Bleed air lines get crazy hot. Often 600+ degrees F at the engine.
Seen in Mooneyspace:
For those still curious, it was a short in the entertainment system. The SF50 has quite a large fold-down screen which is attached to the midships ceiling. Preliminary reports implicate a high-voltage USB outlet in that device, which is not required to be manufactured to “aviation standards,” whatever those might be.
https://mooneyspace.com/topic/32725-sf50-burned-while-parked-in-ca/?do=findComment&comment=555340
Given the current insurance market this aircraft will die rapidly. Insurers are looking for 2 crew on all jets unless you are prepared to pay a fortune and accept many restrictions.
Given the current insurance market this aircraft will die rapidly. Insurers are looking for 2 crew on all jets unless you are prepared to pay a fortune and accept many restrictions.
Interesting. Is this a recent development?
Neil wrote:
Insurers are looking for 2 crew on all jets unless you are prepared to pay a fortune and accept many restrictions.
It has been my impression for a long time that the biggest restriction generators for flying in the US are insurance companies? If I read in mooneyspace and elsewhere that pilots and first owners have huge problems finding insurance companies willing to take their business and if so will bring up ridiculous and often “go away” restrictions to people to fend them off, then I wonder why those insurance companies offer aviation insurances at all. Or is getting insurance for your house and car similarly full of hassle and trouble over there?
The way I understand it from a friend who flies one of those, Cirrus has a pretty strict type rating program as well as a mentor program for this jet to deal with the insurance hassle. If insurances even then block SP jets, then also other companies such as Cessna and Embraer who have SP qualified jets will run into huge problems. Maybe then it will be time for those clients to find insurance outside the US if that is possible?
I simply have an issue with insurers trying to be regulators by outpricing risks they deem uncomfortable. If there was no risk, we would not need insurance.
From above
For those still curious, it was a short in the entertainment system. The SF50 has quite a large fold-down screen which is attached to the midships ceiling. Preliminary reports implicate a high-voltage USB outlet in that device, which is not required to be manufactured to “aviation standards,” whatever those might be.
So, a bit of electronics kit which caught fire. But why should the fire spread like that, consuming the whole cockpit? Surely the materials in the cockpit are supposed to be fire resistant?
To get this result you would normally need some sort of flammable liquid.
So IMHO the above is not true.
Peter,
the whole report is very ambigous. I am not clear on what it sais at all. If the screen has an USB plug, it would be 5V and max 2 amps or so. However, if someone has left some device like a power bank or so plugged in there and that catches fire, well we know the LiIon batteries can easily destroy airplanes.
An electric fire could well be the case, but I’d doubt that it would be from the internal systems, which when parked should be switched off anyway. Or was the plane on external power or redied for flight when it happened? Both doors are open, which would not be the case if it was unattended.
If it is true like this, then Cirrus will have a major problem, both system wise and possibly with the materials used in the cabin. Another grounding would be likely.
IMHO, to get that sort of fire, you need a spill of flammable liquid, or a very combustible cockpit interior (which could be some flammable goods being carried getting ignited by a lithium battery, for sure).
Peter wrote:
Preliminary reports implicate a high-voltage USB outlet in that device, which is not required to be manufactured to “aviation standards,” whatever those might be.
The EASA standard change for USB charging ports reference FAA Advisory Circular AC 43.13-1B, Chapter 11, so presumably that AC defines or references the standard.
Mooney_Driver wrote:
If the screen has an USB plug, it would be 5V and max 2 amps or so.
For a data communication port, yes. But the standard for charging USB ports goes up to 5 A @ 20 V!
