BCF Discharge on Flightdeck
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BCF Discharge on Flightdeck
Chaps,
Your opinions please ...
In a 737-300 (not the biggest of cockpits) a couple of days ago, there was a loud bang followed by an ever increasing hissing noise ...
Basically, the BCF decided to discharge itself through a faulty 'neck seal'.
As it happened, we were on the ground boarding passengers when this happened, and we were able to take it outside and open the DV windows to ventilate.
My question is this --> If it happened in flight, would the quantity of Halon in such a confined space be dangerous to the flightcrew ?
Thanks in advance
AltFlaps
Your opinions please ...
In a 737-300 (not the biggest of cockpits) a couple of days ago, there was a loud bang followed by an ever increasing hissing noise ...
Basically, the BCF decided to discharge itself through a faulty 'neck seal'.
As it happened, we were on the ground boarding passengers when this happened, and we were able to take it outside and open the DV windows to ventilate.
My question is this --> If it happened in flight, would the quantity of Halon in such a confined space be dangerous to the flightcrew ?
Thanks in advance
AltFlaps
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Thanks, I appreciate that, but surely at some point, the volume of non-breathable Halon will displace enough of the oxygen in the air to make it dangerous ?
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BCF's job is to extinguish fires by replacing oxygen. Since you need O2 to live I would be inclined to use the masks if the extinguisher goes bang in the cockpit.
BCF is toxic. The Australian Army had a incident in the late 80s involving the accidental discharge of a BCF extinguisher in a Pilatus Porter. One soldier died.
If it happened in flight, I for one would immediately go onto 100% Oxy and then look at ways of dissapating the agent.
If it happened in flight, I for one would immediately go onto 100% Oxy and then look at ways of dissapating the agent.
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Halon for what it is worth is now a banned and cannot be produced as it attacks the Ozone layer, but there are still a lot in service and in stock with companies, it is a far better extinguisher than the replacements now on offer...
for more see
http://www.h3r.com/products/cockpit_fe.htm
for more see
http://www.h3r.com/products/cockpit_fe.htm
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Halon for what it is worth is now a banned ....
Gosh, what an absolute surprise.