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Date: 06/19/99 Newsletter No. 10
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Concept: This newsletter is about presenting information on a
wide range of aviation subjects of interest to pilots and/or
aircraft owners. The author has been a pilot for thirty years
with a wide range of flying experience. The author has also
sold General Aviation aircraft for over twenty three years.
Roger W. Carpenter 1901157 ATP, CFI/II (not current),AGI,IGI.
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Published Twice Monthly.
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Take Notice:
** BEST weather service on market. Great new provider on the Web.
<http://weathertap.com> or 1-800-337-5263. I checked it out and
for less than $6.00 a month, you get the FASTEST weather on the
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furnished to the FAA with no delays. Check it out.
*** 13th Annual Family Fly-In & Aviation Safety Conference.
July 16-18, 1999 @ the West Yellowstone Airport, Montana.
Receive 3 free hours of dual in the "Wings" program.
For information call
John Goostrey 1-800-453-0001 ext. 225
Jim Cooney 1-800-457-9917 ext 22
Reservations 1-800-646-7365
Car Rental - 1-800-331-1212
Motel Reservations - 1-800-646-7365
Volunteer Flight Instructors needed.
Will have major presence of the EAA and kit plane manufacturers.
Keynote speaker - Dave Morss, free lance test pilot.
Fly in and camp if you like. (I heard the bears knock before
they come in your tent)
SOUNDS LIKE FUN!! (They're asking everyone to pre-register for
planning purposes. No obligation)
APOLOGY!! I don't what is worse, a plane crash or a hard drive
crash. Unfortunately I had a recent major drive crash and I'm
sorry for the tardy newsletter. I think I lost about about 75
subscribers. If anyone reading this newsletter is not getting
the letter at your regular email address, please re-subscribe
at mailto:roger@aircraft-airplanes.com?subject=subscribe. I
will have a better backup system in place shortly.
Roger
Feature Article:
The following is a re-print of an article in Cessna Aircraft
Company's "Pilot Safety and Warning Supplements", D5139-13.
Please keep in mind their standard advisement that in the
EVENT OF CONFLICT between this safety supplement and the
Owner's Manual or Pilot's Operating handbook, the OWNER'S MANUAL
AND/OR POH SHALL TAKE PRECEDENCE.
PILOT SAFETY AND WARNING SUPPLEMENTS
FIRES IN FLIGHT
A preflight checklist is provided to aid the pilot in detecting
conditions which could contribute to an airplane fire. Flight
should not be attempted with known fuel, oil, or exhaust leaks,
since they can lead to a fire. The presence of fuel or unusual
oil or exhaust stains may be an indication of system leaks and
should be corrected prior to flight. -
Fires in flight must be controlled as quickly as possible by
identifying and shutting down the affected system(s), then
extinguishing the fire. Until this process is complete, the
pilot should assume the worst and initiate action for an
immediate landing. A pilot must not become distracted by the fire
to the point that control of the airplane is lost. The pilot must
be able to complete a deductive analysis of the situation to
determine the source of the fire. Complete familiarity with the
airplane and its systems will prove invaluable should a
fire occur.
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
An engine compartment fire is usually caused by fuel contacting a
hot surface, an electrical short, bleed air leak, or exhaust
leak. If an engine compartment fire occurs on a single engine
airplane, the first step should be to shut off the fuel supply to
the engine by placing the mixture to idle cut off and the fuel
selector/shutoff valve to the OFF position. The ignition switch
should be left ON in order for the engine to use up the fuel
which remains in the fuel lines and components between the fuel
selector/shutoff valve and the engine. The airplane should be put
into a sideslip, which will tend to keep the flames away
from the occupants and the fuel tanks. If this procedure is
ineffective, the pilot must make the most rapid emergency descent
possible and an immediate landing.
In multi-engine airplanes, both auxiliary fuel pumps should be
turned off to reduce pressure in the total fuel system (each
auxiliary fuel pump pressurizes a crossfeed line to the opposite
fuel selector). If equipped, the emergency crossfeed shutoff
should also be activated. The engine on the wing in which
the fire exists should be shut down and its fuel selector
positioned to OFF even though the fire may not have originated
in the fuel system. The cabin heater draws fuel from the
crossfeed system on some airplanes, and should be turned off as
well. The engine compartment fire extinguisher should be
discharged if the airplane is so equipped.
An open foul weather window or emergency exit may produce a
low pressure in the cabin. To avoid drawing the fire into the
cabin area, the foul weather window, emergency exits, or any
openable windows should be kept closed. This condition is
aggravated on some models, with the landing gear and wing flaps
extended. Therefore, it is recommended to lower the landing gear
as late in the landing approach as possible. A no flap landing
should also attempted, if practical.
