Book excerpt: Concerns about the potential health hazards of burning fiber-reinforced polymer composites in aircraft fires parallel the rising usage of these materials for commercial aircraft primary and secondary structures. An overview of the nature and the potential hazards associated with airborne carbon fibers released during flaming combustion of aircraft composites is presented. The current data derived from animal studies are insufficient to determine the acute toxicity of carbon fibers from burning composites. Further work is needed to examine the adverse health effects of volatile organic chemicals and to assess if any synergistic interactions exist with the fibers.