Evaluation of Auxiliary Agents and Systems for Aircraft Ground Fire Suppression. Phase 1

The program was conducted with the ultimate objective of reducing the number and types of auxiliary extinguishing agents and systems used for aircraft ground fire suppression at military airports. This phase was devoted to the definition of auxiliary agent/system requirements and to the review of existing knowledge on the performance of various agents and systems under particular fire and environmental conditions likely to be encountered at military airports. Where knowledge was lacking, a series of environmental and small scale fire tests were conducted, the latter on three mockups simulating fires in an aircraft engine, fuel running along the incline of an aircraft wing and in a ruptured fuel tank containing reticulated foam.