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Fire Protection in the Aviation Industry Stephen Re – Australian Licenced Aircraft Engineers Association (ALAEA) Technical and Regulatory Manager
Fire Protection in the Aviation Industry
Stephen Re – Australian Licenced Aircraft Engineers Association (ALAEA) Technical and
Regulatory Manager
Stakeholder Forum 2016
• Aircraft Fire Protection Systems:-
• Active
• Passive
• Designed to prevent, control and contain fire until the aircraft can land safely:-
• Detect
• Suppress
• Extinguish
Aircraft Fire Protection Systems
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Stakeholder Forum 2016
• Use of High Fire Resistant Materials
• Low Electrical Resistance Structures
• Stringent Design Standards
• Firewalls and Compartmentalised Construction
Passive Systems
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Stakeholder Forum 2016
• Detection Systems
• Aircraft use a variety of styles of heat and smoke detectors depending on the areas covered– Thermal Switches
– Thermocouple (rate of rise)
– Continuous Loop Fire Wires
– Smoke Detectors • Draw through
• Open air
Active Systems
• Extinguishing Systems
• Primarily Halon Based Agents Are Used
• Halon 1301 flooding agent for engine and cargo compartments
• Halon 1211 (BCF) streaming agent for portable extinguishers
• Water based portable extinguishers
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Stakeholder Forum 2016
Active Systems
• Engine systems
• In many cases the aircraft fire system is
designed to not only extinguish a fire but to
suppress any fires that are unable to be
extinguished to protect the aircraft
structure and system.
• An engine fire protection system on a large
passenger turbine powered aircraft will use
a range of methods to extinguish and
suppress a fire.
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Active Systems
Stakeholder Forum 2016
Scheduled Extinguishing Agents
• Engine Protection
• Fuel, Air, Electrical and Hydraulic
Shutoff
• Dual fire bottle systems
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Stakeholder Forum 2016
Scheduled Extinguishing Agents
• Cargo Compartment
Protection
• Dual fire bottle systems
• Halon 1301
• Designed for high
concentration initial
knockdown
• Continual suppression for
duration of flight up to 180
mins.
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• Cabin Protection
• Lavatory Protection
• Automatic discharge extinguishers fitted to
waste compartments
• Portable Extinguishers
• BCF
• Smoke hoods used during use
• Water
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Stakeholder Forum 2016
Scheduled Extinguishing Agents
• Fuel Tanks
• Spark and Flame arrestors
• Strict bonding requirements
• Increased wiring inspection requirements
• Nitrogen Generation Systems
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Stakeholder Forum 2016
Other Fire Protection Systems
• Halon is a scheduled extinguishing agent under
the Act
• Requires an Extinguishing Handling Agent
Licence
• Low Risk of accidental release during
maintenance and testing
• Licenced Engineers are trained in extinguishing
systems and handling
Stakeholder Forum 2016
Halon Handling in Aviation
• Conditions on the industry are in place for
Licenced Aircraft Maintenance Engineers and
unlicensed engineers working under
supervision provided additional ozone
depleting substances awareness training has
been completed.
• CPPFES2043A - Prevent ozone depleting
substance and synthetic greenhouse gas
emissions or an equivalent assessment
Stakeholder Forum 2016
Halon Handling in Aviation
• Aircraft Engineers Licences and
activities are regulated under the
Civil Aviation Act and Safety
Regulations.
• Halons are regulated under the
Ozone Protection and Synthetic
Greenhouse Gas Management Act
and Regulations.
Stakeholder Forum 2016
The ALAEA and FPIB
• The ALAEA and the Board have been
consulting and working together to
better understand the interaction
between the aviation sector and the
fire protection industry.
• The ALAEA assists the Board in
providing information and feedback
from the aviation maintenance
industry.
Stakeholder Forum 2016
The ALAEA and FPIB
Contact the ALAEA
Contact:
Stephen Re, Technical and Regulatory Manager
T 02 9554 9399 M 0447 693 607E [email protected]
Visit: www.alaea.asn.au
Questions
