Interesting day today, lots of smoke in the cockpit!

[agirard7a]

Originally Posted by Aggie78

Smoke in the cockpit is one of my biggest concerns...I have had it happen before in a Transport Category aircraft (fire broke out behind engineer?s panel) and it filled the cockpit with smoke so fast I couldn?t believe it. Luckily, we were on the ground taxiing in, so we came to a screeching halt, killed power, and dumped the crew by doing the Evac checklist. Killing power killed the fire, but even then, it still smoked for a long time....if it had happened 15 minutes earlier in flight, I don?t like to wonder what the outcome could have been. Especially since we had just shot an approach at night, overwater, near minimums.

I carry that concern to the GA aircraft I fly. Airlines are required to provide a number of ?PBE? or Personal Breathing Devices to cockpit and crew in the event of a fire/smoke event. I decided to search the marketplace for something similar to at least give me a fighting chance of getting the aircraft on the ground before becoming overcome if I have another smoke event. I found a supplier that has these:

https://www.aeromedix.com/safety-equ...e60-smoke-hood

I bought a couple of them to fly with. While they aren?t TSO?d like the stuff in the Part 121 world, they don?t carry the $$$$ price tag those have either. All I?m wanting from them is 10-15 minutes to put the airplane down...somewhere. Anywhere.

Like I said, I?m looking for a fighting chance; having had a few smoke events now over 30+ years, I?m convinced that I won?t be able to hold my breath or keep my eyes clear without some kind of help. I hope I never use these things, but I?m glad I?ve at least got them with me...

Just ordered one. Thanks for the post! $70 is not a lot of money and a smart safety investment just in case.

[Aggie78]

Originally Posted by agirard7a

Just ordered one. Thanks for the post! $70 is not a lot of money and a smart safety investment just in case.

Al, I agree!

In fact, when not flying the RV I throw one in my suitcase and take it with me during my airline trips. Most every layover we have stays in a high-rise hotel in a 3rd world location...and I've experienced a couple of (minor) hotel fires in my career.

I don't want to be found dead in a stairwell 2 floors above ground level and safety....

Again...a fighting chance is all I'm looking for.

Fellow road warriors might want to consider it as well.

Sorry to the OP for the thread drift....

Rob

[gasman]

This.... https://www.amazon.com/Safety-iQ-Eme...E30+Smoke+Hood
may work long enough to slow the plane and open the canopy (depending on your model). You need to get the smoke out right after you kill the master and have your breather in place..... Visibility is the next thing to go.

[slngsht]

I didn't want to take focus of thread away from wiring, but was thinking about the smoke issue. The masks posted above seem like pretty good steps in terms of breathing, but what have people done to help suction the smoke out of cockpit after fire is put out? Opening vents helps with air flow in - if there is an out path to move air in bulk.

Thoughts?

[agirard7a]

Has anyone ever cracked opened a tip up or slider in flight?

[Sam Buchanan]

Several documented instances of a tip-up being unlatched during takeoff, mine included. The canopy will ride open about 6" without significant trim change, at least that is the case at pattern speeds. I suspect the same will occur at cruise, but my unlatched canopy experience is limited to ~125 kts.

If the cabin was filling with dense smoke I would definitely slow to 125 kts and open the canopy. If rapidly filling with dense smoke....probably not wait to slow down.....

[rv7charlie]

Anecdotal evidence is that sliders will act more or less like the tipup, which is widely documented. At worst, you wouldn't be able to open the slider at all, but it won't fly aft if you unlatch. High pressure on the back of the canopy prevents it.

The side tippers like the -4 are the radical exception. They are *designed* to 'unzip' and depart the a/c if unlatched in flight. And yes, it's been tested, multiple times.

[Ron B.]

I have a single plasma III and it calls for 5 amp. protection. I have a panel mounted 5 amp. breaker as per LightSpeed's instructions but after reading this post for a while I've decided to add a fusible link at the battery. I installed a 24 gauge wire about 3/4" with the proper sleeve (purchased a fusible link kit a while back). I do not have any literature with the kit so I looked up the load that one can put on 24 gauge wire and it's 3.5 amps. So I'm thinking if 24 gauge wire is good for 3.5 amps and LightSpeed is asking for 5 amps I should be about right with this for a fusible link? What do you think ? 24 gauge wire came with the kit.
Thanks

[DanH]

Originally Posted by Ron B.

I have a single plasma III and it calls for 5 amp. protection. I have a panel mounted 5 amp. breaker as per LightSpeed's instructions but after reading this post for a while I've decided to add a fusible link at the battery. I installed a 24 gauge wire about 3/4" with the proper sleeve (purchased a fusible link kit a while back). I do not have any literature with the kit so I looked up the load that one can put on 24 gauge wire and it's 3.5 amps. So I'm thinking if 24 gauge wire is good for 3.5 amps and LightSpeed is asking for 5 amps I should be about right with this for a fusible link? What do you think ? 24 gauge wire came with the kit.
Thanks

Size the fuse link for some reasonable multiple of the actual load, which may or may not be the breaker size somebody specified earlier. In theory, that breaker was sized to protect the specified wire; the load was smaller.

Klaus specified 18 or 20 ga power supply wire. If you have 20ga, then a 24ga link is the norm. If (like most ignitions) the Lightspeed's power draw is in the 1.5 amp ballpark, a 3.5 amp fusible link should be fine.

That said, I wire an ignition feed in 18ga, then use a 22ga fusible link, just so the components are physically robust.

BTW, with a fusible link at the power source, you don't need the panel breaker anymore. Pitch it.

[Ron B.]

I was able to wire tie both ends of the fusible to the alum. battery box clamp to secure it in place so it should not move around and break.
Thanks Dan