Q: Aero Team primarily certifies aircraft. How did you end up in fire containment?
Brian DeCamp: Everything we do in certification is about safety, and not much concerns safety more than a fire on an airplane. About a year and a half ago, a local company came to us with an extinguisher for lithium-ion fires. I looked at FAA data and found that 1.5 to 2 incidents occur on U.S. commercial flights every week, with limited reporting and visibility. After initial testing, we figured out quickly that an extinguisher alone wasn’t the answer. It might knock down the fire, but it does nothing about the smoke or the hot object left behind.
Q: What makes a lithium-ion fire different, and how do crews handle one today?
BD: A typical aircraft fire comes from a single source on the airplane. Put 150 people onboard, many carrying a phone, laptop, tablet or power bank, and suddenly you have hundreds of potential battery events.
When I last checked, the FAA website said to pour non-alcoholic liquid on the fire. Some airlines carry containment bags, but they aren’t required. They’re probably a two-person job, and the FAA tested several bag solutions with inconsistent results. The bags were limited in overall performance, particularly on smoke containment and ease of use.
Q: How does the AeroChief kit solve those problems?
BD: The kit is an orange hard case sized for up to a 15-inch laptop, with a ceramic blanket liner that addresses the fire, heat and smoke of a thermal runaway event. The case also has a TSA-approved pressure vent. Inside, a bag holds two cans of suppressant, 500-degree gloves and goggles. People panic during a fire, so we packed everything together. Pull out the bag, and the case is empty and ready for the device. One person can handle the whole process, and once the device is inside and the lid is shut, the event is over.
Q: What did a year of testing show, and where do you stand with the FAA?
BD: Getting there was a balancing act. The case had to contain the fire and smoke, withstand temperatures up to 1,800 degrees and still handle the pressure changes from aircraft pressurization and the thermal runaway event.
We burned up a lot of batteries along the way and learned how unpredictable they can be. We ignited three identical power banks the same way. Two went into thermal runaway as expected, and the third exploded.
Once we got comfortable with our in-house testing, we moved validation testing to the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) at Wichita State University. Aero Team engineers write the test plans in conjunction with NIAR, and NIAR gives us final reports on the actual test results.
The case fully contained the heat and fire, but I still contend the smoke can be worse than the fire. The batteries released several chemicals, such as hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen fluoride and carbon monoxide. Based on calculated mass, the case contained 91% of the gases produced, which substantially reduces exposure to toxic chemicals for people near a thermal event.
The AeroChief has been tested to the requirements in Technical Standard Order (TSO) C19c and SAE AS245C. The tests cover altitude, decompression, and high and low operating and ground survival temperatures. Aero Team plans to submit its TSO application to the FAA in October 2026.
Q: What are you hearing from airlines and other potential users?
BD: We share test data and product information with customers in technical discussions that run through our network of distributors. That network covers the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Europe and the Middle East, and the feedback so far has been positive.
What surprised us is the interest beyond aviation. We’re longtime aerospace people, so we didn’t know much about other industries, but we’re learning quickly. A mining company in Canada asked for a larger case for power tools, and another group inquired about classrooms and commercial buildings. The problem exists well beyond airplanes.
Q: After all that testing, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned?
BD: React quickly. I end every customer conversation this way: After over a year of evaluations and testing, the following observation applies. Quick reaction is paramount because once the process starts, there is typically less than one minute until full thermal runaway. The best way to mitigate health risk related to smoke or burns and property damage from the fire is to move the battery into the containment case as quickly as possible.
Once it hits thermal runaway, you’re spraying, cooling and pulling on gloves — all inside the smoke. Deal with it earlier, because a minute later you don’t want to be dealing with it.
About The Expert
Brian DeCamp has spent more than 35 years in aerospace engineering and certification. Before Aero Team, he managed production for commercial wing programs and the King Air turboprop at a major aircraft OEM and held leadership roles at aerospace suppliers.
For more information, contact Evan McCorry, Vice President Sales & Marketing of Aero Team, LLC: [email protected]
