Safety
UK Mandates Carbon Monoxide Detectors in Light Aircraft
CO poisoning continues to cause fatal accidents and incidents
Light airplane cockpit
© UK CAA

Starting on Jan. 1, certain piston-powered aircraft registered or operating in the UK will be required to carry an active carbon monoxide (CO) detector. The rules don’t require a certified unit, and both installed and portable CO detectors are acceptable.

Although the rule doesn’t specifically address helicopters, it does exclude “aircraft with piston engines located above/behind the cabin, unless cabin heat is also provided via an exhaust heat exchanger or a combustion heater,” according to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Thus the rule should apply to piston-powered helicopters that use exhaust heat exchangers for cabin heating.

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