Aircraft fire detection, aircraft, retrofitting, aircraft accident, fire detection system, plane crash, emergency, Boeing plane, suppression system, modern technology, aircraft maintenance, functional deterioration, repair, passenger
Aircraft fire detection and suppression is a fundamental topic in aviation. Airline accidents are risky as they lead to the destruction of lives and carried goods. Fire detection systems are developed during aircraft manufacture to produce alarms to notify pilots of a quick response to an emergency. In mitigating airline fires, the aircraft industry follows several steps in designing detection and suppression systems. Planes should be regularly maintained either in whole or the components. They should also be temporarily or permanently repaired or have their fully damaged components replaced. A good example of an aircraft accident attributed to fire is the UPS flight on a Boeing 747-400 near Dubai in 2010. The fire was caused by the ignition of unidentified flammable commodities that had been initially mounted in Hong Kong. None of the passengers on the plane survived. However, the plane crash had several lessons for the airline department, which helped it to adopt new advanced techniques to detect and suppress airline fires.
[...] The second step is the detection solution. Most firms' fire protection systems should provide detection capabilities. Modern technology is helping advanced methods to improve detection, thus, making it possible to distinguish between the high and low levels of danger (Benson.et al,2016). Designing a heat detector that can cause an alarm before smoke is produced and gives the highest protection level. The ability to stop minor fires and prevent them from progressing into big fires distinguishes between good and inadequate fire detection systems in aircraft. [...]
[...] G., & Mba, D. (2016). Fire suppression systems in aircraft: Their past, present & future. Fire Investigation, 1(3), 34-41. Director, L. (2008). Aircraft Fire Protection. Wood, J. M. (2020). Strategies for Improved Fire Detection Response Times in Aircraft Cargo Compartments (Doctoral dissertation, University of Maryland, College Park). [...]
[...] The previous experience with composite structures in the modern fleet provides aircraft designers with various lessons (Director,2008). Such lessons aid in selecting the criteria for applying and servicing new aircraft structures and materials. Repair and Retrofitting of Aircraft The contemporary approaches relied on by the airlines to repair damages to aircraft composite structures are based on the degree of damage, availability of time for fixing, and the period between the next pre-determined maintenance visit. Other factors for consideration in aircraft repair are the failure of parts, continuous breakdown of the airline, aging installation, and system incompatibility. [...]
[...] There are three effective preventive maintenance procedures. Firstly, the hard time method entails removing the units from the service if they reach the pre-determined parameter value. Secondly, the inspection method deals with the operating parameter of a section of hand ware to decide whether it is still suitable for usage or should be removed to avoid failure (Wood,2020). Thirdly, the functional verification method requires checking hardware functions to ensure they are all operational. Several classifications for component maintenance tasks exist for most airlines. [...]
[...] Planes should be regularly repaired and maintained. The fire accident of the UPS flight on Boeing 747-400 enabled the airlines to learn that pilots make mistakes and thus compensate for their likely errors with several defenses of airline crews who undergo proper professional training. They also knew aircraft required better fire suppression designs and regular plane repair and maintenance to prevent fire progression. I recommend the aviation sector to challenge itself and invest heavily in new material research to provide better future approaches to alerting, controlling, and preventing aircraft fires. [...]
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