Eclipse Aviation News
“We are committed to changing the status quo in aviation by pioneering and applying new and innovative technologies to aircraft design and manufacturing, and PhostrEx is another significant result of our efforts,” said Vern Raburn, Eclipse Aviation president and CEO. “Our customers will benefit from a dramatically improved fire suppression system that is exclusive to the Eclipse 500. On a global scale, due to our extensive testing and work with government agencies including the FAA and EPA, the world finally has a replacement for Halon that is lighter, more effective, maintenance free and environmentally friendly.”
The FAA requires all turbofan powered aircraft to have a fire extinguishing means for each engine. However, the Halon systems that have been used in aviation for more than 50 years are bulky, heavy and expensive to maintain. On an environmental level, Halon has been outlawed by the international Montreal Protocol treaty because it depletes the ozone layer. While new Halon production ceased in 1994, the aviation industry has been exempted from the Montreal Protocol pending the identification of a suitable replacement agent. PhostrEx meets the requirements of both the Montreal Protocol and the Clean Air Act, and will be the first commercially viable, FAA certified Halon replacement fire extinguishing agent.
PhostrEx is the latest major aviation innovation from Eclipse, the company that has used advanced technologies and processes to set a new price/value standard in general aviation. PhostrEx increases the Eclipse 500 value proposition for customers and further lowers the jet's already unrivaled cost of ownership.
PhostrEx Advantages
The PhostrEx fire suppression system has been patented by Eclipse and is exclusive to the Eclipse 500. PhostrEx is superior to Halon systems in all respects.
Lightweight and more effective- PhostrEx is much more potent than Halon. Two teaspoons of PhostrEx are equivalent to 2.5 cups of Halon. The total PhostrEx system weight is approximately 90 percent less than a traditional Halon system.
Low maintenance costs-The PhostrEx system is much less complex than Halon systems and is designed to be maintenance free for 10 years. After 10 years, you simply remove and replace the PhostrEx canister. In contrast, most Halon systems require recurring maintenance every five years. Overall lifecycle costs for the PhostrEx system are projected to be approximately one tenth of a Halon system, contributing to the low direct operating costs of the Eclipse 500.
Proven in extensive testing- Eclipse initiated a multi-million dollar development effort in 2003 to prove the efficacy of PhostrEx by testing it in nearly 200 actual fires identical to those which might occur in aircraft engines. A Fire Test Rig (FTR) was designed and built to provide a platform to simulate engine-born fires. Eclipse will be the only aircraft manufacturer to have an FAA-certified fire suppression system proven through actual fire testing.
Environmentally friendly- PhostrEx has no ozone-depletion potential and contributes nothing to global warming. When PhostrEx is released from its hermetically sealed canister, it works in less than one tenth of a second, combining with moisture in the air and quickly becoming inert. Because of this rapid reaction with moist air and surfaces, the agent cannot be transported to the stratosphere where ozone depletion could occur. In a fire, PhostrEx decomposes 1,000 times more rapidly than Halon and undergoes three sequential losses of bromine atoms, which are the power behind this agent. These atoms catalyze suppression of the fire.
Anticipating the commercial benefits of this patented technology, Eclipse has invested in tools and methodologies which will allow PhostrEx to be applied to the existing worldwide fleet of an estimated 500,000 aircraft, as well as new aircraft production. The Eclipse board of directors has authorized the company to explore the establishment of a separate company to take advantage of the technology in other aviation and land-based fire suppression applications.
Eclipse Aviation is in the business of designing, certifying and producing modern, affordable jet aircraft that will revolutionize the transportation market. The company is applying advanced electronics systems, manufacturing and business practices to produce aircraft that cost less than a third of today's small jet aircraft, will be significantly safer and easier to operate than those of today, and have the lowest cost of ownership ever achieved in a jet aircraft.
The goal of Eclipse is to bring the word "personal" into aviation, making it possible for commercial air passengers to move directly between cities on a quick, affordable and convenient basis. It will also allow pilot owners to enter the world of jet-powered aviation.