AME 3122 - Aircraft Fire Protection System.

AME 3122 - Advanced Aircraft Systems &
Components II
CRN 1442
Issue No.: 01 Date: September 2022 FOR TRAINING PURPOSES ONLY

Revision No.: 00 Status: Draft
MODULE 6 – Aircraft Material and Hardware
MODULE 11 – Advanced Aircraft
6.1 Aircraft Systems
Materials - Ferrousand Components II
Metals
11.8. Fire Protection System
LEARNING OBJECTIVE
 Describe the operation of the aircraft fire protection and smoke detection system
and explain the principle of operation.
Original Author: JTS Slide No. 2

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CHAPTER CONTENTS
Elements Needed To Start Fire

Principle of fire protection
Fire protection System
Detection and warning
Fire & overheat detectors
Smoke detectors
Fire Extinguishing systems
System Tests

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ELEMENTS NEEDED TO START FIRE
 Oxygen
 Heat
 Suitable Fuel
All three must be present together and be at specific value
How to extinguish the fire???
Emirates flight 521 Dubai: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Bep8ppP7hE

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CLASSES OF FIRE
 Class A: Solid material such as paper, wood and cloth
 Class B: Flammable liquid such as Petrol,ATF,Oils and Lubricants
 Class C: Now flammable gases earlier it used to be Electrical Equipment
 Class D: Flammable metals such as

Magnesium,Sodium,Lithium,Potassium,Zirconium and Titanium
 Class E : Electrical Equipment

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FIRE ZONES
• Most dangerous threat to aircraft (Airbus 380 fuel capacity = 320,000 Litres)
• Potential Fire Zones are to be protected by the fixed fire protection systems
 An area or region of an aircraft designed by the manufacturer
 To require fire detection and /or fire extinguishing equipment and high
degree of fire resistance
 Fixed : Permanently installed extinguishing system

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FIRE ZONES
• Typical Zones on aircraft that have a fixed fire detection and /or fire extinguishing
system are:
 Engine and APU
 Cargo and Baggage compartments
 Lavatories on Transport aircraft
 Electrical Bays
 Wheel wells
 Bleed Air Ducts
• Fire zones are further classified by the airflow through them
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LOCATION OF DETECTORS
Fire ,Smoke and Overheat detectors are installed at

various locations in an aircraft
• Engine
• Engine Pylon/Nacelle
• APU compartment
• Bleed air duct
• Wing Leading edge air ducts
• Air-conditioning pack compartment
• EE compartment
• Cargo & Baggage compartment
• Main LG wheel well
• Lavatory
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TWO TYPES OF FIRE PROTECTION
 Passive Fire Protection
 It is inherent in design of aircraft
 Fire risks are eliminated or reduced in the design and manufacture of structure, the
drainage and ventilation of compartment and in the material used.
 Active Fire Protection
 Detection and warning of the onset of fire, overheat or smoke conditions
 Quick neutralization and prevention of further damage

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PRINCIPLE OF FIRE PROTECTION
Prevention Detection Warning Extinguishing

Monitoring
Detectors are placed to detect fire and overheat. Types of detectors:
 Rate of temp rise
 Radiation
 Smoke
 Overheat
 Carbon monoxide
 Optical
 Observation of the Crew or Pax

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FEATURES OF IDEAL DETECTOR
 No False warning in air or on ground

 Rapid indication and accurate location
 Means for electrically testing the detecting system from cockpit
 Continuous indication for duration of fire
 Resists damage from exposure to oil, water, vibration, extreme
temperatures and handling

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FEATURES OF IDEAL DETECTOR
 Light in weight and easy to mount

 Minimum current requirement when not indicating a fire
 A separate detection system for each engine
 Audio visual warning in the cockpit, indicating the location of fire

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FIRE AND OVERHEAT DETECTOR
• Unit Type Detectors (Spot Detector)

(Non resetting OR Resetting type)
 Thermal Switch Detectors

 Thermocouple Detectors
 Fenwall Spot Detectors
 Optical Flame Detectors

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• Continuous Type Detectors.

