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Installing a fire extinguisher

N941WR

Legacy Member
Recently I inspected an new RV and noticed the builder had mounted a fairly large ABC type fire extinguisher to the back of the flap motor support.

There were two issues with this installation. First, that is a very difficult location to retrieve the extinguisher form and second was that it was an ABC dry powder extinguisher.

In the event of a cabin fire, putting the extinguisher where you can reach it quickly, without loosening your harness is imperative.

Second, had my friend had an issue and needed to deploy that extinguisher in the closed confines of an aircraft cabin, I doubt he would have been able to breath or see to land.

If you are going to put an extinguisher in your plane, I highly recommend you place where it is within easy reach of the pilot and is of a type that you will not be incapacitated by its use.
 
Fire Bottle

I wonder if one could run a stainless tube to the engine like the racecar guys and have a separate halon bottle for that. It may not help much with all the wind but it may buy you a minute or two. Just a thought.....
 
Fire Bottle

Seems like once the flame has penetrated the cabin, it wont do much good having an extinguisher. Now if you were on the ground and trying to save a plane from a fire, then retrieving an extinguisher from the cabin makes sense. Having it within easy reach standing outside of the plane would be critical then. On the old L1011, we had two high pressure fire bottles in each engine cowling. Those things looked like miniature atom bombs.
 
I have a Halotron extinguisher. It replaces Halon. It’s only rated for class “B” and “C” fires
 
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Seems like once the flame has penetrated the cabin, it wont do much good having an extinguisher. Now if you were on the ground and trying to save a plane from a fire, then retrieving an extinguisher from the cabin makes sense. Having it within easy reach standing outside of the plane would be critical then. On the old L1011, we had two high pressure fire bottles in each engine cowling. Those things looked like miniature atom bombs.

Several of us discussed this recently and came to the same conclusion.
 
I'm very curious about this. I was planning on installing an extinguisher for safety, but now I am wondering based on the valid points above.

Can anyone in favor of an extinguisher help me understand the benefit or need of having it in reach of the pilot while strapped in?

I'm not trying to question anyone's judgment, but rather trying to form a valid opinion.
 
I have a Halotron extinguisher. It replaces Halon. It’s only rated for class “B” and “C” fires

I could be all wrong here, but I rem halon-type systems work by sucking up the O2 vs smothering the fire - which was why we had them in sealed mainframe computer rooms of old. If you deploy it in a cockpit arent you going to suffer from lack of O2 also?
 
If you deploy it in a cockpit arent you going to suffer from lack of O2 also?

Yes, but you would remain conscious considerably longer than the fire can survive.

Not recommending anything, just curiously watching this thread ...
 
Halon or halotron doesn?t ?suck up? the O2. It is an inert gas that smothers a Fire by denying it of oxygen. You won?t die from oxygen depletion unless you were in an air tight confined space. My extinguisher was a 2lb which was mounted in the tunnel between my feet on the -4. It is only good for a small fire such as an electrical short behind the panel. Anything larger and you may as well not even have one. It?s good for about 2 seconds of use.
 
I could be all wrong here, but I rem halon-type systems work by sucking up the O2 vs smothering the fire - which was why we had them in sealed mainframe computer rooms of old. If you deploy it in a cockpit arent you going to suffer from lack of O2 also?

No, there will still be enough air to breathe.

The demos I have partaken in were very enlightening. Halon is heavier than air and the computer rooms were sealed so it didn't run out like water.

Two things that stuck with me was when the guy "poured" a clear jar of it over a lit candle and not only did the candle go out but the smoke was pushed to the ground by this clear and odorless gas.

The other was when one of the guys "drank" a cup of it. Breathed it in, really. Unlike helium where your voice gets high and squeaky, his voice got really low. He said this is because the halon is denser than air.
 
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I'm very curious about this. I was planning on installing an extinguisher for safety, but now I am wondering based on the valid points above.

Can anyone in favor of an extinguisher help me understand the benefit or need of having it in reach of the pilot while strapped in?

I'm not trying to question anyone's judgment, but rather trying to form a valid opinion.

I figure the extinguisher is good for an electrical fire behind the panel, not an engine fire forward of the firewall.
 
I'm about ready to mount a fire extinguisher in my bonanza (halon of course) and aside from accessibility in flight my biggest concern is what is likely to happen to it in the event of a forced landing. Which in my mind, is at least as likely to occur as an on-board fire. And may very well precipitate the need for an extinguisher in the first place. I have no confidence the bracket alone would keep it secured in a forced landing. And, were it to break free would it then become a potentially lethal projectile? I'm searching for a spot that would offer some form of "containment" but is still accessible in flight.
 
That's why I mounted mine behind the vertical support in the middle of the seatback crossbar on my -6. I know it's less accessible in flight, but with shoulder straps loosened I can get to it. The other place that would make sense is mounting it to the seat-back adjusting flap behind the passenger seat. That does mean it's only accessible to me, not my passenger, though.
 
one more opinion

Like Rob, I had a 2 lb BC behind the flap brace; considered it 'on-ground, or post crash', and unlikely to come loose on impact.

Second was a 1 lb BC, (Halon even better), on the Front side of the flap actuator, under your elbow. Fits nicely, accessible to both persons.

Cup holder on the passenger sidewall had a $10 'Tundra' spray-foam canister. No instructions required, no powder, just a stream of wet foam to spray on your feet when they start to get 'hot'.
Might also work under the panel for electrical, once you've shut down the power anyway!?
 
Like Rob, I had a 2 lb BC behind the flap brace; considered it 'on-ground, or post crash', and unlikely to come loose on impact.

Second was a 1 lb BC, (Halon even better), on the Front side of the flap actuator, under your elbow. Fits nicely, accessible to both persons.

Cup holder on the passenger sidewall had a $10 'Tundra' spray-foam canister. No instructions required, no powder, just a stream of wet foam to spray on your feet when they start to get 'hot'.
Might also work under the panel for electrical, once you've shut down the power anyway!?

Bought the Tundra, Wally world had a $1.00 bicycle water bottle mount that it fit nicely in, have it mounted to the front of the flap motor mount between the seats in my 6. Out of the way, secure and easily accessible.

Watched a few videos of the Tundra at work, looks like it works great, and is non-toxic. Residue wipes off with a wet rag.

Best regards,
Mike Bauer
 
I wonder if one could run a stainless tube to the engine like the racecar guys and have a separate halon bottle for that. It may not help much with all the wind but it may buy you a minute or two. Just a thought.....

For engine fires, I would think the money and effort would be better spent improving your firewall and the penetrations, as DanH has posted about, and rehearsing your engine fire memory actions. Keeping the fire from penetrating the cabin so you can get to the ground is critical. An extinguisher system might help with a fire on the ground though.

An in-cockpit fire (avionics, etc.) would probably be best addressed with a small extinguisher (as discussed above) plus careful material selection and good wiring practices.
 
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