Originally Posted by
Hunter58
All you need is a Li-io based fire to burn the cables to the transponder and VHF3 antenna. Both go dead. And you certainly get some nice hotspot that potentially could burn a small hole into the fuselage.
But those cables do not route near the fire. There are transponder and VHF antennas in the roof of the aircraft.
Everyone seems to be assuming a magic fire that can take out all the alternate communications - avoid the SATCOM and anything that prevents the aircraft flying normally - but depressurize the aircraft - and all before the hold fire warning and before the pilots notice and squawk or transmit Mayday.