 Electro-pneumatic Type (Lindberg and Systron Donner)
 Electrical Resistance Type (Fenwall and Kidde)
 Capacitance Type (Graviner)

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UNIT TYPE DETECTORS
Thermal Switch Detectors
 It is a bimetallic strip that closes the contact

at a given temperature
 In DC circuit, wired in parallel so that
activation of any single switch will complete
the circuit to generate warning
 Dual loop configuration

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UNIT TYPE DETECTORS
Thermocouple Detectors
 Two dissimilar metal wire (Chromel and Alumel)

joined
 Cold and Hot Junction
 Mili amp current flow to activate sensitive relay

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UNIT TYPE DETECTORS
Fenwall Spot Detectors
 Alloy steel tube (high coefficient of expansion)

with bow spring (low coefficient of expansion)

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CONTINUOUS TYPE DETECTORS
 Electro-pneumatic Type (Lindberg and Systron

Donner)
Lindberg sensing element: Discreet Function
 Reacts only sharp rise to temp. and cannot sense

a slow rise in overall temp.
 More suitable for fire detection
 Inconel or Stainless steel tube filled with metal (Lindberg Sensing Element)
hydride (capacity to release and absorb hydrogen
gas)

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 Electro-pneumatic Type (Lindberg and Systron

Donner)
Systron Donner sensing element
 Average as well as discreet function

 Suitable for use in either overheat OR fire detection
 Helium gas is used alongwith Metal hydride
 Helium for overheat and hydrogen for fire

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 Electrical Resistance Type

Two types: Fenwall and Kidde Fenwall
 Thermistor Material: It has negative temperature coefficient
 Inconel or stainless steel tube (earthed to aircraft structure) containing Nickle

wire conductor (Live wire)
 Both ends are connected into Fire Detection Unit so break in loop will not cause
it to fail

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 Electrical Resistance Type

 Kidde
 Operating Principle is similar
 Outer tube has no role except to protect the sensing element
 Connected to FDU
 With rise in temp. current will flow from live to earth wire
 Break in loop will not cause it to fail

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FIRE PROTECTION

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LOOPS
 Two loops, if both are operational it requires

signals from both the loops to trigger the
warning
 If one loop fails, warning will be triggered

with the operational loop

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LOOPS

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 Capacitance Type (Graviner)
 This type of sensor required AC current to operate
 Dielectric material (Glass alumina) is used
 Central wire and outer tube acts as two plate of capacitor

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 Capacitance Type (Graviner)

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INSTALLATION

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INSTALLATION
 To avoid kinking and chaffing, if kinked do not attempt to straighten it
 No direct contact with hot components
 Elements are normally clipped 4 inches away from their end fittings and 6
inches along their length

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INSTALLATION
 Element is protected from the clip by a split grommet or a

Teflon bush
 Split in the grommet should be positioned at the opening

side of the clip and on the outside of the bend
 Minimum bending radius should not be less than one inch
 Cleaning with the approved solvent and drying with dry air
not with compressed air

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INSTALLATION

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SMOKE DETECTORS
Prompt warning of an impending outbreak of fire before the temperature rises

or fire
 Typically located in cargo and baggage compartment,lavatory and avionics

compartment
• Types of Smoke Detectors.
 Light Refraction Type
 Ionisation Type
 Solid State Type
 Visual Smoke Indicator

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TYPES OF SMOKE DETECTORS
 Light Refraction Type
 Main elements: Photo electric cell,

Projection lamp and Light trap
 Air from the related compartment is
drawn through the detection unit
 Light rays will be proportionally
refracted and some will strike the
photoelectric cell

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 Ionisation Type
 Most popular on modern aircraft
 It consists of measurement chamber,

a reference resister and an integral
electronic circuit
 When smoke passes thru the

chamber it causes change in balance

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 Solid State Smoke Detector
 Detects presence of smoke and toxic gases (carbon monoxide and nitrous
oxide)
 It consists of two sensing elements, one located in compartment and other to
the ambient air.
 The sensing element is coated with semi conductor material that will absorb
carbon monoxide and nitrous oxide
 Changes the current flow

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SMOKE DETECTION SYSTEM
 Configuration of smoke detection system is influenced by the location
 Lavatory, Cargo and Avionics compartment will have slight differences
Cargo Compartment
 Visual indication to the crew with in one minute after start of fire
 Normally four smoke detectors in pairs
 If both are functional, warning will be triggered
 Built In Test Equipment (BITE)

