Kidde Aerospace: No threat from faulty extinguishers

The manufacturer of portable halon fire extinguishers targeted for mandatory replacement said the units involved “do not represent a safety problem,” even though they are not in compliance with technical requirements. In a proposed AD, the FAA is calling for the removal of some 39,000 of the extinguishers due to improper crimping of the units’ siphon tubes. Kidde Aerospace v-p of technical operation Robert Glaser told AIN that while the affected extinguishers exceed the maximum allowable discharge time of 10 seconds, “they are completely adequate for the typical kind of fire for which they are designed.” Affected units may be returned to Kidde for replacement at no cost to customers.