Add some smoke and it isn't so easy-Blu Up
One recent smoke in cockpit event had started at 4000' on approach. Cockpit filled up rapidly enough that by the time we had donned EROS masks, the poor FO could not read the ECL at all which was a surprise. eventually he actuated the switches for the recirc and packs immediately above his head which he could still see, on the commands I gave by memory (the Air Con Smoke/Elect Smoke checklists are long passed to non recall...). Near landing, smoke was starting to be dissipated.
Point is, that a prior operator I had worked in took on board some of SR111 findings and did for a short period practice smoke/fore with masks/hoods with degraded optics. It gave a lasting impression of the problem of vision. It is not a panacea, highlighting that some unit such as clearview was needed in order to see the instruments and the cockpit window, but no one invested in that. Same operator had previously had a elec fire checklist that would take almost 20 minutes to work through... which did after some adverse feedback get shortened so that the major power services could get removed faster. It was a checklist for fault finding instead of survival.
The last smoke in cabin I had raised a further learning point, where I asked for the commencement of checklists immediately while initiating an immediate descent with ATC to a close airport. FO being well versed in current "CRM" suggests instead we should chat to Ops Control and Maint Control.... the response was rather direct. Later on, the FO who was otherwise well qualified had not heard of SR111, or read any of the available reports on survival time with onboard smoke/fire.
On board fires remain one of the most critical failures IMHO, that we have to cope with, and the checklists and equipment to cope with the events remain rudimentary, and generally not installed in the aircraft anyway. We spend more on napkins for first class than fire safety.