EFB/PED Overheat and Fire Issues
Hi, this is a very good question.
I'm an inspector with an NAA. I have been dealing with this issue for several years.
Interestingly, we in the industry haven't given too much thought about the General Aviation industry and the problems that you've raised. Its time that we did!
Your situation is very unique because you've got to 'get rid' of the device, should it catch fire. And a confined space is not a great place to deal with this.
Accepted practice is to douse the device with any liquid, other than liquids containing alcohol (save the Scotch for later). Halon doesn't actually deal with the problem as usually the battery is at fault and needs to be cooled due to a chemical reaction. Liquids are the only solution.
A fire-bag would be an effective method of 'storing' a misbehaving device however; there still is a problem with fumes and smoke that can seep out of the inside. Accepted practice is to place the device inside the firebag, utilizing special gloves included in the kit. Once the device has been contained, a good procedure would be to fill the bag with water and seal the bag and consider landing at the nearest suitable airport.
Ventilation becomes an issue in all of this as well. The fumes that are emitted are very toxic and could lead to incapacitation, especially in a confined environment. In commercial transport aircraft, there are Protective Breathing Devices (PBEs) at crew stations for use in such situations.
Some things to consider when using any PED is to keep it out of direct sunlight, be careful when charging the device. If the device slips between a seat it can easily overheat and spontaneously catch fire. (I've dealt with several of these instances). If you store your iPAD in a flight bag for any length of time....turn it off and make sure that it actually DID turn off. I have had at least one instance where the iPAD was 'thought' to have been turned off, placed in a flight bag and then began to overheat and emit smoke.
In short, it would be prudent of all people utilizing iPADs or any other PEDs, to think about how to deal with this issue. Any smartphone is capable of creating the same kind of problem as well.
If anyone needs info, drop me a note. It is a serious issue and in the spirit of a good Safety Management System (SMS), I found it necessary to answer this one.
Last edited by 777AV8R; 9th Apr 2015 at 17:20.