Duncan Aviation expects to open a new flammability lab at its Battle Creek, Michigan, facility by the end of March. The MRO provider’s engineering and certification services division is not only being expanded in size but in capabilities to include the NexGen or Sonic Burner test (also known as the FAR 25.853 (b) fireblocking test). 

According to the company, the expansion was necessary to accommodate the new test equipment as well as provide adequate ventilation for employee safety. Once construction is complete, team leader Cliff Barker and his technicians will migrate test equipment into the new space, assemble it, and calibrate it to ensure proper functionality. The team will relocate one test chamber at a time so flammability testing can continue without interruption during the move. 

“Currently, we have two vertical test units and a multi-use test unit for horizontal, 45-degree, and wire testing,” said Barker. “After those have been installed and are fully functional, we’ll install the new Sonic Burner test equipment and begin conducting those tests as well.”

Once the equipment is thoroughly tested over a span of several weeks, Duncan’s organizational designation authorization (ODA) engineer structures-flammability unit will submit an application to the FAA seeking the authority to issue approvals on fireblock testing.