Aircraft Fire Extinguishing System
Aircraft Fire Extinguishing System Explained 🔥✈️
Have you ever wondered how fire protection works in a jet engine or APU?
In this post, we dive into the fire suppression system commonly found in business jets and airliners:
🔴 Fire Handles: Pulling them shuts off fuel, hydraulic fluid, and bleed air to the affected engine.
🧯 Discharge Switches: When activated, they fire explosive squibs that release Halon gas stored in pressurized bottles.
🛑 Each engine usually shares two bottles (Bottle 1 & 2), and the APU may have its own bottle. Each bottle is charged to about 600–1200 psi and includes pressure gauges and safety relief valves.
In case of a fire, time and procedure are everything. The system is designed for quick, reliable action to prevent fire propagation and protect the aircraft structure and passengers.
🔧 The diagram also shows the anatomy of a fire bottle:
1️⃣ Explosive squibs
2️⃣ Discharge outlet
3️⃣ Pressure gauge
4️⃣ Fill port with relief
