objectives general far’s concerning aircraft emergencies (handling of mail, notifications…etc.)...

Objectives

• General FAR’s concerning aircraft emergencies (handling of mail, notifications…etc.)

• General airport layout and procedures for entering airport properties (controlled and uncontrolled fields)

• Aircraft Types (experimental, general aviation and commercial)

General Aircraft Construction (experimental, general aviation and commercial) General Hazards (Fluids, types of fuels and onboard Hazmat)

Basic rescue techniques (emergency radio frequency, foam operations, where to cut and passenger extrication)

Types of Aircraft & Accident Statistics

• 78% of active civil aircraft are single engine.

• 10% of active civil aircraft are light twin engine.

• 12% of active civil aircraft are over 12,500 lbs.

• 95% of all aircraft accidents occur within 10 miles of an airport.

General FAR’s concerning aircraft emergencies (handling of mail, notifications…etc.)

• Pilot in Command is considered principally responsible for the aircraft operations, passengers and freight (cargo).

• Scene Preservation (A/C150/5200-12C)• Notifications:

– FAA– NTSB – Local Law Enforcement– Other Federal Agencies

Federal Agencies

• Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)– A branch of the Department of Transportation that

focuses on safety in aviation• National Transportation Safety Board

– An independent federal agency that investigates the causes of accidents and serious incidents involving aircraft

Federal Agencies• Coast Guard

– This is the resource that needs to get involved if an aircraft goes down into any navigable waterway

Police Agencies

• Local Police are generally the first law enforcement agency on the scene of a GA incident

• Duties may include crowd and traffic control and beginning an investigation

• Local Police generally contact State Police who then begin a formal investigation and secure the scene prior to the arrival of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)

Police Agencies• Local Police are generally the

first law enforcement agency on the scene of a GA incident

• Duties may include crowd and traffic control and beginning an investigation

• Local Police generally contact State Police who then begin a formal investigation and secure the scene prior to the arrival of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)

Accident vs. Incident

• The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is responsible for investigating aviation related accidents and compiling aviation safety statistics

Accident vs. Incident• Accident

– “…in which any person suffers death or serious injury as a result of being in or upon the aircraft or by direct contact with the aircraft or anything attached thereto…”

Accident vs. Incident• Incident

– “an occurrence other than an accident, associated with the operation of an aircraft, which affects or could affect the safety of operations”

Accident vs. Incident

• More incidents occur than accidents• If called to respond the first priority is threat

to life or property• Local law enforcement will determine if any

laws were broken and in most cases will notify the NTSB

General airport layout and procedures for entering airport properties (controlled and uncontrolled

fields)

180°

270°

36

18

927

3

21

S

N

W E

MagneticNorth

90°

360°

Two basic classifications of airports

• Civil Airports – Used predominately by civil aircraft, which

includes commercial and general aviation aircraft

– Categories are based on use and Passenger Boarding's

• Military Airports– Used almost exclusively by military aircraft

Controlled and Uncontrolled Airports

• Controlled Airports– Controlled airports are airports that have an

operating tower that provides direction to aircraft in the air and on the ground as well as ground vehicles on airport property

• Uncontrolled Airports– If there is no tower the airport is said to be

“uncontrolled”, most airports do not have operating control towers

Runways• Numbering

– Identified by their magnetic heading alignment

• Taken from compass bearings which run from 0° to 360 °

• 0 ° or 360 ° = North• 90 ° = East• 180 ° = South• 270 ° = West• Always drop the last

number, i.e., 360 °= 36 180°

270°

3618

9

27

3

21

S

N

W E

MagneticNorth

90°

360°

Airport Diagram

Structural Fire Department Operations Involving GA

• Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) Part 139 requires that airports which serve commercial air carriers have Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) services at the airport

• Of the over 17,000 General Aviation airports few have fire/rescue personnel and equipment on the property


• Pilots are trained to first “fly the airplane”• They depend on skilled, knowledgeable fire &

rescue personnel once an accident/incident occurs if they become incapacitated

Direct Fire Department-to-Pilot Communications

• Sometimes firefighters may speak directly over the radio

• May be a very tense situation for the pilot depending on the severity of the situation

• Fire personnel must be familiar with phraseology and terminology

• If talking to a pilot and air traffic control, ATC has priority

Aircraft Radio Procedures and Phraseology

• Procedure– There is a specific procedure to use when

communicating over an aircraft radio– This procedure is reversed from what many fire

departments use! – Identify who you wish to speak to first, then

identify yourself• “Leesburg Ground Control, Engine 1”

Emergency Frequencies

• Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT)– A device carried on many aircraft which is a portable

radio that has it’s own power supply– When activated it transmits a continuous emergency

signal that can be received by anyone with a radio tuned to 121.5 MHz

– Can be activated manually and automatically by an impact circuit

– FAA specialist and other government agencies can find crashed aircraft by using ground based triangulation methods

