Urgent call for fire suppression on cargo aircraft!
I have already posted this on the Freight Dog Forum, but felt that it was relevant to this thread...
It is looking very likely that the UPS cargo aircraft that came down in DXB had a fire in the main deck hold. I am appauled that to this day, there is still no regulatory mandate for cargo aircraft to have fire suppression in their main deck holds (Only required in the lower FWD and AFT holds). I would have thought that after two recent previous events which resulted in hull losses due to fire (FedEx 1406 and UPS 1307), the FAA would start taking this matter very seriously. What will it take for things to change?
I have appealed to the FAA to mandate fire suppression in main deck holds and I urge you all to do the same!
It is worth noting that the NTSB have called for this change through recommendations several times! The FAA responded in a letter two days after the UPS accident in Dubai (Coincidental), apparantly stating it would be too expensive!
I salute FedEx for taking the initiative to install fire suppressant to their cargo fleet. I implore you all to press the regulators for this to be standard as soon as possible before more lives are lost. Not just to pilots but to the general public on the ground.
Why should passenger carrying aircraft be given stricter regulation over cargo aircraft?
Class E to Class C ASAP!!!