs of these systems are not worth the risk of accidental discharges. This was further supported by a survey sent out to NATA members and a study conducted by the University of Maryland titled “Review of Foam Fire Suppression System Discharges in Aircraft Hangars,” by Dr. James Milke and undergraduate students from the Department of Fire Protection Engineering.

In November, NATA submitted recommendations to the NFPA based on the findings, and to help align the Standard with the reality of the industry. The NFPA 409 Technical Committee on Airport Facilities will convene in the spring of 2020 to begin reviewing the public’s comments. The next revision of NFPA 409 will be published in 2021.

To learn more about the NFPA 409 initiative and view additional resources, please click here.