What Can Catch Fire


SOURCES OF INFLIGHT FIRE Cabin and flight deck fires most often occur in out-of- the-way places. Other than a potential laptop that is on a table, fires are hidden and insidious. Common areas of concern include the following:


Lavatories - From trash receptacles to toilet motors, the lav can produce a fire that will hide from site for quite a while. Design of the lavatory to provide forced air ventilation for odor prevention, promotes fire propagation and can delay detection. It is difficult to monitor activity in the lav, which leads to a place and time for a fire to grow prior to detection. The good news is that many aircraft contain automatic fire detection and extinguishing systems for trash receptacles. You should always be aware of these systems on your specific aircraft.


Galley - Ovens, microwaves, hot pots and other electrical devices are a common source of smoke and fire. Simply burning food or placing a metal item in the microwave can spark a fire. Turning off the power (breaker) can often help once a problem crops up.


Flight deck - With the enormous amount of electronic equipment and wiring, the flight deck is another common area of concern. Typically the first sign of a flight deck fire is not smoke, but an acrid electrical smell. Rapid


recognition and quick action by the pilots is of paramount concern.


Other potential fire sources:


• heated seats/carpets • air conditioning system • baggage/cargo areas • electrical equipment racks • items brought on by passengers • engine fire infiltrating the cabin


Special Considerations - Flashover


The definition of flashover is the moment of complete incineration (conflagration) caused by superheated air or combustibles.


Flashover occurs when enough heat builds up in any enclosed space (like the cabin of the aircraft) that the combustion gases in the smoke actually catch fire and rapidly propagates throughout the cabin. Due to the intense heat and the explosive effects, this condition is most likely non-survivable. The best way to combat this condition is to fight the fire and prevent the occurrence!


"Virtually anything can be a potential source of fire on an aircraft. The odds are you will see or smell smoke before flames become visible. The challenge can often be locating the actual source of the fire."


5 Inflight Fire and Smoke


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