Several of aviation's toughest fire tests share one tool: a standardised oil burner that produces a severe, repeatable flame. Seat cushions must block it (fire blocking layers are judged here), thermal-acoustic insulation must resist burn-through, cargo liners must contain it, and powerplant components must withstand fire penetration. The FAA's NexGen burner standardised the apparatus across these tests, and Motis supplies the series - the ME model family in the manufacturer's range covers the seat cushion, insulation, cargo and powerplant configurations, matched by the FAA oil burner pages for each application.
How the FAA Oil Burner Test Series (NexGen Burner) works
In each configuration, the NexGen burner - a pressurised fuel nozzle arrangement with defined flame temperature and heat flux, verified with the method's thermocouple rake and calorimeter - is applied to the specimen for the time and in the geometry its test chapter defines. Seat cushions are weighed for the mass-loss criterion; insulation specimens are judged on burn-through and back-face conditions; liners and powerplant parts on flame penetration and continued operation criteria as the chapters require.
Key specifications
| Applications in the series | Seat cushion fire blocking; thermal/acoustic insulation burn-through; cargo compartment liner; powerplant fire penetration |
|---|---|
| Burner basis | NexGen oil burner as defined in the FAA Fire Test Handbook chapters for each test |
| Model family | ME-series configurations by application (seat cushion / insulation / cargo liner / powerplant) |
What the test reports
- Application-specific outcomes: mass loss (seat cushions), burn-through resistance (insulation), flame containment (cargo liner), fire penetration resistance (powerplant)
- Burner calibration records (flame temperature and heat flux) as the handbook requires
Applications
Airframe and seat manufacturers, insulation suppliers and aviation test houses run the oil burner series as part of FAR 25.853 certification programmes, alongside the OSU heat release apparatus and the NBS smoke chamber on this site.
Frequently asked questions
Which standard should I order against?
Order against the standard your reports must cite. The instrument platform is shared across the listed standards, but fixtures, software templates and calibration routines differ, so name the standard (and its year) in your inquiry and the configuration will be matched to it.
Can the instrument be installed in an existing laboratory?
Yes, in most cases. Tell us the available floor space, ceiling height, exhaust capacity and gas supplies in your inquiry; large systems such as the SBI and tunnel furnaces need a dedicated exhaust arrangement, which is confirmed in the layout proposal before ordering.
One burner, all four tests?
The burner core is shared, but each application has its own specimen rig, calibration checks and acceptance setup. Order by application: tell us which chapters you must run and the configuration will be built around them.
What fuel and services does the burner need?
The NexGen burner uses the fuel and air services defined in the handbook, plus extraction for the test cell. Facility requirements are listed in the quotation stage once the applications are fixed.
Configuration, installation and support
Every FAA Oil Burner Test Series (NexGen Burner) is supplied as a configured system, not a bare instrument: the test chamber or frame, the burner or heater assemblies named in the method, the measurement chain and the control software with the report templates for FAA Fire Test Handbook, FAR 25.853. Before quotation we confirm the installation conditions with you - floor loading and ceiling height for large rigs, exhaust and extraction routes, gas and fuel services, and power supply - because a fire test instrument only produces defensible data when the room around it is right. Commissioning covers assembly, calibration of the measurement chain against the method's own checks, and training of your operators on running the test and maintaining the apparatus. Spare ignition parts, thermocouples and other consumables for the first period of operation can be included in the supply, and the instrument is supported with calibration and maintenance services after installation.
What to include in your inquiry
To quote the FAA Oil Burner Test Series (NexGen Burner) correctly the first time, send: the standard and edition you will test to (FAA Fire Test Handbook, FAR 25.853); the materials or products you will test and their sizes; the configuration options you already know you need; and the destination laboratory's location and available services. If you are building a new fire laboratory rather than adding one instrument, say so - this apparatus is often planned together with the other instruments in its category, and a combined layout and exhaust plan is cheaper than three separate ones.