Aviation Safety: Installation of Smoke Detection and Fire Suppression Systems in U.S. Transport Aircraft

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the actions under way at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and within the airline industry to effect changes in fire safety standards for cargo or baggage compartments in certain passenger and cargo aircraft within the 3-year time frame proposed by FAA. GAO focused on the: (1) status of FAA's and the airline industry's efforts to equip aircraft cargo compartments with new smoke detection and fire suppression systems; and (2) factors that may affect the timetable for equipping the entire fleet with new equipment.