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 Avionics Compartment Smoke Detector
 If presence of smoke is detected
 Ventilation blower fan will stop
 Air inlet valve is closed
 Air conditioning inlet valve will open
 Extraction fan will continue running
 Air outlet valve will open fully

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 Lavatory Compartment
 Smoke detector is normally installed in the ceiling of each lavatory
 When smoke is detected warning is triggered on the flight deck and in Pax cabin
 Pax cabin warning are Amber flashing attention light and a red lavatory smoke
indication on attendant panel with repeated chime tone on PA system speakers
 Automatic discharge Extinguisher located in the waste bin

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DESIGNATED FIRE ZONE
Is a region where a potential fire risk may exists following the failure or leakage of any component,
equipment or part of power plant.
Power Plant (Engine)
Auxiliary Power Plant (APU)
• Engine
• Engine Pylon/Nacelle
• APU compartment
• Main LG wheel well
• Bleed air duct
• Wing Leading edge air ducts
• Air-conditioning pack compartment
• EE compartment
• Cargo & Baggage compartment
• Lavatory

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FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM (BUILT IN – CS 25 REQUIREMENT)
 Power Plant (Engine), Auxiliary Power Plant (APU) and Class ‘C’ cargo and Baggage
compartment must have approved built in fire extinguishing or suppression system
that are controllable from the flight deck
The extinguishing agent, the rate of discharge and the distribution must be adequate.
 Power Plants: Two Discharge (Two shot system)
 APU : Single one shot system, minimum
 Cargo compartment Class C: To control ventilation and draughts
 Lavatories: Pax more than 20, Automatic discharge Extinguisher located in the waste bin

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FIRE EXTINGUISHING AGENT REQUIREMENTS
 Extinguishing flames of burning fluid and other combustible material

 Thermal stability
 Means to indicate that container is discharged or low pressure
 Non toxic , if toxic, provision must be made to prevent the pax cabin
 Agent used for lavatory must be non toxic, Halon 1301 is typically used
 Discharge should not, damage the aircraft and get clogged
 It should not chemically react to any other material

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CHOICES
 Smother it and cut off oxygen
 Displace the air around the fire to reduce the oxygen contents
 Cool it to the point where combustion stops
 Interrupt the chemical process of combustion by producing another chemical

action that neutralizes it
Extinguishing Agent
 Displace the air to remove the oxygen and cool the zone

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FIRE EXTINGUISHING AGENT
 Carbon Di Oxide : Effective in removing the oxygen, non toxic, non corrosive. High concentration
can suffocate the living equipment. Old ac and ground fire extinguishing
 Modern aircraft: Halogenated Hydrocarbons
 Vaporizing type fluids known as ‘Halons’ or with their trade name such as ‘Freon’
 Halon 104: effective against Electrical fires, Highly toxic , out of use
 Halon 1001:Highly toxic even exposed to 1 % concentration, corrosive, out of use
 Halon 1011:Toxic (even 2% for short period)
 Halon 1202:Toxic (2% over a period of two hours)
 Halon 1211:Semi Toxic no significant health problems but corrosive, drying of area must
 Halon 1301,Freon 13: Safest Halon ,widely used
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CLASSES OF FIRE (OCCURRENCE)
Class A (passenger and crew cabin interiors)
Class B (power plants, APU & combustion heater)
Class C (Bleed ducts)
Class D (metals, require powder extinguishers)
Class E (Electrical Equipment)

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FIRE EXTINGUISHING AGENT CONTAINER
 Spherical steel cylinder, dark red if Halon 1301 or purple brown if Halon 1211
 Installed out side the fire wall in a cool location
 Engine and cargo, two separate discharge heads with pyrotechnic cartridge or Squib
and a fragile disc
 Bottle can be discharged only once
 Normally two containers in each engine nacelle
 or pylon.
 APU container has a single discharge head

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 Pressure relief valve to prevent bursting of the container due to excessive

pressure.
 The end must be located as such to not damage the aircraft.
 Means to indicate that pressure is low.
 Pyrotechnic cartridge is used to discharge the agent.

