INDUSTRY CONSENSUS REGARDING SFF EVENTS

The Flight Safety Foundation sponsored this international industry initiative to improve checklist procedures for airline pilots confronting smoke, fire, or fumes. It also published the Smoke/Fire/Fumes Philosophy and Definitions, which was used to construct the SFF checklist template. Here are the key components of this philosophy.

General

• The entire crew must be part of the solution.
• For any smoke event, time is critical.
• The SFF checklist template:
• Does not replace alerted checklists (e.g., cargo smoke) or address multiple events.
• Includes considerations to support decisions for immediate landing (e.g., overweight landing, tailwind landing, ditching, forced off-airport landing).
• Systematically identifies and eliminates an unknown SFF source.
• At the beginning of an SFF event, the crew should consider all of the following:
• Protecting themselves (e.g., oxygen masks, smoke goggles).
• Communication (e.g., crew, air traffic control).
• Diversion.
• Assessing the SFF situation and available resources.

Source Elimination

• It should be assumed pilots may not always be able to accurately identify the smoke source due to ambiguous cues.
• It should be assumed alerted-smoke-event checklists have been accom­plished but the smoke’s source may not have been eliminated.
• Rapid extinguishing or elimination of the source is the key to preventing escalation of the event.
• Manufacturer’s initial steps that remove the most probable smoke or fume sources and reduce risk must be imme­diately available to the crew. These steps are developed by the manufacturer and typically have the pilot turn off com­ponents or systems having the highest probability of addressing a smoke/fire/fume source. These steps should be determined by model-specific historical data or analysis.
• Initial steps for source elimination:
• Should be quick, simple, and reversible.
• Will not make the situation worse or inhibit further assessment of the situation.
• Do not require analysis by the crew.

Timing for diversion/landing

• Crews should anticipate diversion as soon as an SFF event occurs and should be reminded in the checklist to consider a diversion.
• After the initial steps, the checklist should direct diversion unless the SFF source is positively identified, confirmed to be extinguished, and smoke or fumes are dissipating.
• The crew should consider an immediate landing anytime the situation cannot be controlled.

Smoke or fumes removal

• The decision to remove smoke or fumes must be made based upon the threat being presented to the passengers or crew.
• Crews should accomplish procedures in the Smoke or Fumes Removal Checklist only after the fire has been extinguished or if the smoke or fumes present the greatest threat.
• The crew should be directed to return to the Smoke/Fire/Fumes Checklist after smoke/fumes removal if the Smoke/Fire/Fumes Checklist was not completed.

Additional steps for source elimination

• Additional steps aimed at source identification and elimination:
• Are subsequent to the manufacturer’s initial steps and the diversion decision.
• Are accomplished as time and conditions permit, and should not delay landing.
• Are based on model-specific historical data or analysis.

CHECKLISTS FOR BOEING AIRPLANES

Boeing has used this new template to develop a combined checklist that addresses electrical smoke, air-conditioning smoke, cabin smoke, and fumes.

In 2007, Boeing published new Airplane Flight Manual and Quick Reference Hand­book checklists for all passenger models of the 737, 747, 757, 767, and 777. Boeing is in the process of developing and evaluating similar checklists for the MD-80, MD-90, 717, MD-10, and MD-11 airplanes.

SUMMARY

By working through a logical checklist, flight crews can better isolate the cause of SFF events and take appropriate action.

For more information, please contact Bill McKenzie at william.a.mckenzie@boeing.com.

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