AIRLINERS' FUEL TANKS TO BE SAFER

New York Post ^ | 2/18/04 | AP

[kattracks]

February 18, 2004 -- WASHINGTON - The government will order airlines to install a system to reduce the chance of fuel-tank explosions like the one that downed a TWA Boeing 747 off the Long Island coast in 1996.

The decision affects about 3,800 Boeing and Airbus aircraft operated by domestic airlines, Federal Aviation Administration chief Marion Blakey said yesterday. In the last 14 years, there have been three fuel-tank explosions, including the TWA accident, resulting in 346 deaths.

[snopercod]

In the last 14 years, there have been three fuel-tank explosions.

Bravo Sierra. I don't believe that.

[iopscusa]

Yeah, when the Flt800 beans get spilled it will decrease the AMAZING & Guiness Record worthy incidence of fuel-tank-spontaneous combustion by 33%!

OH....where did you go our honest G-MAN, James Halstrom?

Pls excuse the cynicism, the F800 Investigation really sticks in my craw, ranks right up there with Walter Duranty/ NY Times...

[Flavius]

Hello,

I know wew are not suppose to watch PBS...

But they had an hour show about an airline crash involving
swiss air flight in canada...

shot version:

* 50% airlines use flammable insulation, they are in process of replacing it by 2005 i belive...
* the wires can arc basically condensation hits two wires that are frayed... the water closes the circuit... temperature created is 12000 F, and its not a typo.
* they do not wish to install firedetectors above cat walk space...

disclaimer- i am not an faa guy nor do i know how to fix planes... anyways yes i realize it is anti airline business but it was hard to argue the "facts" as they were presented...

the summary was that basically some planes are fire traps...

anyways

[tbpiper]

fuel-tank explosions like the one that downed a TWA Boeing 747 off the Long Island coast in 1996.

Great steaming piles of bull poop.

[Pylot]

I would feel much better if the FAA ordered the installation of anti missle defense systems.

When you hit the ground at 200 miles an hour or more in a beer can catching on fire is the least of your concerns.

[GingisK]

There we go, another fix to a problem that doesn't exist ... unless, of course, these new fuel tanks can take a missle or two.

[Uncle Hal]

Nothing will ever convince me that the TWA flight that crashed off Long Island was not brought down by a rocket or a bomb.

[Rennes Templar]

"Airliners Fuel Tanks to be Safer"

Pilots are being trained to dodge missiles.

[HangThemHigh]

I just Googled around and apparently the 3 alleged incidents were:

1) Philippine Air Lines 737 that blew while the plane was backing out a Manila airport gate in May of 1990.

2) TWA 800, July '96 where the fuel tank exploded when fumes were ignited by a missile impact.

3) March 2001; Thai Airways International 737-400; Bangkok, Thailand: The aircraft was destroyed by an explosion and fire.

Interestingly, there are very serious questions about the causes of all 3 cases.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=24075

[snopercod]

Thanks for finding that. Good article.

Having grown up watching Mr. Wizard, I decided to do my own little experiment after the feds blamed the center fuel tank for bringing down TW 800.

I put some kerosine in a coffee can and repeated threw lit matches into it. The stuff wouldn't even burn at 80F, let alone explode. So I put a lid on the can with a small hole in it, shook up the contents, and dropped a match through the hole in the lid.

This time it would light - barely, for a moment or two - but not explode.

It was a crude test, but told me a lot.

[HangThemHigh]

The argument that the NSTB used on TWA800 was that the air condition units were in the vicinity of the fuel tank and heated the fuel. If jet fuel gets hot enough, it will vaporize enough of the fuel to support an explosion if an ignition source becomes available. I don't recall now how hot the tank was nor the flash point of jet fuel.

[Stallone]

Whaddya think?

Can they make 'em missile proof, too?