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Comment by tantalor | Hacker News Reader

why-do-we-even-have-that-button.gif

When an engine catches fire, you need to extinguish it. These are usually very large overhead red handles (or black handles with red illumination) that, when pulled, will shut off the fuel supply to that engine and flood it with extinguishing agents. This reliably kills the engine, with the hope of preventing the spread of fire.

Seems like it should be a "insert two keys" kind of thing then. And/or just one button plus some kind of automated system that won't let you do it unless there's some sensor confirmation that it's necessary.

Also, I wonder why we don't have electric planes. Sure, batteries aren't there yet. But we could have a jet turbine used as a generator (actually done quite often as a portable ground-based power source, it's really cool), a series of batteries to store the power temporarily, and electric fans to move the plane forward.

> Seems like it should be a "insert two keys" kind of thing then.

So if the plane's engine is actually on fire, you want to lengthen the process the flight crew has to go through to extinguish it?

Remember that "engine fire" actually means "plane could be seconds away from a jet fuel explosion".

Or just an engine explosion. These happen more often than you'd think, but they are usually contained; engines are built to try their best to withstand such events.

A notable recent exception was QF32. This incident came very close to ruining Qantas' zero-passenger-fatalities-on-a-jet-aircraft-ever streak. It started as an oil leak in engine #2, due to an oil pipe that was manufactured incorrectly. This then lead to an engine fire, and shortly after that, a turbine disc explosively disintegrated, launching three high-velocity fragments radially outward from the engine, severely damaging the aircraft, before the crew could even react to the fire.

Possibly, or possibly it would have a tiny effect in the event of a real emergency, and would completely stop what was attempted here. I'm sure I'm not the first to think of it, so I assume that it was dismissed for good reason.

I hereby nominate this comment for the HN hall of fame.

* Prescribing dangerous alternatives? Check.

* Suggesting technologies that don't work? Check.

* Using "just" to underscore to the simply nature of the topic? Check.

Ha, my trap has been sprung

The whole point is that pilots are highly trusted and assumed to be good actors, re engineering this would be next to impossible.

As for electric planes, there's work going on but there are a bunch of issues.

Also, I wonder why we don't have electric planes.

You know, you're right. Electrical fires have NEVER brought down an aircraft. :/

Electric planes would come with their own set of problems, but if it's an improvement, a win is a win.

There are two handles. One over the shoulder of the captain, and one over the shoulder of the first officer.

Engine fires.

In case your engine catches on fire.

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