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Fire Extinguisher Option

Mark Dickens

Mark Dickens

Well Known Member
Patron
As I creep ever so slowly toward actually flying my -14, I am working on all the little details I want completed before that day. One is fire protection. Yes, I know I can buy a nice fire extinguisher from ACS for over $300, but I see these very affordable ABCK extinguishers on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/AmzBoom-Extinguisher-Kitchen-Mounting-Emergency/dp/B0DH5CM2CC

Given the cost difference between the Halotron unit and the Amazon options, I'm sure there is some major disqualifier for the Amazon option, but I am not a fire fighting expert. I am thinking of putting two of these in the cockpit. Thoughts?
 
Many aircraft have been totaled due to the extreme corrosion caused by ABC fire extinguishers used on an easy to extinguish fire. Unfortunately that's what's hanging in most non-private hangars.

These things look interesting for exterior use but I would not pop one of these off in the cockpit in flight due to the fog they create reducing or eliminating visibility.
elementfire.com

Element - Fire Extinguishers

80% smaller & has 5x the discharge time of a traditional fire extinguisher. Makes no mess, requires no service and will not cause additional damage to any of your possessions.
elementfire.com elementfire.com
 
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Mark Dickens said:
If I have a fire to worry about, corrosion would be the least of my problems
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With that attitude towards risk, why bother flying at all? A fire is not an all or nothing question of survival. An ABC extinguisher is an all or nothing proposition that may save you but will likely total the airplane. I’d use an ABC if it’s all I had access to, sure. But the question is, do we have a better option available when pre-planning to mitigate the risk? As Paul suggested, hit search and explore the discussions now that we all know they are available to us. I just bought my CO2 detector today, in fact. And I have a halon extinguisher in my cart ready to order.
 
Actually, now that I've read up on this (so, So, SO sorry for asking the question!), the choices boil down to not having one or Halon. Haven't decided yet, but I have decided not to buy one if it's not halon...
 
I wonder if anyone noticed that the original poster linked to a water based fire extinguisher? Just because it says ABC, does not automatically imply the dry powder chemical that is so deleterious to our aluminum and avionics. I've seen some video demos of the types of extinguishers that was linked. Some were barely effective while other brands were very effective. So, to my mind, these types of water-based extinguishers bear more careful consideration in our in and out aircraft scenarios.
 
Mark Dickens said:
Actually, now that I've read up on this (so, So, SO sorry for asking the question!), the choices boil down to not having one or Halon. Haven't decided yet, but I have decided not to buy one if it's not halon...
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Halotron vs Halon is fine, it just takes more of it so the extinguisher is larger. I needed the small size to fit between the seats so I went with Halon.
 
There is certainly some merit in carrying an extinguisher...mostly to put out your buddy's ramp fire when he over-primes and lights his cowling.

However, most are installing with some notion of discharging it in the cockpit, in flight.

Question: In exactly what scenario might you do so?
 
DanH said:
There is certainly some merit in carrying an extinguisher...mostly to put out your buddy's ramp fire when he over-primes and lights his cowling.

However, most are installing with some notion of discharging it in the cockpit, in flight.

Question: In exactly what scenario might you do so?
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Also doubles as a canopy breaker!
 
Cannot imagine discharging in flight, unless the scenario is that poor. Regardless, if things are that dire....too late.
 
The scenario where having one at hand makes sense to me is after a forced off field landing of some type. Secondarily for the other ground based scenarios. Using it in the air seems totally untenable
 
Mark Dickens said:
The scenario where having one at hand makes sense to me is after a forced off field landing of some type. Secondarily for the other ground based scenarios. Using it in the air seems totally untenable
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Same here. I have an Element clamped to the floor in front of the fuel valve, very small footprint and no expiration date.
 
Sam Buchanan said:
Same here. I have an Element clamped to the floor in front of the fuel valve, very small footprint and no expiration date.
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I love the Element extinguishers. I have them in kitchen, shop, all vehicles, etc.
A majority of aircraft fires happen on the ground. I would absolutely NEVER use them in flight.
 
DanH said:
There is certainly some merit in carrying an extinguisher...mostly to put out your buddy's ramp fire when he over-primes and lights his cowling.

However, most are installing with some notion of discharging it in the cockpit, in flight.

Question: In exactly what scenario might you do so?
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Here's a potential scenario (although not specifically applicable to RVs per se) that resulted in 2 fatalities. Summary is this was a flight school plane with an unapproved fitting on an oil pressure line behind the instrument panel that had leaked oil undeath the floor panels over time and then caught fire due to electrical arcing. That said I don't have a cockpit extinguisher because I've always considered the probability of an inflight fire in the cabin very low.
 
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Auburntsts said:
Here's a potential scenario (although not specifically applicable to RVs per se) that resulted in 2 fatalities. Summary is this was a flight school plane with an unapproved fitting on an oil pressure line behind the instrument panel that had leaked oil undeath the floor panels over time and then caught fire due to electrical arcing. That said I don't have a cockpit extinguisher because I've always considered the probability of an inflight fire in the cabin very low.
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Best reason to install electric gauges and keep all oil and fuel lines outside of the cockpit (except brake fluid).
 
DanH said:
Why?


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In he 25 years I was in the voliunteer fire service, I put out hundreds of training (and actual) fires with just about every type of extinguisher you can imagine. I’ve been engulfed in flames, had my hands in the fire while shooting retardant at them…. And while the Element wasn;t around at the time, these videos show about what I expected from the technology. It might do OK on a smolderign electrcial fire, but for liquid fuel? the fuel load is just too high! I’m not even sure it would do much on the average stove-top grease fire.

Best safety briefing I ever had on a military aircraft was from a helicopter crew chief… “There’s a Halon extinguisher behind the pilot seat - use it to put out people - the aircraft will burn forever!”
 
Walt said:
Might be a bit hard to keep fuel lines out of the CP.
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Not much you can do for inside the floor, but I was talking about the avionics dash. No need to have fuel and hot oil lines that can leak above your legs, even without a fire.
 
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