SMOKER

Heard a rumour today that FR evacuated a 200 this morning on the ramp in STN, with a suspected APU fire - no casualties.
Anyone got anymore info?

vertical speed

No further details but my departure was delayed as a result-- seems Ryan having a bad run at the moment!

Wee Weasley Welshman

Thats pretty much all the known facts outside of Ryanair. Interesting to watch the pax get to the bottom of the slides and then mill about - I expected some at least to run away.

Full marks to the fire crew who were present in their usual timely manner. Not a nice experience I imagine having to initiate an aircraft evac during start of pushback...

WWW

eicjc

Smoke from APU after doors closed on stand. Fire indications in cockpit. Evacuation after the extinguisher bottle failed to stop the warning. R2 door slide did not inflate. Bad packaging apparently.
Management called meeting of engineering bosses to ask "why all the incidentss lately?"
The LUCK OF THE IRISH
As some one else likes to say,
What's it doing now??????????????????

Devils Advocate

.....actually, and as I said to somebody literally just the other day.....

One of the times when you're most exposed to risk is during the pax boarding process.

E.g. Assume that you're aboard, say, a B744 and you've 200+ pax already onboard - but with still yet more flooding down the airbridge(s) - when a fire breaks out (e.g. APU / baggage / hydraulics / fuel / etc) .

Thus far in the proceedings there's been no pax safety briefing (this scenario is hardly ever briefed ! ) , the cabin crew are almost certain to be caught unawares, there'll be pax and bags all over the cabin, the aircraft doors / slides aren't armed, the pax onboard will try to get off, the pax boarding will continue to do so (being blissfully unaware of any fire) ..... I can guarantee that it'd be chaos !

airbourne

How many incidents is this we have seen on this board in the past few weeks? How long is it gonna take before Ryanair wakes up and takes notice and gives their ageing aircraft either a full D-check, or get rid of them all.

I dont want to tempt fate but its only a matter of time before one of their a/c crashes with fatalities and their shares drop quicker than the a/c before they will do anything. I was also told by ground staff last week that there was serious delays on most flights because a total of 6 a/c had gone tech in DUB. Have they run out of the roll of sellotape too fix their a/c?

A/c Slave

The real storry goes like this:
Aircraft already fueled APU running with Pax on board preparing for push back.
Flight crew gets APU fire warning and immediatly pulls APU fire handle AND '1&2 engine fire handles'(Engines were off), then carried out emergency evacuation procedure!

Several ground personnel were present.
Would it not of been simplier to quickly get a conformation from Ground crew if there seems to be smoke or fire etc. it's a 737-200, not a large A/c. While also using the APU fire handle as precaution.

It would of been less of a drama to what took place!
I don't mean to knock anyone, but it was a 'panic attack'.

It was only an indication problem in the end.

'awaiting your backlash'

tunturi

Slave: as requested backlash on its way!

1) Were the crew in DIRECT contact with ground crew via headset?
2) Do YOU know what the evacuation CHECKLIST says for a B737? Obviously not or you would not be surprised at the fire handles being pulled on the engines, running or not. Take a moment on next visit to cockpit and read QRH. Be on your own though...saves that red face.
3) Don't use words like " panic attack" when you don't know the FULL story and not just YOUR impression of it. You're behaving just like the classic 9 o'clock expert in the aftermath

A/c Slave

Thanks for your input 'Airboeing'.

Firstly, please state where you were at time of incident???????
I know where I was!

remember not too long ago a Pilot of a small twin after getting an indication of an engine going out after takeoff he cut one of the engines, but poor fellow shut down the working engine instead. We know the aftermath of that, but then he was at critical point of takeoff which requires a rapid responce in that situation.

But here the situation was far different...

I agree there are proceedures to be carried etc. I can recite if you desire?

"let good and common sense prevail"

But again where were you at point, have you ever been to STN. to witness a departure and see ground personnel and layout.
Also it was an APU fault, where is the APU situated in 200's, where are fuel, fluids etc, then what happens when you pull Fire handle. "ISOLATION of section!"
Non critical incident that turned out to be a spectacle and trauma for all involved and looking on.

On the funny side, not one passenger seem to have left anything on A/craft, man woman and child exiting slides with every possible belongings, kitchen sink and all!

It all comes but to the situation at time!


A/c Slave being measured for 'armour suiting'

Ranger One

Agree with comments about potential for trouble on the gate... I'm pretty sure I remember a nasty incident in the USA a number of years ago, it was a type (727?) with the APU in the wing root... they had trouble starting the APU, it eventually caught, torched quite badly (no real fire, no indication other than TGT spike) but of course the pax saw this seeming fireball out the window... result was a chaotic pax-initiated evac with the expected panic and numerous injuries.

Anyone else recall this incident?

tunturi

Slave

I stand by every single word of my post, regardless of where I was on the day, even if you have chosen not to answer either of my questions.
Being "there" at STN does not automatically qualify you to give the opinions as you did UNLESS you were one of the CREW of the aircraft (being on the jumpseat doesn't count either). And yes oddly enough I am rather familiar with the APU as fitted. So are you saying that an APU fire indication should never lead to an evacuation? You say you can recite the procedures, why then did you express surprise at the engine fire handles being pulled just because the engines weren't running?
And please, what is the relevance of your reference to what I asssume must be the tragic crash at GLA with the Airtours crew on board?