BA - Fire Suppression System Malfunction

[LS737]

Saw this on Facebook, apparently happened today, oops!

Source: AeroNews on Facebook

Image: facebook.com/AeronewsGlobal/photos/pcb.2930760220333392/2930759787000102/?type=3&theater

[DaveReidUK]

That won't be the first time a foam party has got out of hand.

[Airbubba]

Presumably an accident. Pictures from the Facebook post linked above.

Today’s incident from Heathrow airport: a fire suppression system apparently malfunctioned at TBJ or Tech 6, in the hangar where a Boeing 777-200ER (G-YMMB) BA was parked.

[Capn Bloggs]

As we say in Australia... "Mr Hart, What a mess!".

[Jwscud]

Is the new “bio friendly” blood based foam any better/worse for airframes than AFFF?

[esscee]

Functional check carried out - "Satis".

[create_it83]

I see no fire. Worked well.

[M.Mouse]

Interesting that the system just spreads a blanket of foam at low level when a fire could start at any height.

In 1993 I was one of the two pilots who took a BA B747-400 down to the new maintenance facility at Cardiff. Everybody there was very proud of the place and we were given a guided tour. We were also shown some pictures of the fire suppression system test during commissioning of the building. This is also a foam system. What was quite amazing was that the hangar in the photograph we were shown had foam that was probably 30' or 40' deep! That would be effective.

[admiral ackbar]

Originally Posted by M.Mouse

Interesting that the system just spreads a blanket of foam at low level when a fire could start at any height.

In 1993 I was one of the two pilots who took a BA B747-400 down to the new maintenance facility at Cardiff. Everybody there was very proud of the place and we were given a guided tour. We were also shown some pictures of the fire suppression system test during commissioning of the building. This is also a foam system. What was quite amazing was that the hangar in the photograph we were shown had foam that was probably 30' or 40' deep! That would be effective.

Something like this? Remember a foam mishap in a USAF hangar around 2012 as well.

[M.Mouse]

That is exactly the sort of image I was shown!

[Locked door]

What happens to any injured or immobilised personnel under that foam?

[M.Mouse]

What happens to any injured or immobilised personnel under that foam?

They are far cheaper to replace than the aircraft.

[cashash]

Originally Posted by Locked door

What happens to any injured or immobilised personnel under that foam?

They escape Alex Cruz's cull of BA staff.

[bnt]

According to some folks on Reddit, where they posted video, the foam system was triggered by someone starting the plane's APU in the hangar.

[Airbubba]

Delta had one of these foam mishaps at LAX five weeks ago.

[Arfur Dent]

Isn't this an example of the system designed to deal with a problem causing more trouble than the problem itself?

[G-ARZG]

Originally Posted by Arfur Dent

Isn't this an example of the system designed to deal with a problem causing more trouble than the problem itself?

(until you see a hangar on fire...)

[Intruder]

Originally Posted by Jwscud

Is the new “bio friendly” blood based foam any better/worse for airframes than AFFF?

Dunno 'bout "new"... The blood-based stuff is what the US Navy used before AFFF was invented!

[tdracer]

Originally Posted by Arfur Dent

Isn't this an example of the system designed to deal with a problem causing more trouble than the problem itself?

I think an aircraft on fire inside a hangar (without proper fire suppression) could case quite a bit of trouble.
I have a vague memory of Air France loosing a nearly new 747 when there was a hangar fire back in the 1980s.

[neilki]

Originally Posted by tdracer

I think an aircraft on fire inside a hangar (without proper fire suppression) could case quite a bit of trouble.
I have a vague memory of Air France loosing a nearly new 747 when there was a hangar fire back in the 1980s.

MX was telling me the other day that LED Beacons can kick off the foam, and the strobes are guaranteed to. Job 1 in the hangar is to pull breakers for every external light..