“washington center, we have smoke in the cockpit and we

“Washington Center, We have Smoke in the Cockpit and We

Need to Land.”

Captain H.G. ‘Boomer’ Bombardi, Air Line Pilots Association, Intl.

In-Flight Fire Project Team Leader

In-Flight Smoke/Fire/Fume Events: The need for improved aircraft systems.

Aircraft Fire Scenarios

• Engine Fire– Alerted event (annunciated in the cockpit) – Ability to suppress/extinguish fire– Feedback regarding event status

Operational Decision

– Continue to destination?

– Land at the nearest suitable airport?

– Land at any airport?

– Land immediately on any landing surface?

► Land at the nearest suitable airport.




Aircraft Fire Scenarios

• Engine Fire

• Smoke/Fire/Fumes (SFF)– Non-alerted event (reliant on crew observation)– Information typically non-specific/unknown

• Nature• Location• Intensity

– No feedback regarding status

– Can I continue to the destination?

– Land at the nearest suitable airport?




• A flight attendant calls and says that there is smoke near the aft lavatory.

• Flight crew discuss appropriate action…

SITUATIONAL DISCUSSION

• Flight attendant calls and says smoke appears to be dissipating.

• Finish checklist and continue on…


• Flight attendant calls to say smoke has returned.

• Auto-pilot disengages.• Flight attendant calls to say smoke has

intensified.• Additional crew discussion.


“Washington center, we have smoke in the cabin.

We’re declaring an emergency and need to

land.”

• Numerous unassociated systems fail.• Flight crew smells smoke.• Don oxygen masks.


“Washington center, we need to expedite

our descent.”

• Flight attendant calls and says, “Captain, there’s FIRE in the CABIN!”

• Aircraft is in steep bank, nose low.• Flight attendant calls and says, “Captain,

the FIRE IS SPREADING!”• First officer having trouble controlling

aircraft.


PANEL PRESENTATIONS

• Scenario has happened in the past.• Current regulations and aircraft systems

would not prevent the scenario from occurring today.

• What has been done?• What is being done?• How does SFF technology become an

FAA regulation?

PANEL PRESENTATIONS

• What has been done?– SFF Steering Committee and checklist

standardization – Boeing Company, Bill McKenzie• What is being done?

– Current technology and fire projects – FAA Fire Safety Technical Center, Richard Hill

• How does SFF technology become an FAA regulation?– Implementing research into regulation – FAA

Transport Airplane Directorate, Jeff Gardlin

1

Smoke/Fire/Fumes

Industry Initiative

Bill McKenzie Barbara Holder, Ph. D.Manager, Flight Crew Procedures Lead Scientist, Flight Deck Concept CenterBoeing Commercial Airplanes Boeing Commercial Airplanes

Bill McKenzie Barbara Holder, Ph. D.Manager, Flight Crew Procedures Lead Scientist, Flight Deck Concept CenterBoeing Commercial Airplanes Boeing Commercial Airplanes

8/29/2007 COPYRIGHT THE BOEING COMPANY 2

Smoke/Fire/Fumes Industry Initiative Overview

• Situation

• The challenge

• The process

• Results

• Current Status


The Situation

4

SituationSmoke, fire, fumes events occur

daily in commercial aircraft


Situation: We Assume the CrewCan Identify the Specific Situation...

Incoming information may be:• Vague• Incomplete• Inaccurate• Contradictory

Incoming information may be:• Vague• Incomplete• Inaccurate• Contradictory

No pilot has a certified nose

Captain, we smell smoke

back here

Electrical? Air conditioning?


Situation

There is a wide range of possible smoke, fire, fumes sources and situations

“Oven smoke”“Oven smoke”“Wing fire”“Wing fire” Everything in betweenEverything in between


Situation

Manufacturer and Airline checklists vary widely in format and content


The ChallengeThe Challenge


The Challenge

Provide the best possible crew guidance for managing in-flight smoke, fire, fumes (SFF) events


The Challenge

Provide a single integrated checklist that is:

• Usable across all non-alerted SFF events

• Usable by flight crews world-wide

• Unambiguous

• Easy to find


The Challenge

Provide a checklist with guidance that is “explicit”

• Common actions to perform regardless of source

• Crew Communication

• Timing for diversion and landing initiation

• Smoke/fumes removal

• Additional actions to do if smoke persists

• Loss in capability and operational consequences


The Challenge: Striking a Balance

Provide specific guidance to the

flight crew

Every situation

is different

Every situation

is different


The ProcessThe Process


The Process


Funny Comments Heard at the Workshop

• I have pilots that operate in dumb mode. Maybe the pilots at your airline are smart all the time, but mine go into dumb mode

• I just use a lizard eye while the copilot is trying to divert

• You can confirm the fire is out when you can put your tongue on it

• A fire on your airplane may not be serious....but a fire on my airplane is a serious fire

• I like to use the first officer as a canary• There isn’t an emergency I can’t make worse


Funny Comments Heard at the Workshop

• For sure you can land an EMB 170 anywhere -unless you are over the Amazon

• With all the IDGs out, I have more capability in this airplane than in my 737-200 brand new

