Sources of Onboard Fumes and Smoke Reported by U.S. Airlines

This paper describes the relative frequency of reports of oil and hydraulic fluid fumes in the ventilation supply air (“fume events”) compared to other types of fumes and smoke reported by U.S. airlines over 10 years. The author reviewed and categorized 12,417 fume/smoke reports submitted to the avi...

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Main Author: Judith Anderson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-04-01
Series:Aerospace
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4310/8/5/122
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author Judith Anderson
author_facet Judith Anderson
author_sort Judith Anderson
collection DOAJ
description This paper describes the relative frequency of reports of oil and hydraulic fluid fumes in the ventilation supply air (“fume events”) compared to other types of fumes and smoke reported by U.S. airlines over 10 years. The author reviewed and categorized 12,417 fume/smoke reports submitted to the aviation regulator to comply with the primary maintenance reporting regulation (14 CFR § 121.703) from 2002–2011. The most commonly documented category of onboard fumes/smoke was electrical (37%). Combining the categories of “bleed-sourced”, “oil”, and “hydraulic fluid” created the second most prevalent category (26%). The remaining sources of onboard fumes/smoke are also reported. To put the data in context, the fume event reporting regulations are described, along with examples of ways in which certain events are underreported. These data were reported by U.S. airlines, but aviation regulations are harmonized globally, so the data likely also reflect onboard sources of fumes and smoke reported in other countries with equivalent aviation systems. The data provide insight into the relative frequency of the types of reported fumes and smoke on aircraft, which should drive design, operational, and maintenance actions to mitigate onboard exposure. The data also provide insight into how to improve current fume event reporting rules.
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spelling doaj.art-4f0782f3c5d84b15b99995dd4d6afcbc2023-11-21T16:44:09ZengMDPI AGAerospace2226-43102021-04-018512210.3390/aerospace8050122Sources of Onboard Fumes and Smoke Reported by U.S. AirlinesJudith Anderson0Department of Air Safety, Health, & Security, Association of Flight Attendants-CWA AFL-CIO, 501 3rd St. N.W., Washington, DC 20001, USAThis paper describes the relative frequency of reports of oil and hydraulic fluid fumes in the ventilation supply air (“fume events”) compared to other types of fumes and smoke reported by U.S. airlines over 10 years. The author reviewed and categorized 12,417 fume/smoke reports submitted to the aviation regulator to comply with the primary maintenance reporting regulation (14 CFR § 121.703) from 2002–2011. The most commonly documented category of onboard fumes/smoke was electrical (37%). Combining the categories of “bleed-sourced”, “oil”, and “hydraulic fluid” created the second most prevalent category (26%). The remaining sources of onboard fumes/smoke are also reported. To put the data in context, the fume event reporting regulations are described, along with examples of ways in which certain events are underreported. These data were reported by U.S. airlines, but aviation regulations are harmonized globally, so the data likely also reflect onboard sources of fumes and smoke reported in other countries with equivalent aviation systems. The data provide insight into the relative frequency of the types of reported fumes and smoke on aircraft, which should drive design, operational, and maintenance actions to mitigate onboard exposure. The data also provide insight into how to improve current fume event reporting rules.https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4310/8/5/122aircraftfume eventreportingengine oilhydraulic fluidelectrical
spellingShingle Judith Anderson
Sources of Onboard Fumes and Smoke Reported by U.S. Airlines
Aerospace
aircraft
fume event
reporting
engine oil
hydraulic fluid
electrical
title Sources of Onboard Fumes and Smoke Reported by U.S. Airlines
title_full Sources of Onboard Fumes and Smoke Reported by U.S. Airlines
title_fullStr Sources of Onboard Fumes and Smoke Reported by U.S. Airlines
title_full_unstemmed Sources of Onboard Fumes and Smoke Reported by U.S. Airlines
title_short Sources of Onboard Fumes and Smoke Reported by U.S. Airlines
title_sort sources of onboard fumes and smoke reported by u s airlines
topic aircraft
fume event
reporting
engine oil
hydraulic fluid
electrical
url https://www.mdpi.com/2226-4310/8/5/122
work_keys_str_mv AT judithanderson sourcesofonboardfumesandsmokereportedbyusairlines