Cotswold Airport joins fire officers association to advance safety for sustainable aviation technologies
Posted: 8 August 2025 | Gabriel Higgins | No comments yet
Cotswold Airport strengthens safety leadership by joining AFOA, sharing expertise on hydrogen and electric aircraft fire risks with the wider aviation community.
Credit: Cotswold Airport
Cotswold Airport (GBA) has announced its membership of the Airport Fire Officers Association (AFOA), further strengthening its reputation for airport safety.
The airport is the only operational site in the UK to host both hydrogen fuel cell powered aircraft and battery electric powered VTOL aircraft. These pioneering technologies, from Zero Avia and Vertical Aerospace, present unique challenges for the on-site fire and safety team.
The team’s experience in managing fire safety for sustainable aviation has led to involvement in Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) policy development through working groups on both technologies. Membership of AFOA will now enable Cotswold Airport to share and develop these skills within the wider fire service community.
Andrew Wood, Rescue & Fire Fighting Service Manager at Cotswold Airport, said: “These developing technologies present unique challenges from a fire fighting and rescue point of view. Having both Hydrogen Fuel Cell and Lithium Battery powered aircraft operating on our airport has given us a unique perspective to assist in developing operational safety procedures for these sustainable aviation pioneers.
“We look forward to engaging with the AFOA membership around these and other operational matters to further develop and strengthen our safety protocols as a busy hub for civil aviation.”
Hydrogen poses distinct risks, with near-invisible flames that burn at over 2,200°C and radiate little heat, as well as the potential to detonate in certain conditions. Lithium batteries, as used in Vertical Aerospace’s VTOL aircraft, can experience thermal runaway in accidents, producing hazardous gases. Water can manage this, but it must be carefully controlled to prevent environmental contamination.
Suzannah Harvey, CEO of Cotswold Airport, said: “As we continue to develop our airport as a centre for sustainable aviation, it is vital that we continue to work on the safety of all involved around the development and deployment of new technologies.”
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Related topics
Advanced air mobility (AAM), Aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF), Airport leadership, Engineering, Hydrogen, Innovation, Operational efficiency, Regulation and Legislation, Safety, Sustainability
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Airport Fire Officers Association (AFOA), Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Vertical Aerospace, Zero Avia
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