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Figure "Firewall safety": Engine fires must be contained inside the engine (Ref. 9.5-6) in order prevent the fire from spreading to other parts of the aircraft. The cowling is usually made of aluminium sheeting that can be melted and burned by fires that occur while the aircraft is stationary.
To detect fires or overheat conditions, detectors are placed in the various zones to be monitored. Fires are detected in aircraft by using one or more of the following: overheat detectors, rate-of-temperature-rise detectors, and flame detectors.
- The Engine Fire Detection System
- The Cockpit Fire Alerting System
- The Fire Extinguishing System
- What If An Engine Fire Were to Occur in Flight?
In most large aircraft, engines and the APU are lined with loops or firewires where a fire is most likely to happen. Firewire is a tubular structure consisting of an electrode covered in an insulating material which is then covered by a steel tube. This firewire is connected to the fire detection computer or the control unit. The control supplies a...
How the fire alert is given in the cockpit varies from aircraft to aircraft. Typically, it consists of a visual and an audible alert. Some older aircraft are fitted with an electrical bell which can be seen in the cockpit. The pilots are also provided with a means to test the fire detection system before the flight. This is a mandatory test for the...
The onboard engine fire extinguishing system consists of fire bottles that are filled with fire extinguishant under pressure. The extinguishant of choice, for now, is Halon 1301 because it's non-corrosive and non-conductive. This prevents severe damage to the engine components after it is extinguished. The only drawback of Halon is that it is an oz...
An engine fire is a serious event that calls for immediate action from the pilot. If a fire is detected by the system, cockpit warnings are given out. This includes visual and aural alerts. The first action is to cancel the alarm, as it can be a major distraction. The second step is to shut down the engines. This requires the pilots to bring the re...
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The following classes of fires that are likely to occur onboard aircraft: The fires involving ordinary combustible materials, such as wood, cloth, paper, rubber, and plastics. The fires involving flammable liquids, petroleum oils, greases, tars, oil-based paints, lacquers, solvents, alcohols, and flammable gases.
Jul 10, 2023 · Engine fire protection has two components, detection and extinguishing. Several types of fire detection system are installed in aircraft to detect engine fires, mostly placed near auxiliary power unit. Read this Blog to learn More.
Nov 15, 2012 · In the early days of aviation, firewalls were made of wood, but that changed quickly. Modern aircraft usually have one made of stainless steel, which performs better in both slowing the spread of the fire from the engine compartment and providing an effective barrier to the heat generated by burning hydrocarbons.
Fires are detected in reciprocating engine and small turboprop aircraft using one or more of the following: In addition to these methods, other types of detectors are used in aircraft fire protection systems but are seldom used to detect engine fires.
