Quick Quiz: Batteries & Aviation Safety
Test your understanding of the impact lithium-ion batteries have on aviation safety against what Underwriter Laboratories (UL) found in its recent study (study linked at the end of the quiz!). All questions in this quiz refer to data from calendar year 2023.
Approximately how many rechargeable devices did the average passenger bring onto an airplane?
Not quite.
“The average passenger brings four rechargeable devices on board. Most common items include smartphones (82%), laptops (41%), wireless headphones (39%), and tablets (36%).”
– Lithium-Ion Battery Incidents and Their Impact on Aviation Safety, UL Standards & Engagement 2024
That's right.
“The average passenger brings four rechargeable devices on board. Most common items include smartphones (82%), laptops (41%), wireless headphones (39%), and tablets (36%).”
– Lithium-Ion Battery Incidents and Their Impact on Aviation Safety, UL Standards & Engagement 2024
How many incidents were addressed before the occurrence of a fire or explosion?
Not quite.
“Most (85%) incidents in 2023 were addressed when batteries showed warning signs such as overheating and smoking prior to entering full thermal runaway. While only 15% of incidents resulted in fire or explosion, the speed in which thermal runaway can develop means that the events in the majority could have been more serious had the issue not been addressed quickly."
– Lithium-Ion Battery Incidents and Their Impact on Aviation Safety, UL Standards & Engagement 2024
That's right.
“Most (85%) incidents in 2023 were addressed when batteries showed warning signs such as overheating and smoking prior to entering full thermal runaway. While only 15% of incidents resulted in fire or explosion, the speed in which thermal runaway can develop means that the events in the majority could have been more serious had the issue not been addressed quickly.”
– Lithium-Ion Battery Incidents and Their Impact on Aviation Safety, UL Standards & Engagement 2024
What percentage of reported thermal runaway incidents on passenger flights were attributed to e-cigarette/vaping devices?
Not quite.
“E-cigarettes were responsible for the most incidents in 2023, with 35% of reported incidents attributed to vaping devices on passenger flights…”
– Lithium-Ion Battery Incidents and Their Impact on Aviation Safety, UL Standards & Engagement 2024
That's right.
“E-cigarettes were responsible for the most incidents in 2023, with 35% of reported incidents attributed to vaping devices on passenger flights…”
– Lithium-Ion Battery Incidents and Their Impact on Aviation Safety, UL Standards & Engagement 2024
Which two lithium battery devices were the most cited in reported thermal runaway incidents?
Not quite.
“E-cigarettes were responsible for the most incidents in 2023, with 35% of reported incidents attributed to vaping devices on passenger flights, followed by power banks, representing another 16% of incidents.”
– Lithium-Ion Battery Incidents and Their Impact on Aviation Safety, UL Standards & Engagement 2024
That's right.
“E-cigarettes were responsible for the most incidents in 2023, with 35% of reported incidents attributed to vaping devices on passenger flights, followed by power banks, representing another 16% of incidents.”
– Lithium-Ion Battery Incidents and Their Impact on Aviation Safety, UL Standards & Engagement 2024
Which two lithium battery devices were most put in checked bags?
Not quite.
“The devices that were most cited in thermal runaway incidents in 2023 were also the two most frequently put in checked luggage, according to passengers surveyed. More than a quarter (27%) of travelers reported checking portable chargers, and another 27% said they checked e-cigarettes. Devices that enter thermal runaway in checked baggage cannot be accessed by crew while in flight, and fires may not be detected as quickly in the cargo hold as they would be in the cabin.”
– Lithium-Ion Battery Incidents and Their Impact on Aviation Safety, UL Standards & Engagement 2024
That's right.
“The devices that were most cited in thermal runaway incidents in 2023 were also the two most frequently put in checked luggage, according to passengers surveyed. More than a quarter (27%) of travelers reported checking portable chargers, and another 27% said they checked e-cigarettes. Devices that enter thermal runaway in checked baggage cannot be accessed by crew while in flight, and fires may not be detected as quickly in the cargo hold as they would be in the cabin.”
– Lithium-Ion Battery Incidents and Their Impact on Aviation Safety, UL Standards & Engagement 2024
Thanks for checking out today's quiz!
We hope you learned something new from these questions, or at least had fun.
Check out UL's report, then head to Lion.com/News to catch up on the rest of our recent blogs and compliance alerts. And keep your eyes peeled; we will let you know when we post the next quiz for you to ace.
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