• Everybody’s confused• In ditching training we were taught that each minute

of flying is a week of swimming• If there is any doubt in my military mind, we’re

diverting


The Process: Initial Workshop

“Initial Workshop”

• Airlines (IATA and four air carriers)• Pilots (IFALPA)• Manufactures

(Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Embraer)

• Airlines (IATA and four air carriers)• Pilots (IFALPA)• Manufactures

(Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Embraer)

DataData

PhilosophyPhilosophyEach Stakeholder

provided

Each Stakeholder

provided

Hosted by Bombardier in MontrealHosted by Bombardier in Montreal

28 peopleOct ‘04

28 peopleOct ‘04

Checklist(s)Checklist(s)


The objectives of “Initial” meeting were to:1. Review available data provided by participants2. Develop an industry consensus on a philosophy

for flight crew response to the challenge of in-flight smoke, fire, fumes events per the terms of reference

3. Develop a “generic” draft checklist template that embodies the consensus philosophy

The Process


The Process: Terms of Reference

Checklist must address:1. Source identification2. Timing for descent and diversion initiation 3. Timing for “Smoke/fumes removal” versus

“Source identification”4. Additional steps for cases when suitable airports

are distant and smoke persists

These four because they continue to be inconsistent


The Process

To scope our task, our focus was not about....

• Airplane design changes• Crew training• Ground coordination• ATC coordination...etc.


The Process

Establish common concept

definitions

Establish Establish common common concept concept

definitionsdefinitions

Define a Define a CommonCommon

PhilosophyPhilosophy

Define a Define a ChecklistChecklistTemplateTemplate

Publish Publish new SFF new SFF

Checklists Checklists


The Process: Industry Meetings

28 people28 people28 people

55+ people55+ people55+ people

Airlines (IATA)Pilots (IFALPA)Manufactures(Boeing, Airbus, Bombardier, Embraer)


March 2005March 2005

“Initial workshop”

“Initial workshop” “Symposium”“Symposium”

+ Regulators (FAA/JAA)+ Other agencies

(NTSB, TSB)

+ Regulators (FAA/JAA)+ Other agencies

(NTSB, TSB)Oct 2004Oct 2004

15 people15 people15 people



“Checklistmeetings”“Checklistmeetings”

Nov and Dec 2004Nov and Dec 2004


The ResultsThe Results


The Results

PhilosophyPhilosophy Concept definition

s

Concept definition

s

Checklist templateChecklist template

Industry RecommendationsIndustry Recommendations


The Results

• Common approach for manufacturers and operators

• Common pilot actions to be performed (“non-alerted” events)

• Checklist template that addresses:• Source identification• Timing for diversion• Smoke/fumes removal versus source identification• Additional actions to identify source

Standardized ProceduresStandardized Procedures


The Results

A combined checklist that addresses:• Electrical Smoke• Air Conditioning Smoke• Cabin Smoke• Fumes• Smoke Removal is next

to Smoke/Fire/Fumes checklist

Boeing Checklist ChangesBoeing Checklist Changes


The Results

1. Gathered key stakeholders with common problem(manufactures / carriers / pilots)

2. Scoped the task to realistic goals3. Established common underlying philosophy

and definitions 4. Coordinated with regulators and broader industry5. Published results

– Flight Safety Foundation article– Boeing Technical Bulletin

Industry Working Together ProcessIndustry Working Together Process


Current StatusCurrent Status


Current Status

Boeing Technical Bulletin• Released April 2007 (with sample checklists)

Publication of New Checklists(737, 747, 757, 767, 777)

• AFM - Summer and Fall 2007• QRH Checklists - Fall 2007 block revision cycle

AC 120-80 Revision – date TBD 2007/8


Thank YouThank You

PANEL SUMMARY

• Standardized SFF checklist.– Emphasis on consideration of landing.– Boeing implementation - but yet to be industry-wide.

• Current research on material flammability.• Methodology for rulemaking.

HOWEVER…

PANEL SUMMARY

• A non-alerted SFF event of unknown nature and intensity is the worst scenario a pilot can face.

• Standardized SFF checklist still requires knowledge of the nature and intensity of the SFF event.

• Current aircraft systems do not provide adequate protection, detection or feedback.

We need to know what we don’t know!

Air Canada 797

Valujet 592

Swissair 111

UPS DC-8 Philadelphia Feb. 2006

PANEL SUMMARY

• Legacy of Swissair 111? Or UPS Philadelphia?• No aircraft system mandates.• Pilots still do not have system feedback

regarding status of aircraft during SFF event.

PANEL SUMMARY

• Need to bring about improvements before the next accident.

• ALPA position on SFF events:– Require all passenger and cargo transport-category

aircraft to be equipped with:• A SFF detection system throughout the entire aircraft.• Extinguishing devices.• System feedback/trend-monitoring to the flight crew.

– Industry-wide adoption of standardized SFF checklist.

PANEL SUMMARY

• Headline: “FIRE IN THE SKY: Airplane lands safely due to early crew alerting and new fire protection system.”

• Headline: “FIRE IN THE SKY: No Survivors.”

PANEL SUMMARY

QUESTIONS?

“washington center, we have smoke in the cockpit and we

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