The Swiss Air Flight 111 encountered an emergency after fire broke out in its cockpit. Investigations into the incident revealed that the fore was cause by the in-flight entertainment (IFE) system, which was established to be prone to overheating. The pilots of the aircraft were unable to contain the fire, and the subsequent disconnection of power to the cockpit led to the crash as the plane nose-dived into the Atlantic. Addressing the problem of overheating of IFE can be achieved through use of safe materials in the design and compliance to safety regulations. Additionally, it is recommended to train pilots and other air safety professionals on how new installations function and how they can be controlled during emergency.
The Problem
The primary problem in the case of Swiss Air Flight 111 was the fire that broke out and could not be contained. Having noticed odor and smoke after completing ascent to the required altitude, the pilot, co-pilot, and cabin crew played down the issue because it is thought to be a common occurrence in such commercial planes. The resulting fire caused complete systems failure rendering the pilot blind in relation to the direction the plane was taking; and a few moments later, without warning, the aircraft crashed into the Atlantic.
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Critical Factors
The Swiss Air Flight 111 was the first to have the In-Flight Entertainment system installed (IFE). In this particular aircraft, each seat had a private TV screen where passengers can select the music, video, or games to play. In the case, the investigators established that the fire that led to the crash was caused by overheating of the IFE (Joshua, 2018). The IFE has attracted significant debate about safety concerns. Ten years after the Swiss Air Flight 111 accident, Stoller (2009) noted that 400 hundred reports were filed over the time in relation to in-flight systems including IFEs. Despite the advancement and sophistication of IFE, an electrical engineer cited in Stoller (2009) expressed concerns about their safety, noting that heat and electronics are a potent mixture. The system in the arm of each seat is estimated to generate between 105 and 115 degrees of heat when not in use. Stoller (2009) observed that in the most serious cases leading to smoke, pilots were forced to shut the IFEs down and make emergency landings. Apparently, the Swiss Air Flight 111 pilot had no knowledge of the link between the IFE and the smoke, and failure to shut the system down led to the fire breakout. However, such actions may have been impossible because the installed IFS system had no cooling system or off-switch (Stoller, 2009). Joshua (2018) noted that analysts of the accident expressed issues with the pilots by-the-book approach in the management of the situation that led to delay in landing the plane.
Development of Alternative Solutions
Use of Safe Materials in the Design of IFEs Systems
Investigations on the critical factors that caused the problem leading to the crash of Swiss Air Flight 111 revealed that the IFE systems on the plane was designed using an inflammable coating material. The Swiss Air company, after learning of the cause of the fire its plane, banned the inflammable material. According to Stoller (2009), the proliferation of IFE systems in intercontinental aircrafts courtesy of the advancements in technology implies IFEs would be a mainstay in these aircrafts. Despite the identification of the inflammable insulations that fueled the fire, it is unlikely that the heating up aspect of the IFE system has been addressed. The ever-increasing wiring in plane as additional IFEs are introduced increased safety risks, which calls for use of safe materials in the manufacture of all such systems. The advantage of prioritizing material safety is that in case there are unsuitable alternatives, appropriate accompanying safety mechanisms and protocols will be installed to assist in mitigation of unprecedented mishaps. On the other hand, it is evident that not all the smoke in the cockpit is as a result of overheating of the IFE system. Therefore, focus on IFEs may inconvenience the significance given to other systems with the potential to cause fire. Therefore, use of safe materials should apply to all in-flight systems.
Compliance to Safety regulations from the US Aviation Regulatory System
The Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) has the mandate to ascertain of the US carrier or foreign carrier has complied with the safety regulations. For the former, it is mandatory to have Air Carrier Certificate and Operations Specifications (OpSpecs). Foreign carriers only need to have the OpSpecs (Adamski, 2012). The certification process is intended to ensure the carrier meets the set safety regulations and standards. The IFE safety issue falls under the Aviation Safety business area of FAA. Through compliance with the respective regulatory requirements, including having no flammable materials on board the aircraft, it is possible to ensure similar incidents are avoided. Compliance to regulations includes observing the newly established procedures in dealing with cockpit smoke emergencies. Compliance will also make sure the necessary systems are installed to control the escalation of fire smoke or fire emergencies. The advantage of ensuring compliance in all aspects of the IFE is that it requires engagement of all responsible parties including pilots and engineers in ensuring safety of the aircraft through training. However, compliance in some instances, as evidenced in the case, cannot assists in avoidance of human error. The pilots have the final say in managing the emergency in case the systems fail to perform as expected as was the case with the aircraft. These solutions require costs in research and production of safe materials and certification process.
Recommendation
The most appropriate approach to addressing the problem is the implementation of the elements of the Aviation Safety area of the FAA. In addition to certification and approval of the worthiness of the plane, the aviation safety is responsible for certification of pilots and air-related safety professionals. The certification requires training on new installations and systems to increase proficiency in dealing with emergencies. The argument that emerges from investigations of the accident is that the pilots had no prior knowledge of the IFE potential to cause fire, which may have been behind the decision to dismiss the smoke as a normal occurrence. Training on such systems ensures that pilots are up to date with the functions of all systems in the cockpit to be able to apply emergency protocols with efficacy. Compliance with the regulations by the manufacturers and airline operators is also critical to address use of safe materials.
References
Adamski, A.J., (2012). Pathways to compliance: A systems approach to the U.S. Aviation Regulatory System. Michigan: Hayden-McNeil Publishing.
Joshua, A. I. (April 2018). Fire on board Swissair Flight 111. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zx7MmFTkAw
Stoller, G. (2009). In-flight entertainment systems raise safety issues. ABC News. Retrieved from https://abcnews.go.com/Travel/AroundTheWorld/story?id=7146811&page=1
