"If explosive heated kerosine vapors were a problem in center fuel tanks then why was there NO EFFORT to refit any airplane after this incident."
My understanding was that these vapors are normally present, but that this particular plane experienced some unique traumas in its past history that led to the rogue spark inside the tank. There was also some damage to a bulkhead which was also implicit in the cause for the explosion.
I won't argue with you about kerosene, as I don't know anything about it. If you want to discuss it, the gentleman on the other thread seems to know much more about that particular fuel, and recalls better than I why they deemed this vapor as explosively dangerous.
From here: Associated Retired Aviation Professionals
The NTSB's theory is that some unknown spark ignited the Jet A fuel vapors inside Flight 800's center fuel tank. This theory depends on 2 things: a) sufficient fuel vapors at the proper fuel/air mixture; and b) a sufficient spark to ignite the fuel vapors. Neither condition has been found to have been present in subsequent tests. In Boeing's recent filing with the NTSB they have stated that they have not found any source of spark in Flight 800. The NTSB would have you believe that Jet A fuel vapors are a virtual bomb waiting to go off, yet every day hundreds of 747's are sitting on hot runways in places like Saudi Arabia, India, etc. with empty center tanks and none have ever exploded. Every day aircraft with empty fuel tanks are hit by lightning, a spark thousands of times greater than necessary to ignite this vapor, yet these aircraft do not explode. Why, because the fuel vapor is not explosive.
