Boeing BMS 5-146 Cargo Compartment Tape Guide
Boeing BMS 5-146 Cargo Compartment Tape — Type, Class & Grade Explained
What BMS 5-146 covers, why cargo-liner seam sealing is a fire-safety requirement, and the Polyken 296FR fiberglass tape that meets it — in stock with free US shipping and a Certificate of Conformance.
Boeing Material Specification BMS 5-146 covers flame-retardant, pressure-sensitive cargo-liner joint sealing tape — the tape used to seal the seams and edges of cargo-compartment liner panels so that smoke, fire, and Halon stay contained inside the cargo bay. The qualified product for the standard Rev. B, Type 1, Class 1, Grade A callout is the Polyken 296FR — a lightweight flame-retardant glass-cloth tape engineered specifically for this job.
Already know you need it? View the Polyken 296FR product page and data sheet.
Polyken 296FR →Why BMS 5-146 is a fire-safety spec, not just a tape spec
A cargo compartment is lined with fire-resistant panels designed to contain a fire long enough for the suppression system to work. Those panels meet at seams — and a seam is only as good as its seal. BMS 5-146 governs the tape that seals those seams. A wrinkle, gap, or lifted edge could let smoke or Halon escape into the passenger cabin during a cargo fire, which is why the spec sets tight requirements for flame penetration resistance, adhesion, and a wrinkle-free, non-lifting application.
What the BMS 5-146 callout codes mean
A BMS 5-146 callout is written by Revision, Type, Class, and Grade. The Polyken 296FR is qualified to the common combination below; your drawing will specify which is required.
The specification revision the 296FR is qualified to. Older drawings may cite an earlier revision — confirm the revision on your drawing.
The tape construction class within the spec. The 296FR is qualified to Type 1 — the lightweight glass-cloth cargo-liner sealing form.
The performance class the 296FR carries. Most cargo-liner seam-sealing callouts reference this standard class.
The flammability/performance grade the 296FR is qualified to — the baseline grade for cargo-compartment seam sealing.
Polyken 296FR meets BMS 5-146 Rev. B, Type 1, Class 1, Grade A. It is a lightweight, bromide-free (Deca-BDE-free) glass-cloth tape with a flame-retardant adhesive, designed to seal cargo-liner seams without wrinkling, flagging, or lifting — and to remove cleanly when a panel is serviced.
Polyken 296FR — specifications
The qualified product for BMS 5-146 Rev. B, Type 1, Class 1, Grade A. Values are typical, from the manufacturer's published product data.
| Product | Polyken 296FR — Lightweight Flame Retardant Cargo Compartment Tape |
| Construction | Single-coated flame-retardant glass-cloth tape, flame-retardant adhesive, blue easy-release liner |
| Backing | Fiberglass (glass cloth) |
| Color | White (printed or unprinted versions available) |
| Total thickness | 7.5 mil |
| Weight | 6.87 oz/yd² |
| Adhesion to steel | 45 oz/in |
| Adhesion to cargo liner | 30 oz/in |
| Tensile strength | 133 lb/in |
| Adhesive | Flame-retardant, bromide-free (Deca-BDE / PBDE-free) |
| BMS 5-146 callout | Rev. B, Type 1, Class 1, Grade A |
| Other approvals | FAR 25.853(a); FAR 25.855(d); Airbus ABD0031 Para 7.3.2 & 7.4; Boeing Service Letters 737-SL-25-115-B, 747-SL-25-195-B, 767-SL-25-112-B, 777-SL-25-037-B |
Typical values are stated at time of manufacture and are not for use in writing specifications. Always verify against the controlling drawing and the current manufacturer data sheet for your application.
