Elevated Waterway and Cabin Skin Penetration Technology 

High-Reach Extendible Turrets With Skin Penetrating Nozzle

A research program was conducted to determine the effectiveness of elevated waterway devices along with an aircraft cabin skin penetration system. To date many different models of the existing commercial aircraft designs have been easily penetrated with the boom-mounted cabin skin penetration system. In addition a demonstration program was conducted that validated the effectiveness of a fine mist spray when injected into the burning interior of a Boeing Model 707 aircraft. The intense fire was taken to severe flashover conditions and brought back under control in two minutes with approximately five hundred gallons of injected water.

 Fire suppression techniques were validated for the most effective application of fire extinguishing agents used for postcrash pool fires. The best application was an attacking technique which deploys the boom in an initial low-angle attack mode, first sweeping across the selected pool fire area, then raising the elevated device to a high-angle position for far reaching fire areas. This can usually be accomplished without moving the rescue vehicle very far from its initial attack setup point. Another benefit of the low-angle application is the increased visibility provided by getting the agent low and away from the vehicle. A typical roof turret agent application will result in a restricted view and agent running down the vehicles windshield.

See the pictures:

Low Angle Attack
High Reach Attack
Elevated Reach Second Level Aircraft
Cabin Skin Penetration

Contact Project Lead: Keith Bagot, ATO-P (formerly AAR-411)

Last Update: 04/17/07