Q: Captain, what should people know about a recent smoking cell phone incident on a Southwest flight from Wisconsin to Baltimore? —
George, TucsonAnswer: With the increase in the number of batteries in each flight, the risk of lithium battery fires is increasing.
What is even more worrying is that the training and guidance of the crew are not consistent.
This is a topic that the industry is working on, but progress is slow.
I hope that the necessary improvements can be made quickly and effectively.
The fire of an empty lithium battery was very serious.
Crew members are required to be adequately trained and equipped with protective equipment to ensure that they are not injured in handling battery fires and to ensure a safe way to capture and accommodate the equipment.
Q: Why should lithium be transported?
Ion batteries are considered dangerous, but almost all passengers carry their phones with them?
What's the difference? —
Degen, Santa Rosa, California
A: The lithium battery installed in the device is unlikely to enter the heat out of control, and if it enters the heat out of control, few batteries nearby will be driven into the heat out of control.
The risk of transporting lithium batteries on passenger planes is higher than many operators think it is acceptable, because when lithium batteries enter the heat out of control, the fire will expand rapidly.
I agree with them.
Q: Some manufacturers say their new aircraft are made of nearly 50% carbon composites.
I'm worried about a 400 fire.
Slip flow on an aircraft made of combustible substancese. carbon.
Did the FAA or NASA do any tests under these conditions? —
David Mayer, Plano, TexasA: The FAA and several other countries have tested to ensure that the composite is as safe as aluminum alloy.
In addition, a careful review of any fire incident on a composite aircraft was carried out to ensure that the test represented the actual incident.
The Royal Aviation Society announced the smoke and fire of the transport aircraft in 2007 and updated in 2013 and 2014.
The document contains detailed information about the safety of composite aircraft.
Q: What would the pilot do if there was a fire on board and the passengers panicked? —
Submitted by email: when the flight attendants and crew put out the fire, the pilot will land mobile at the nearest suitable airport.
In addition, smoke evacuation procedures can be carried out if necessary.
John Cox, a retired captain of American Airlines, runs his own airline safety consulting firm, the security operating system.