Wins 2007 Stratospheric Ozone Protection Award
It may not carry quite the
cachet within aviation circles of the Collier Trophy, but Eclipse
Aviation isn't complaining. The company told ANN this week that the
Environmental Protection Agency has awarded Eclipse with a 2007
Stratospheric Ozone Protection Award for the development of the
PhostrEx Fire Suppression System.
Each year, Stratospheric Ozone Protection Award winners are
recognized for eliminating ozone depleting substances in various
industries, including aviation.
"PhostrEx will transform how our industry protects against
engine fires while simultaneously guarding against the depletion of
the ozone. We appreciate the EPA's recognition of this significant
advancement," said Eclipse Aviation CEO Vern Raburn. "Protecting
our environment is a major focus at Eclipse, as evidenced by our
development of PhostrEx, and our commitment to design and
manufacture an aircraft that delivers breakthrough fuel economy
with unmatched low noise and emissions."
First announced at Oshkosh
2005, Eclipse says PhostrEx is the first new,
commercially viable aircraft engine fire suppression system in 50
years. Eclipse holds the patent on PhostrEx, and says the system
has proven to be the world's first commercially viable substitute
to Halon -- eliminating the potential for ozone depletion, while
contributing nothing to global warming and vastly reducing
lifecycle cost and weight.
"As part of the Bush Administration's aggressive yet practical
strategy, EPA is pleased to work with partners like these award
winners to protect the Earth's atmosphere in cost-effective ways,"
said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. "Environmental
protection is everyone's responsibility, and these leaders are
making smart choices to hand down a cleaner, healthier future."
When the agent is released from its hermetically-sealed
canister, it works in less than one-tenth of a second, then, after
extinguishing the fire, combines with moisture in the air and
quickly becomes 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, the PhostrEx agent decomposes 1,000 times more
rapidly than Halon and undergoes three sequential losses of bromine
atoms. These atoms catalyze suppression of the fire.