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 A typical container carry appx 5 Kg

of FE agent, pressurised with dry
nitrogen at around 600 to 800
psi.
 Takes 2-3 seconds in complete discharge, called (High Rate Dischargers) HRD
extinguishers

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 Over Pressure Relief valve: at 1600-1800 psi at 200 Deg cent

 Discharge the contents overboardb thru bursting disc
 Some systems incorporate mechanical discharge indicators
• Red disc for thermal discharge

• Yellow disc for Fire combat discharge
 Low Pr Switch: set around 250 Psi BOTTLE DISCHAGE amber light
in the cockpit

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 Weight Check:
Before the installation and at specified periods
(Wt includes blanking caps and washer but
excluding the Cartridge units.
Wt is normally indicated on the container head)
 Pressure Check:
Regular Check of pressure in reference with the temp
 Cartridge Unit:
It has specified life
Normally from the Date of Manufacturing
Normally 5 years
Storage life is 2 Years

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Storage
 Away from the sun light
 Cartridge unit to be removed in kept

Under recommended conditions
 Weight check annually
 In general it for 5 years
 Overhaul

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REQUIREMENTS
CS 25 requires that, two separate extinguisher

discharge must be made available for each Power
Plant

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FIRE EXTINGUISHING AGENT DISTRIBUTION ENGINE FIRE
(Two Shot Extinguishing System)
 From container thru stainless steel rigid pipes to Zone 1

and Zone 2
 Distribution segment will consists of perforated hole OR Y

shape outlet
 Directional Flow valve flap will open to ensure that agent

goes in right direction

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FIRE EXTINGUISHING AGENT DISTRIBUTION ENGINE FIRE
(Two Shot Extinguishing System)

If engine fire is detected:
 Red master Warning
 Red warning light next to Engine High Pr
 Fuel Shut off valve
 Red Light in Fire Handle
 Fire Handle will be unlocked
 Fire bell will ring
Action: Typical fire drill is to first shut down the engine followed by
discharge of extinguisher. Shut down is always manual never automatic.
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FIRE EXTINGUISHING AGENT DISTRIBUTION
 In turbo prop engine the propeller is to feathered

and it must stop rotating before the discharge is
selected
 Fire extinguisher is simply operated by the pulling

of engine fire lever out of the recess and rotating
it, this is first shot
 ENG BTL DISCH amber light illuminates, after 10

seconds if fire alarm re activated rotate the
handle to other side

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ENGINE FIRE HANDLE
 On detection of fire, handle unlocks If not,

manual override
 On pulling out of fire handle following circuits
are energized:
• LP fuel isolation valve close
• LP pneumatic bleed regulating and shut off
valve
• ED Hyd Pump supply isolation valve
• Disarm the Thrust rev system isolation valve
• ED electric gene relay and fire bell

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APU EXTINGUISHER SYSTEM
 Dual loop detector
 Single shot fire extinguisher
 APU designed to continually monitor its operation
 Shut down automatically on receipt of fire warning

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APU fire detector will initiate:
 Aural alarm
 Red Warning on flight deck and APU

remote fire control panel
 Automatic APU shut down

 (If aircraft is on ground, main engines shut down)
 Automatic discharge of fire extinguisher

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• Discharge can be achieved either from the remote external panel or from flight deck
• From flight deck : crew shut down APU then select FE discharge
• From Remote Panel: Pulling the fire handle will shut the APU down

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CARGO COMPARTMENT EXTINGUISHER SYSTEM
Two shot System must for ETOPSs aircraft
 Two Bottles one each for fwd and aft cargo compartment
 Each bottle can feed fwd or aft as per the selection
 Two Smoke indication ,two discharge

indication light
 Toggle switch for discharge selection

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LAVATORY FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM
 Completely automatic and self contained
 Activation of discharge at pre set temp

at around 80 deg centigrade
 Appx 100 grams of Halon, in

3 to 10 sec time
 Heat sensitive self adhesive indicator on

the waste container

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CRASH SWITCHES
 At various location underside of aircraft
 When aircraft fuselage contacts the ground during landing, one or more
crash switch will complete the circuit and all fixed fire extinguishers
(Power plant, APU and Cargo) will be discharged
 Two types of switch: Inertial Type and Frangible type
 Inertial Type: Spring loaded around 3 g
 Frangible Type: Electrical contact around the sealed envelop

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SYSTEMS TESTS
 By Crew (BITE)
 By Maintenance Engineers
• Precautions.
 Make people aware those who are working near the aircraft
 Clear the area of any flammable vapours when high voltage equipment is
in use.

