US: FAA to streamline fire regulations for cargo compartments

Federal regulators want to simplify regulations meant to protect cargo compartments from fire hazards in a proposal they say will be a net savings for aircraft manufacturers. The FAA proposal would apply to manufacturers of US-operated "transport category" airplanes and would include both commercial passenger jets and cargo-only freighters. However, the proposed changes would not apply to cargo containers, "even though the National Transportation Safety Board has recommended improved flammability standards for cargo containers," the FAA pointed out in the proposal. "Unlike the cargo compartments that house them, cargo containers are usually not part of the airplane type design, and so are not directly affected by the requirements," the agency said. <br/>