ELECTRICAL FIRES
The initial indication of an electrical fire is usually the
distinct odor of burning insulation. Once an electrical fire
is detected, the pilot should attempt to identify the effected
circuit by checking circuit breakers, instruments, avionics etc.
If the affected circuit cannot be readily detected and flight
conditions permit, the battery/master switch and alternator
switch(s) should be turned OFF to remove the possible sources
of the fire. If at night, ensure the availability of a
flashlight before turning off electrical power. Then, close off
ventilating air as much as practical to reduce the chances of a
sustained fire. If an oxygen system is available in the airplane
and no visible signs of flame are evident, occupants should use
oxygen until the smoke clears.
If electrical power is essential for the flight, an attempt may
be made to identify and isolate the effected circuit by turning
the Master Switch and other electrical (except magneto) switches
off and checking the condition of the circuit breakers to
identify the affected circuit. If the circuit can be readily
identified leave it deactivated and restore power to the other
circuits. If the circuit cannot be readily identified, turn the
Master Switch on, and select switches that were on before the
fire indication, one at a time, permitting some time to elapse
after each switch is turned on, until the short circuit is
identified. Make sure the fire is completely extinguished before
opening vents. Land as soon possible for repairs.
CABIN FIRES
Fire or smoke in the cabin should be controlled by identifying
and shutting down the affected system, which is most likely to
be electrical in nature, landing as soon as possible. Smoke may
be removed by opening the cabin air controls. However, if the
smoke increases in intensity when the air controls are opened,
they should be closed as this indicates a possible fire in
heating system, nose compartment baggage area, or that the
increase in airflow is aggravating this condition.
In pressurized airplanes, the pressurization air system will
remove smoke from the cabin. However, if the smoke is intense,
it may be necessary to either depressurize at altitude, if
oxygen is available for all occupants, or execute an emergency
descent to 10,000 feet, terrain permitting. The "Ram Air Dump"
handle may be pulled to aid the clearing of smoke from the
cabin.
The pilot may choose to expel the smoke through the foul weather
window(s). The foul weather windows should be closed immediately
if the fire becomes more intense when the windows ar opened. If
the smoke is severe, and there are no visible signs of flame,
use oxygen masks (if installed) and begin an immediate descent.
If a fire extinguisher is used, ventilate the cabin promptly after
extinguishing the fire to reduce the gases produced by thermal
decomposition. If the fire cannot be extinguished immediately,
LAND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. End of Cessna article.
Editor's comments: (Personal opinions)
Fire in an airplane in flight has got to one of the most
freighting events any pilot can dream off. It goes without saying,
we're talking life and horrible death here. Below is some food
for thought for any responsible pilot.
1. Know your airplane. This means studying the manuals and
committing all systems and emergency procedures to memory.
Do this BEFORE you ever fly the bird.
2. ANTICIPATION. Mentally practicing responses to any and all
possible emergency situations may save your life. When an
airplane is on fire, looking in the POH is too late.
3. At the FIRST sign of a fire, don't mess around. Head for
the ground. Get INTO POSITION to execute an immediate
emergency landing if the fire can't be controlled. Keep in
mind that a fire in the engine compartment or wing can
quickly cause structural failure like engine mounts and
wing spars.
4. Smoking in an airplane not only stinks up the airplane
but creates a source of ignition. Keep in mind that fuel
selector valves in the cockpit can leak in some models. The
very last thing I want to see when there is a smell of
gasoline in the cockpit is someone puffing away.
5. Hey - remember that newsletter on being prepared? A
small fire extinguisher in your flight kit makes a
lot of sense. I carry a small Halon unit.
Other Information:
For a current listing of General Aviation aircraft for sale by
The R.W. Carpenter Company, go to
<a href="http://aircraft-airplanes.com">Visit Web site </a> or
http://aircraft-airplanes.com depending on browser.
In addition, I often recommend, what I feel to be the best book
ever written about flying an airplane, "Stick and Rudder" by
Wolfgang Langewiesche. I sincerely believe that every pilot
should read this "bible" at least twice. It WILL make you a
better pilot because it discusses flying an airplane from the
WYSIWYG perceptions a pilot receives. If you would like to order
it on-line or any of a million other books from Amazon click on
<http://aircraft-airplanes.com/mainpage.html> Great Discounts.
FREE service to my readers: If you would like a "book" appraisal
on an airplane, fill out the info sheet at my web site. Click on
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click on the "submit" key. I'll get back to you.
NEW page at my Web Site. "Cost of Operation" analysis form.
Nothing fancy but it might give you some ideas for planning
purposes. http://aircraft-airplanes.com/cost_of_operation.htm
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