Onewickedboi From United States of America, joined Sep 2006, 53 posts, RR: 0 Posted (6 years 3 weeks 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 2383 times:
I was once told that the Boeing 747-400 has some sort of a door or partition which can help contain smoke, heat, fumes, poisonous gases and/or fire on the main deck, and therefore not quickly rise to the upper deck where it can harm those passengers/ crew and flight deck personnel located on the upper deck.
I was also told that Virgin Atlantic crew trained for the B744 are trained on how to operate this device in an emergency.
Does the B744 does actually have such a device? Is it optional/ airline specific?
Will the A380 have such a device on its stairways?
I'm also curious if any A346 equipped with the lower level galley and lavatory (i.e. Lufthansa) have such protective devices?
Browsing several pictures of the B744, A380 and A346 I can't see any such fire/smoke doors, and surmise that it would be difficult to fit such a device on the A380 or A346 due to the curvatures of the interior fittings and paneling. I'm also guessing that such a device would be difficult to install on older 747 eqipped with spiral staircases.
Zkpilot From New Zealand, joined Mar 2006, 4740 posts, RR: 10 Reply 1, posted (6 years 3 weeks 6 days 7 hours ago) and read 2374 times:
It is true... the 747 (not spiral models) do have a pullout screen which is placed over the stairwell to prevent smoke etc from rising. It is also possibly useful in slowing terrorists from entering the UD if the crew had enough reaction time.
Most airlines train their F/A on how to operate this.
PhilSquares From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 2, posted (6 years 3 weeks 6 days 7 hours ago) and read 2367 times:
The smoke barrier is only used on the ground. It is located at the top of the stairs to the upper deck. If you look closely at the second picture you will see the cover release which is located on the wall just to the left of the emergency exit sign.
The classic with the spiral stairs also had the smoke barrier. It was located in the railing of the stairs on the upper deck. It is also on all the freighters.
MarkHKG From United States of America, joined Dec 2005, 960 posts, RR: 2 Reply 3, posted (6 years 3 weeks 6 days 4 hours ago) and read 2338 times:
I remember reading somewhere that Airbus had conducted some smoke propagation studies for the A380 and it did not end up being a major concern. (In particular, the "chimney effect" was not a problem despite the dual decks and open stair cases.)
The cloth smoke barriers are typically secured with velcro (at the bottom) or simple attachment points. They probably won't be stopping any terrorists...that's what the reinforced flight deck door is for.
Release your seat-belts and get out! Leave everything!
Tod From Denmark, joined Aug 2004, 1687 posts, RR: 3 Reply 6, posted (6 years 3 weeks 5 days ago) and read 2185 times:
Quoting PhilSquares (Reply 5): The air circulation in flight tends to go from front to back and down from the upper deck.
On the 747, except for air extracted by the lav/galley vent system, the only way for the air supplied by the conditioned air system in the upper deck to exit the upper deck is via the stairwell. As long as the packs are on there is positive air flow out of the upper deck.
Sponsor Message: 
From United States of America, joined Sep 2006, 53 posts, 
From New Zealand, joined Mar 2006, 4740 posts, 
From , joined Dec 1969, posts, 
From India, joined Jan 2001, 31228 posts, 
From Denmark, joined Aug 2004, 1687 posts, 
Sponsor Message: 
Printer friendly format
