Flame Aviation Fire Trainers Receiving Growing Interest

Flame Aviation, the Netherlands-based manufacturer of fire trainers for the civil aviation industry, is receiving growing interest from airlines and training service providers for its next-generation V9000 Commander and V7000 Brigade series of fire trainers. Speaking to CAT at the ongoing APATS 2024, Robin Pijnaker, Managing Director at Flame Aviation said growth prospects for the company hinged on new orders from rapidly growing markets such as India as also the replacement needs for fire training devices which are more than 20 years old and outdated.

Pijnaker said Flame Aviation’s products feature improved sensors, better materials and offer features such as automatic gas leak detectors, air extraction units, etc. The Trainee Performance Registration software allows upload of class lessons and download the results. All of the fire trainers built from 2024 onwards feature the company’s new Flame Envision user interface.

Pijnaker said there is a growing need for fire training devices to train aircraft cabin crew and safety personnel on different types of aircraft fires. This includes concealed fires on aircraft related to in-flight ovens, luggage bins and lavatory wastebins in addition to open fires on aircraft seats and laptops. He added that there were growing instances of fires related to lithium-ion batteries onboard aircraft. The trainers are able to simulate fire effects such as smoke, glowing spot, hot spots, short-circuits, burning smells, panic sounds and mood-lighting.

Over 60 flame trainers produced by the company are currently in service and Flame Aviation’s first order was from the Indian training provider Flight Simulation Training Centre (FSTC) in 2016. Air India placed an order this July for a V9000 Commander, while the erstwhile Indian carrier Jet Airways had also purchased a fire trainer.

The Netherlands-based firm is currently able to produce 10 fire trainers a year, and Pijnaker said new customers can expect deliveries of their fire trainers in 4-6 months. Some of Flame Aviation’s most recent customers are Cathay (V9000 Commander), Riyadh Air (V7000 Brigade) and Korean Air (V9000 Commander).

[Editor’s note: Lithium battery-generated fires remain a safety topic of interest to FAA and other regulators.]