REFLECTOR:Fire Detection System,smoke and flame

[reflector@tvbf.org]

A smoke and/or flame detection system that was simple and inexpensive may 
have a market in the homebuilt market.
Comments: 1) Smoke alone in the engine compartment of our aircraft is 
probably a lot less of a hazard than in a tractor airplane. Actually we have a simple 
smoke detection system because the higher pressure in the engine compartment 
will push that air into the cabin by way of firewall holes, fuselage tunnels 
or between main spar and wing spare (IF NOT PROPERLY SEALED)  From experience, 
you will smell smoke very quickly in that case. 
2) Would flame detection require many detectors because there would be many 
different places a flame could erupt?
3) We could measure temperatures at a proposed thermal fuse site, for all 
normal operating conditions, temps just after shut down may be hottest. If we 
installed a thermal fuse well above highest temperature measured at that site, 
would that not minimize false warnings?
Don White   N19DW     XL/RG