Fire Extinguisher Locations

[dhsa]

As a professional Fire Analyst and a RV-10 driver I feel the need to put my 2 cents in. In your airplane and your home the last place you want to store a fire extinguisher is where a fire is most likely to occur. In the RV's I believe storage under the panel is not a good option due to the electronics in this area. I prefer behind the pilot seat due to the lack of ignition sources and fuels present in that location. I always point out the fire extinguisher and how to use it to passengers. Hope I was of some help.

[douglassmt]

Your professional input is VERY much appreciated, and even makes good sense. That's just one of the many great things about VAF.

[Snowflake]

Two cautions on Ernst's location:

In the event of a sudden impact, the fire extinguisher is likely to slide through the rings of the mount, and end up against the firewall or under your feet... Closer to the engine, and harder to reach.

I admit that i've only stood next to two RV-10's ever, and haven't had fire extinguishers on my mind at the time, but: On the ground, can you reach the extinguisher from outside the aircraft, or do you have to climb up on the wing (and closer to the fuel tank) to get to it?

[Wayne Gillispie]

I would say without investigating aircraft fires that 2-3 times more are fwf. If we impact that hard and there is a fire like one -10, I will be getting my family out through the fire and not fighting it. A 3-5 lb fire extinguisher will be of no use if your tanks explode on impact. We carry wool blankets and wear cotton or wool clothing. If it is under the panel then all red toggle switches go down and fire extinguisher comes out. If I am on the ground outside with a big fire I will let it burn. If it is a small brake fire then I can get to mine and back out in 10 seconds. I can also grab my gallon of water out of the baggage compartment. I used the higher flash point brake fluid and rarely use brakes on landing.

[N427EF]

Like many times before, I post pictures in hopes that someone finds something
amiss.
A couple of thoughts:
First and foremost!
There is probably not one single best location for a fire extinguisher.
My consideration for the top of the console was first and foremost my ability to
escape a burning aircraft as well as saving my passengers from flames during egress. The scenario would be an engine fire not a smoking panel, extremely unlikely to need a fire extinguisher but rather the turning off of power to the panel.

If it is a brake fire then I can get to mine and back out in 10 seconds. I can also grab my gallon of water out of the baggage compartment.

Standing next to the wheel pants and reaching over the fuel tank during a brake fire is probably not something I would do. For this scenario a baggage mounted fire extinguisher would be preferable, I think.

In the event of a sudden impact, the fire extinguisher is likely to slide through the rings of the mount, and end up against the firewall or under your feet... Closer to the engine, and harder to reach.

I suppose that could happen but it was precisely machined to fit the fire extinguisher and in fact the clamps are screwed on tight and stay on the extinguisher when disconnected from the mount with a one pin pull.

I suppose a couple of those smaller foam extinguishers could be added for different contingencies and I may just do that.

Like many other things on an airplane, installing fire extinguishers is a compromise that should have high priority and my priority is saving passengers from flames not saving the airplane.

Although this post sounds a bit argumentative I would appreciate an opinion on my flawed thinking.

[JDOJR]

Ernst,

I really like your mount and would like something like it for my airplane. Do you happen to know where I could purchase one.

Thanks,
Dean Ousley

[N427EF]

Dean, here you go:
http://www.safecraft.com

Wayne:

Detecting a fire in flight early on with a cowl outlet limit switch or thermistor sensor is very important.

I have made a provision for instant warning of an engine fire by using a high sensitivity temperature probe on the lower firewall with an indicator on my engine monitor.(Cowl Temp) Red line set at 180 degrees F.
The hottest it gets in summer when I fly in 100F weather is about 165 maybe 170.

[dsmithlib]

I have a 1.3# halon extingusiher. Now I need to figure out where to put it. I'm looking for some creative mounting methods that keep it in reach.
Thanks,

[Bill.Peyton]

I mounted mine behind the pilots seat on the floor. I can get to it quickly, and it's out of the way.

[Snowflake]

Originally Posted by N427EF

There is probably not one single best location for a fire extinguisher.
...
Although this post sounds a bit argumentative I would appreciate an opinion on my flawed thinking.

Ernst, I hope I didn't offend... I didn't intend to criticize, just to offer a possible scenario you might not have considered. Your mount does seem more solid than most... A lot of extinguishers i've seen are mounted with the simple strap + over-center latch, and at times it's a **** shoot whether those stay done up in a hard landing... Let alone a crash.

I totally agree that there is probably not one best place for the extinguisher, although if I were trying to find a best bang-for-the-buck location, I think i'd want something that was equally accessible from inside the airplane (while seated), and from outside while standing on the ground behind the wing.