Asbestos in Aircrafts

During World War II, asbestos was used in the construction of most army supplies, such as barracks, naval vessels, and aircrafts. Asbestos was very popular because it was cheap and effective. It was a quick way of insulating aircraft engines.

One job on the aircraft that had a high exposure to asbestos was “Hot Papa.” The Hot Papa would be dressed in a suit of asbestos; therefore he was also known as the “asbestos man.” His only job was if the plane was on fire and about to crash, he would bring the pilot to safety. 

The following are places on aircrafts that were known to contain asbestos:

·                     Brakes

·                     Cockpit heater system

·                     Heat shields for engines

·                     Torque valves

·                     Gaskets

·                     Electrical wires insulation

·                     Insulation in the cargo bays of cargo planes