What BMS 5-146 cargo tape is used for
Per the manufacturer data sheet, the Polyken 296FR is used for:
| Cargo-liner seam sealing | Sealing the edges and seams of cargo-compartment liner panels to contain smoke, fire, and Halon |
| Liner repair | Seaming and repairing cargo-compartment liner panels in freight and passenger aircraft |
| Pins & rivets | Covering protruding pins, rivets, and fasteners in the cargo bay |
| Flame penetration resistance | The glass-cloth backing resists flame penetration for added containment safety |
| Wrinkle-free application | Hangs straight, resists curling and lifting, so no air gaps form at the seam |
| Clean removal | Repositionable during application and removes cleanly with minimal adhesive residue when a panel is serviced |
Sealing a cargo pit but don't see BMS 5-146 on the drawing? Other cargo-bay jobs call for related tapes that are not BMS 5-146 products. For PE-coated fiberglass cargo-pit sealing, see the Polyken 290FR; for flame-retardant cargo-pit duct and repair work, the Polyken 225FR. Both are FAR 25.853(a)-tested but do not carry BMS 5-146 — browse all options in our cargo pit tapes collection, and confirm your drawing's callout before choosing.
Need the data sheet or a cross-reference? Download the official Polyken spec sheet from our Technical Data Sheets library, or see how this spec sits among the others on our Specifications by Authority page. The 296FR also meets FAR 25.853(a) and FAR 25.855(d) for interior and cargo-liner flammability.
Frequently asked questions
What is Boeing BMS 5-146?
BMS 5-146 is a Boeing Material Specification for flame-retardant, pressure-sensitive cargo-liner joint sealing tape. It is used to seal the seams of cargo-compartment liner panels so that smoke, fire, and Halon are contained inside the cargo bay, and it must also meet FAA flammability requirements such as FAR 25.853(a) and 25.855(d).
Which tape meets BMS 5-146?
The Polyken 296FR is the qualified product for BMS 5-146 Rev. B, Type 1, Class 1, Grade A. It is a lightweight flame-retardant glass-cloth tape, also approved to FAR 25.853(a), FAR 25.855(d), Airbus ABD0031, and several Boeing service letters.
What does BMS 5-146 Rev. B, Type 1, Class 1, Grade A mean?
It is the standard cargo-liner sealing callout the Polyken 296FR is qualified to. Revision B is the specification version; Type 1 is the lightweight glass-cloth construction; Class 1 is the performance class; and Grade A is the baseline flammability grade. Confirm the revision and callout on your controlling drawing.
Is the Polyken 296FR the same as the 290FR or 225FR cargo-pit tapes?
No. The 296FR is the BMS 5-146 cargo-liner sealing tape. The Polyken 290FR (PE-coated fiberglass cargo-pit sealing) and Polyken 225FR (flame-retardant cargo-pit duct) are related cargo-bay tapes that share some applications but are not qualified to BMS 5-146. Match your drawing's spec callout before choosing.
Why does cargo compartment tape have to be flame retardant?
Cargo-liner panels are designed to contain a fire inside the cargo bay. The tape that seals their seams must resist flame penetration so that smoke and Halon do not escape into the passenger cabin during a fire. That is why BMS 5-146 sets strict flammability, adhesion, and wrinkle-free application requirements.
Does Polyken 296FR meet FAA flammability requirements?
Yes. The Polyken 296FR meets FAR 25.853(a) and FAR 25.855(d), the FAA flammability criteria for interior materials and cargo-compartment liners, in addition to its Boeing BMS 5-146 qualification. Always confirm current values against the manufacturer data sheet for your application.
Need a BMS 5-146 quote or a cross-reference?
Send us your spec callout (revision, type, class, grade), width, and quantity and we'll confirm the right Polyken cargo tape, stocked sizes, lead time, and pricing. Certificate of Conformance available on request.
Ask Our Team →Specification details are provided for reference and are drawn from the current Polyken 296FR product data. BMS 5-146 is a Boeing Material Specification; Boeing, BMS, and BAC are trademarks of The Boeing Company. Airbus and ABD are trademarks of Airbus; Polyken is a brand of Berry Global. Typical test values are stated at time of manufacture and are not for use in writing specifications. Always verify requirements against the controlling drawing and the current manufacturer data sheet before purchase.