Emergency Frequencies


• Different hazards encountered during airfield operations can be deadly to responders

• The airport environment is extremely structured

• Airports can have restricted access and control movement of all vehicles, people, and aircraft on airport property

Aircraft Types (experimental, general aviation and commercial)

Types of Aviation

• Two general type of aviation– Civil Aviation:

–Commercial Aviation–General Aviation

– Military Aviation

Single Engine – High Wing

Multi-Engine – Low Wing

General Aviation

General Aviation Lighter Than AirHelicopters

Commercial Aircraft DC-10-30 in Freighter Configuration Passenger Jet

Military Aircraft

Experimental Aircraft

General Hazards (Fluids, types of fuels and onboard Hazmat)

Fuel Systems• Two predominate types of fuel used in GA

aircraft– 100-octane AVGAS (100LL)

• Properties similar to automobile gas– Jet A

• Properties similar to kerosene• Basic premise of dealing with spilled fuel:

– Confine spill– Reduce production of vapors– Eliminate ignition sources– Reduce of stop leak

Fuel Systems

• Fuel Pumps– Two types of fuel delivery systems are gravity or

pump fed– High wing aircraft typically use gravity– Fuel pumps may be electrically operated (using a

separate switch) or engine operated so the pump works when the engine is running

Specific Gravity • Jet fuel 0.82 • AVGAS 0.72

GA aircraft fuel load can be 15 - 60 gallons of AVGAS, up to hundreds of gallons of Jet A in larger GA jets

Fuel Systems

Fuel Systems• Fuel Selector

– All GA aircraft have some type of fuel selector switch or valve in the cockpit

– Some are simply “on/off”, more common is an “off, left wing, right wing, or both” switch

• Used to use fuel from different tanks to keep weight evenly dispersed

• Safety! Regardless of how many tanks are on the aircraft, the important thing for firefighters to remember is the “OFF” position!

Fuel Systems

Oxygen Systems• Typical, small GA aircraft do not have oxygen systems• High altitude aircraft (above 12,500 feet) with have

some oxygen system on board• May be a single “D” size cylinder to larger systems

with multiple lines and controls• When doing size up consider pressurized tanks and

the effect the oxygen could have if released• Aero medical aircraft may have pressurized or liquid

oxygen (LOX) for patients on board

Oxygen Systems

Fire Suppression Systems

• Many small, single engine, fixed wing GA aircraft using reciprocating engines have no firefighting equipment on board

• Many larger and/or multi-engine aircraft have fixed suppression systems using pressurized Halon or similar agents

• These systems are activated by controls in the cockpit

Electrical Systems

• Voltages used in small aircraft may be 12 or 24 volts DC

• Voltages of 110-115 volts AC on medium to large aircraft

• On board batteries provide the initial DC current

• Batteries can be located almost anywhere on the aircraft

• Batteries typically have quick disconnects

Electrical Systems• Master Switches

– Important controls in an aircraft cockpit are marked in red such as the battery circuit, alternator circuit, and main power switches

– The number of controls in the cockpit can be overwhelming, look for ones with red markings first and READ to find the controls you need!

– Safety! Never just start moving controls and throwing switches just because they are red!

Electrical Systems

Hydraulic Systems

• Augment human and mechanical forces used to control aircraft

• Systems in the family car are similar to those used in some GA aircraft braking systems

• Generally, the larger the aircraft the more hydraulics are used

• Helicopters are especially dependent on hydraulic systems

• Pressures can be as high as 3000 psi.

• Basic rescue techniques (foam operations, where to cut and passenger extrication)

Ingress or Egress Access

• Aircraft Materials– Predominate material used in GA is aluminum

or aluminum alloy– To a lesser degree, steel, magnesium,

titanium and wood also may be found– The use of composite materials such as

carbon fiber, fiberglass, Kevlar and graphite is increasing

Predominate material used in GA is aluminum or aluminum alloy


• Aircraft Materials– Thin materials used as skin means fire on the

outside will penetrate into the interior in a short time

– Cooling stream at the point of impingement and a foam blanket to prevent fuel vapors from escaping is one way to address this situation


• Aircraft Materials– Thin material also allow relatively easy access

to cutting and piercing tools– The key is to know where to cut and the

danger is to avoid fuel, hydraulic, oxygen, and electrical lines

– Use normal means of ingress/egress such as doors or even window first

Ingress or Egress Access• Doors

– Some aircraft do not have doors but a sliding canopy

– Some have door on either side or just one side

– GA doors and handles are relatively easy to figure out

– Turboprop, turbofan, and turbojet business aircraft many times have emergency doors available


• Restraint Systems– Some GA aircraft have seatbelts and shoulder

harness with fasteners similar to cars– There is also a fastener type that needs to be

turned counter clockwise to release– When in doubt on how to release it may be

necessary to cut

Landing Gear Systems

• Two types of landing gear, fixed and retractable• Retractable is more of a concern because it

involves complex mechanical, electrical, hydraulic systems that are subject to various failures

