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Let’s be honest; most of us simply throw our power banks, tablets, and chargers into flight bags with abandonment. It’s just equipment, right?
But the fact is, lithium-ion batteries, convenient though they may be, can become fire-starters in a heartbeat. And in general aviation, with fewer crew and fewer resources, that’s a very big deal indeed.
These fires aren’t rare flukes anymore. They’re occurring with greater frequency. Do you recall that Air Busan flight in 2024? One passenger’s power bank ignited during boarding. The cabin was filled with smoke, the passengers panicked, and the crew rushed to put out the flames. The device was stored in a backpack in the overhead bin - nobody saw it coming. And although all got out safely, it was enough to prompt a new push in Asia for stricter regulations on shipping lithium batteries.
The NBAA has been cautioning us about this. A lithium battery experiencing thermal runaway isn’t merely hot - it’s catastrophically hot. It emits toxic smoke, can explode if pressured, and even reignites after appearing extinguished. Now consider having to handle that in a cramped cabin with perhaps one other individual on board. Not a good situation. One BizAv pilot recently reported a scare on a transpacific leg when a tablet overheated in cruise. Luckily, they carried a fire containment bag aboard. It saved the day - but only because someone had the good sense to put it in the flying kit.
Regulators are closing in - Is your company prepared?
Across Asia, China and Thailand have clamped down in a big way. If you carry a power bank over 100 watt-hours - about 27,000 milliampere-hour (mAh) - you’re in for it. It can be confiscated at security points, and if it’s a vital device, your whole journey can be jeopardized before you even reach the plane. In some airports, officials have had to abandon expensive equipment or search for replacements to be cleared, just to continue their work.
And it is not entirely a passenger problem. BizAv crews carry a great deal of equipment as well: EFBs, sat phones, spare batteries. All those are low-hanging fruit for additional screening. In places like Bangkok and Shanghai, security authorities have been known to confiscate non-compliant batteries on the spot. No warning, no chance to examine it - gone. Operators have had flights delayed or even cancelled over something as straightforward as an unlabeled power bank.
GA’s blind spot
General aviation glosses over the nitty-gritty that the airlines drive into their flight crews. Training, equipment, emergency procedures – everything is a bit more casual. That’s not a bad thing, that’s just reality. But with lithium-ion batteries, our ecosystem needs to change.
Look at what you have in your cockpit: a tablet, a Bluetooth headset, maybe a phone charging in a cupholder. All of them are powered by lithium cells. All of them are fire waiting to happen if they become too hot, too cold, too crushed, or simply decide to fail. There was an incident out of Singapore where a pilot’s personal GPS device started smoking during preflight. It hadn’t even been turned on - it was just sitting there in the heat. Luckily, they detected it early and removed it prior to takeoff. No fire. But it could have been much worse.
It's time to get real
This isn’t about memorizing regulations or generating more paperwork. This is about being ready and practical. Understand what a swollen battery resembles. Understand how to recognize early heat or that particular smell. Don’t assume your little red extinguisher is sufficient - it is not. When a lithium battery is on fire, it is not just going to conveniently burn out. You need to have a plan.
Carry the right equipment with you. Fire containment bags. Thermal gloves. Something that will give you a shred of hope if a device ignites at 40,000 feet. Purchase Halon or lithium-rated extinguishers. Make it a policy. One Hong Kong-based airplane operator now makes every crew carry a fire-resistant battery bag on board, no exceptions. Since adding that policy, they’ve already had to use it twice.
If you’re traveling overseas, particularly to Asia, do your research. Understand the regulations prior to arrival. An unlabeled battery can be thrown away. One that is too large can get you detained. Checked luggage with batteries? No way. That’s not for convenience - that’s for safety.
Don’t dismiss the briefings, either. Ensure that your crew understands where the batteries are, what each person is doing in case of an emergency, and how to respond quickly. Improvising in high-stress situations is a disastrous strategy. Pilots and passengers need to be reminded that these fires don’t take time, they spark flames in a flash.
We cannot continue to ignore this
There have already been too many near misses. The next one may not turn out so fortunate. These devices are a reality of contemporary flying - no doubt about it. But they entail risk, and that risk must be managed. Regardless of whether you’re operating a G650 or a piston single, the danger is the same.
General aviation needs to take this seriously. Get the equipment. Get the training. Talk about it. Make it a habit. Not a regulatory issue - a personal and operational safety issue. All it takes is one spark and it will make all the difference.
We’re all dependent on our devices. Let’s hope that they’re not what grounds the flight.
About the Author
Pilot, president, and founder of Icarus Jet, a leading global trip support and aircraft management company, Kevin Singh has flown globally as a chief pilot and captain on private jets like the Hawker 800-A and 850 XP, and the Challenger 600 series and Global 6000.
icarusjet.com
BlueSky Business Aviation News | 17th April 2025 | Issue #792
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