4 January 2026
General Aviation aircraft still carrying Halon fire extinguishers will soon need to replace them.
Under the Ozone-Depleting Substances Regulations 2015 and Ozone-Depleting Substances (Qualifications) Regulations 2009, it will be illegal to keep or use Halon extinguishers in the UK after 31 December 2025, except for a few very limited exemptions.
These regulations come from Defra and the Environment Agency – not the CAA — but they affect all aircraft operators, including GA. The rules aim to remove ozone-depleting chemicals such as Halon 1211 and 1301 from service completely.
Does every aircraft need to carry a fire extinguisher? Not necessarily.
Part-NCO (Non-Commercial Operations) does not require ELA1 aircraft — that’s most light singles under 1,200kg MTOM — to carry a fire extinguisher at all. The ANO Schedule 5 also exempts aircraft under 1,200kg MTOM from the requirement (so that covers Part 21 and non part 21 aircraft)
That means most light GA aircraft can legally remove the extinguisher altogether. Whether that is a good idea or not is a personal choice.
If you do carry one, you’ll need to replace Halon extinguishers with an approved halocarbon clean agent model.
The CAA points to several ways of doing this:
The FAA-approved halocarbon clean agents listed in AC 20-42D are:
These are non-ozone-depleting and approved as safe, effective, and compatible with aircraft materials.
Bottom line: The CAA isn’t leading this one — Defra and the Environment Agency are — but by the end of 2025, Halon extinguishers must be gone from GA aircraft unless you’re specifically exempt. Replacing them with an approved halocarbon clean agent type is relatively straightforward.