• Some small and most all large GA aircraft have retractable gear

• Gear is operated by a switch or wheel in the cockpit

Landing Gear Systems

Unsafe Landing Gear Indicator

• A common concern with aircraft that has retractable gear

• A false indication, burned out light bulb, switch failure, or other problems cause this situation and a pilot does not know for sure if the landing gear is down and locked

• The pilot will try to recycle and/or shake the gear down

• Often the fire department is called to stand-by• Most often the landing will be without incident

Gear Up Landing

• Unintentional– A “belly landing” sometimes cause by simply

forgetting to lower the gear– Generally there are no injuries or fuel spills

and only minor damage to the aircraft– Still always be prepared for a worst case

scenario

Gear Up Landing

Engine Fires

• In Flight– Limited options for pilot since most small GA

aircraft do not have fire suppression systems– There are few actions a fire department can

take until the aircraft lands– If the aircraft has only one engine and it shuts

down as a result of the fire, the pilot may still be able to glide the airplane in for a landing

Engine Fires• On the Ground

– Safety! Approach any aircraft, whether it uses propellers or jets, from the front, at an angle, if wind and terrain permit

– If the engine is still running avoid the jet or prop blast from the rear and the danger of the intake from the front

Engine Fires• On the Ground

– Full PPE and SCBA– Good tactical procedures include

• Protective hose line charged and ready• Make sure all survivors are out of the aircraft• Attempt to confine fire to immediate area of the

engine• Identification and evaluation of potential exposures• Determine fuel leaks

– Leaking fuel from an engine on fire can lead to a 3 Dimensional Fuel fire which is very difficult to extinguish

Interior Fires

• Interior fires in GA aircraft often occur after a crash or forced landing

• The major concern is to separate the fire from the occupants as quickly as possible– This means a combination of removing the

occupants rapidly, getting to the fire, confining it, and extinguishing it

Interior Fires

Interior Fires

• Fire crews must gain quick access and be familiar with how to open doors, windows, and canopies

• Forcible entry should be used as a last resort• Larger GA aircraft may be pressurized which can

cause difficulty in gaining access• If there is no life hazard, a piercing nozzle may

be used

Hot Brakes and Wheel Fires

• Hot brakes are generally not a problem once the aircraft has stopped as they should cool down without intervention

• Parts of the engine and wheels may consist of magnesium which burns hot and bright– Using water can be dangerous

• Safety! A safer, more acceptable way to handle a metal fire is to use Class D rated extinguishing material


• Some GA aircraft have fusible plugs on the wheels to prevent the tires from violently rupturing from over pressurization when heated– Approach from the front or the rear of the

aircraft as the sidewalls tend to rupture first

Undershoots, Overshoots, Groundloops, and Rejected takeoffs

• Undershoot– When the aircraft lands or crashes short of

the runway

• Overshoot– When the aircraft runs out of runway before

the aircraft lands or crashes

Fueling Incidents

• Fueling is generally done with mobile tankers• The weak link in the chain is anytime a

person is involved in transferring fuel from one container to the other

• Very strict regulations govern the fueling process

• Fuel spills are not an uncommon occurrence and generally occur during a fuel transfer operation

Undershoots, Overshoots, Groundloops, and Rejected takeoffs

• Groundloop– When the pilot loses directional control of the

aircraft while on the ground

• Rejected Takeoffs– When the pilot decides it would be unsafe for

the aircraft to leave the ground

Animal Strikes

• Aircraft often collide with animals and bird strikes are common while in flight

• Strikes can cause considerable damage and cause the aircraft to crash

• Strikes of animals such as deer or fox on the runway at high speeds can endanger a landing or takeoff

Incidents Involving Helicopters

• Engine Malfunction or Failure– Helicopters do not generally plummet to the

ground when the engine quits– They can autorotate if high enough which can

allow a pilot to control the decent and safely land


• Tail Rotor Failure– If the tail rotor fails, the pilot has limited

options to control the aircraft long enough to land

– There is a good probability that if a catastrophic tail rotor failure does occur, the helicopter will crash


• Main Gearbox Failure– Simply put, if the main gearbox that sends

power from the engine to the main rotor fails, then the rotor may stop turning

– A crash is highly probable


• Hydraulic Problems– Many medium to large helicopters have

hydraulically assisted controls– Loss of this system can cause control

difficulties


• Fire– Some medium to large helicopters may have

on board fire protection system– Because helicopters use the same kinds of

engines as fixed wing aircraft, the same principles of firefighting apply

Training Resources

• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)• Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting Working Group

(ARFFWG)• Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM)• Aircraft Crash Recovery Guide• National Transportation Safety Board

Training Resources

• Internet Resources– Just to name a few:– NTSB – www.ntsb.gov– FAA – www.faa.gov– ARFFWG – www.arffwg.org

objectives general far’s concerning aircraft emergencies (handling of mail, notifications…etc.)...

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