REFLECTOR: Ouch

Mon Jul 30 12:01:05 CDT 2012

Teleflex rates there cables at 225F. They are lined with HDPE which melts at 288F.

Larry Coen
N136LC

From: Alex Balic 
Sent: Monday, July 30, 2012 9:40 AM
To: 'Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list' 
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Ouch

Halon is still available- got mine from Summit Racing I think. I guess the potential of possibly damaging a few ozone molecules is outweighed by loss of life thankfully.

I have my nozzles pointing at the intake area/fuel rails, and the turbocharger area- my top intakes feed my oil & PSRU coolers through scat tubing, and the turbo intercooler on the other side, so it would be difficult to get any going in there, but also unlikely that the fire would be there either. I think that 3 pounds will be enough to extinguish any fire as long as the cowling is not breached by the time I pull the release, those little cameras are pretty inexpensive these days, so if I get a temp alarm back there, I can flip it on and see what is what.

At least in the velocity an engine fire would not come into the pilot's area of the cabin very quickly, although, aileron control might be affected- or maybe not- I think that the problem is that the liner melts and when it cools, it locks up the ailerons, if it is still hot might be OK, would be interesting to see if Teleflex has ever tested that..

From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On Behalf Of nmflyer1 at aol.com
Sent: Monday, July 30, 2012 12:16 AM
To: reflector at tvbf.org
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Ouch

I like the idea of a fire suppression system as well. In talking with the pilot, he didn't even know he had a fire until he landed. The engine quit and the flames started just as he turned off the end of the runway. All he knew is that he smelled some "hot oil", then started down for the airport. A witness watching the landing said there was not even any smoke until the end of the runway, then a second or two later.. fire.  

I was there talking with the FAA as they did the inspection of the wreckage. Only thing they found was some questionable fittings that were loose. They acknowledged that the looseness could have come from the heat of the fire... or been there prior. Fittings right next to the loose ones were tight... so that leads to some doubts on the tightness of the oil fittings next to the turbo. 

Kurt

-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Magee <edjonesbrady at gmail.com>
To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list <reflector at tvbf.org>
Sent: Sun, Jul 29, 2012 8:56 pm
Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Ouch

Hi Alex,
You are a man after my own heart. There is little worse for a pilot than an in-flight fire. They're quite rare, but might ruin a whole day. We used Halon extensively in the Navy, unbelievably effective. I thought Halon fire suppressant been outlawed but just checked and found them still available. I may follow your lead and have a Halon bottle trained on my engine compartment with heat sensors. I'll have to study this: the ram air for the cylinders does present a problem with any fire-suppressant flooding technique for an aircraft engine compartment. Ideally the ram air feeds would also need Halon nozzles, as well as the 'static' air in the engine compartment. Don't know if the concentration in the ram-air would be sufficient to quench.  I would think nozzles aimed at the FI distributor block and other usual suspects for an engine compartment fire would be appropriate. I would be interested in seeing your nozzle outlay.
Yes, this one ended well for the pilot, not so much his bird.
Mark Magee
N34XL

On Sun, Jul 29, 2012 at 7:03 PM, Alex Balic <velocity_pilot at verizon.net> wrote:

I am a little bit paranoid about something like that happening, so I have the heat sensors, and a 3 pound halon bottle plumbed to the engine compartment-might even add camera for the inside of the compartment - at least the pilot got out OK

From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On Behalf Of nmflyer1 at aol.com
Sent: Sunday, July 29, 2012 2:52 PM
To: reflector at tvbf.org
Subject: REFLECTOR: Ouch

Back from OSH last night. This morning had to go help clean up this sad situation. Cozy Mk III with a torbo rotary engine. Smelled oil and headed back on flt #6. Unfortunately, as he was turning off the runway, things gor worse. At least he is fine.  

Kurt   

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