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SYSTEM TESTS
Unit Type Detectors
 Insulation Resistance Test: By using 250 V insulation resistance tester measure

the resistance between each detector terminal and outer casing
 Thermal switch detectors are checked by applying heat to switch unit
 Shroud type heater element to be used
 Under no circumstances is a naked flame ever to be used to conduct the test

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SYSTEM TESTS
Continuous Type Resistance Detectors
 Insulation Resistance Tests
• Related CB to be pulled out
• Disconnect from both the ends
• Insulation resistance to be measured between core wire and outer sheath

with 250 V insulation tester, it should be one mega ohm

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SYSTEM TESTS
Continuous Type Pneumatic Detectors
 Fire or overheat conditions are required
 Heat up a small section of the element, fire warning should illuminate with
fire alarm bell.

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FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEM
Valujet Crash: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1yyrfcxIxg
Air Canada: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N52Fwxqk9yI
Air Canada Original :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGBnFPS3d_w

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FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEM
Portable - Hand Fire Extinguisher Max approved seating Qty of fire

capacity extinguishers
(HFE):
7-30 1
• At least one FE containing Halon 1211 31-60 2

on flight deck 61-200 3
201-300 4
• At least one FE in each galley 301-400 5
401-500 6
501-600 7
601 or more 8

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AME 3122 - Advanced Aircraft Systems &

Issue No.: 01 Date: September 2022 FOR TRAINING PURPOSES ONLY

Original Author: JTS Slide No. 2

Elements Needed To Start Fire

Original Author: JTS Slide No. 3

ELEMENTS NEEDED TO START FIRE

All three must be present together and be at specific value

How to extinguish the fire???

Emirates flight 521 Dubai: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Bep8ppP7hE

Original Author: JTS Slide No. 4

 Class A: Solid material such as paper, wood and cloth

 Class B: Flammable liquid such as Petrol,ATF,Oils and Lubricants

 Class C: Now flammable gases earlier it used to be Electrical Equipment

 Class D: Flammable metals such as

 Class E : Electrical Equipment

Original Author: JTS Slide No. 5

 An area or region of an aircraft designed by the manufacturer

 Fixed : Permanently installed extinguishing system

Original Author: JTS Slide No. 6

Fire ,Smoke and Overheat detectors are installed at

TWO TYPES OF FIRE PROTECTION

 Passive Fire Protection

 It is inherent in design of aircraft

 Active Fire Protection

 Detection and warning of the onset of fire, overheat or smoke conditions

 Quick neutralization and prevention of further damage

Original Author: JTS Slide No. 9

PRINCIPLE OF FIRE PROTECTION

Prevention Detection Warning Extinguishing

Original Author: JTS Slide No. 10

FEATURES OF IDEAL DETECTOR

 No False warning in air or on ground

Original Author: JTS Slide No. 11

FEATURES OF IDEAL DETECTOR

 Light in weight and easy to mount

Original Author: JTS Slide No. 12

FIRE AND OVERHEAT DETECTOR

• Unit Type Detectors (Spot Detector)

 Thermal Switch Detectors

Original Author: JTS Slide No. 13

FIRE AND OVERHEAT DETECTOR

• Continuous Type Detectors.

Original Author: JTS Slide No. 14

UNIT TYPE DETECTORS

Thermal Switch Detectors

 It is a bimetallic strip that closes the contact

 Dual loop configuration

Original Author: JTS Slide No. 15

UNIT TYPE DETECTORS

 Two dissimilar metal wire (Chromel and Alumel)

 Cold and Hot Junction

 Mili amp current flow to activate sensitive relay

Original Author: JTS Slide No. 16

UNIT TYPE DETECTORS

Fenwall Spot Detectors

 Alloy steel tube (high coefficient of expansion)

Original Author: JTS Slide No. 17

CONTINUOUS TYPE DETECTORS

 Electro-pneumatic Type (Lindberg and Systron

 Reacts only sharp rise to temp. and cannot sense

 More suitable for fire detection

Original Author: JTS Slide No. 18

CONTINUOUS TYPE DETECTORS

 Electro-pneumatic Type (Lindberg and Systron