Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-31

klers in controlling airplane hangar
fires:
"(l) Slow-burning fires in well ven-
tilated buildings with high ceilings may
continue without opening automatic
| sprinklers.
"(2) Extremely fast fires in single
planes may burn themselves out with
out opening automatic sprinklers.
"(3) Fires in readily ignitable ana
highly combustible materials spread
over wide areas, such as gasoline on
the floor or highly flammable wing sur
faces; may proceed at first faster than
the opening of sprinklers, and thus OUT
run for time the application of water
to the fire.
go Water from overhead sprinklers
may on some occasions keep the top
| surfaces of an airplane wetted, thus
preserving a shelter under which flre
may spread to various parts of the ma
chine Under this condition, supple
mental equipment, such as hand ex-
tinguishers or hose streams, could be
brought into use effectively. The use
of floor sprinklers might reduce the
spread of fire. None OF these should
be permitted to deprive overhead spr1rl-
klers of water necessary for their Ell
fective operation.
"(5) Each sprinkler installation should
be equipped with suitable alarm devices,
in order that additional fire-f1ghting
appliances may be on hand as prompt
~ as possible.
"(6) Fires involving large quantities
of gasoline or similar fuel may not be
entirely uuenched by sprinklerS alone,
but would be kept, usually, in sub.
dued condition, making possible close
approach thereto with other means for
their subjugation. Suitable additional
extinguishing devices should be pro-
vided to supplement sprinkler systems
for quenching these or similarly per-
sistent fires.
"(7) Fires in which several airplanes
are ignited simultaneously will usually
result in the burning of surface fab
RIGS and the rum or destruction of some
of the structural members of all In
volved, and may damage airplanes
closely adjacent to them.
"(S) Fire igniting single airplane,
even under highly favorable conditions
for quick spread throughout the ma
chine, is usually controlled by sprinklers
so as to cause little or no damage to
other airplanes stored close to the one
first ignited.
"C9) The automatic application Of
water by sprinklers will generally give
good protection to airplane hangers and
contents except such of the contents as
100 The advantages of a heat
actuated system of open sprinklers such
as the one tested are apparent CAD in
small or slowly spreading fires, Cb) IN
drafts, or Co in those fires where the
time required for the opening of auto
matte sprinklers permits the fire to burn
out or to get beyond the range of dis
charging sprinklers.
"Q1) These tests have indicated that
sprinkler systems installed and MAIN
tanned in accordance with recognized
good practice for the protection of this
class of property and having an ade-
quate water supply can control most of
the fires likely to occur In airplane
hangers; therefore serious thought. in
Guiding thorough economic considera-
ton, should be given to the subject Of
such installation wherever commercial
air transport or other aerial activities
are carried on"
Following is list of the members of
the committee and the organizations by
which they were designated:
Harry II. Blee, director of aeronautic
development, Department of Commerce
chairman; W. S. Garland, Bureau of
Aeronautics, Navy Department; r. w.
Hendricks. Underwriters Laboratories:
Ira G. Hoagland, National Automatic
Sprinkler Association; Maj Frank NJ.
Kennedy U. S. Army Air Corps: w.
Laurence LIE Page, Aeronautical Chamber
or Commerce of America; Nolan d.
Mitchell, Bureau of Standards, superin-
tendent of tests: H. E. Newell. National
Board OF Fire Underwriters; Starr Trus-
colt, National Advisory Committee for
Aeronautics, and John Groves. aero
nautics branch. Department of Com
merce, secretary.