AIRCRAFT CABIN COMPARTMENTATION CONCEPTS FOR IMPROVING POSTCRASH FIRE SAFETY

Aircraft cabin compartmentation was investigated as a means of increasing escape time for passengers during a postcrash cabin fire. The size and configuration of various partitions and/or curtains were investigated to determine their effectiveness in providing protection from a cabin fire by limiting the spread of heat, smoke, carbon monoxide (CO), and the depletion of oxygen from the vicinity of the fire to other areas of the cabin. The results of these tests indicated that a tightly sealed partition and/or curtain afforded the greatest protection from the spread of a given amount of heat, smoke, CO, depletion of oxygen. The results also indicated that the use of compartmentation can adversely affect the intensity of a fire in an unclosed area, creating more products of combustion. Except for a limited number of cases, the amount of protection provided by the partition exceeded the increase in fire intensity. (Author)

• Corporate Authors:

  National Aviation Facilities Experimental Center

  Federal Aviation Administration
  Atlantic City, NJ  United States  08405
• Authors:
  • Hill, R
  • Boris, P N
  • Johnson, G R
• Publication Date: 1976-10

Media Info

• Pagination: 74 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air transportation crashes; Aircraft; Aircraft cabins; Aviation safety; Carbon monoxide; Crashes; Equipment tests; Fire prevention; Fire resistant materials; Fires; Oxygen; Passenger aircraft; Postcrash phase; Safety; Smoke; Survival; Test procedures; Vehicle compartments
• Identifier Terms: McDonnell Douglas aircraft; McDonnell Douglas DC-71
• Uncontrolled Terms: Aircraft safety
• Old TRIS Terms: Accident investiation; Aircraft fires; Curtains; Partition panels; Postcrash fires; Test equipment
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00150791
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: FAA-RD-76-131 Final Rpt., FAA-NA-76-12
• Files: NTIS, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Mar 30 1977 12:00AM