Fire extinguishing system for an aircraft, with - a fire detector for detecting fire, - a first container, containing pressurized fire extinguishing medium, with a switchable first outlet valve for letting out the fire extinguishing medium from the first container, - a second container, containing pressurized fire extinguishing medium, with a switchable second outlet valve for letting out the fire extinguishing medium from the second container, wherein the first outlet valve and the second outlet valve are each switchable into the closed and open states, - a system of lines connecting the first outlet valve and the second outlet valve to at least one outlet opening, wherein the at least one outlet opening is arranged and designed for delivering the fire extinguishing medium into a predetermined area of the aircraft, characterized in that there is an integrated indicating and inputting element, which indicates a fire alarm and the current state respectively of the first outlet valve and the second outlet valve, and with which a control device can be activated by a manual input, wherein the control device is connected to the fire detector, the indicating and inputting element, and the first outlet valve and the second outlet valve, wherein the control device is configured and set up in such a way that: - its activation by a manual input is only possible after the indication of a fire alarm triggered by the fire detector by the indicating and inputting element, - after its activation, the control device automatically switches the first outlet valve into the open state at a time t 1 = t 0 + Δt 1 as long as the fire detector still detects fire at the time t 1, where t 0 is the time of the activation of the control device and Δt 1 is a predetermined time period, and - the control device subsequently automatically switches the second outlet valve into the open state at a time t 2 = t 1 + Δt 2, as long as the fire detector still detects fire at the time t 2, where Δt 2 is a predetermined time period. - a fire detector for detecting fire, - a first container, containing pressurized fire extinguishing medium, with a switchable first outlet valve for letting out the fire extinguishing medium from the first container, - a second container, containing pressurized fire extinguishing medium, with a switchable second outlet valve for letting out the fire extinguishing medium from the second container, wherein the first outlet valve and the second outlet valve are each switchable into the closed and open states, - a system of lines connecting the first outlet valve and the second outlet valve to at least one outlet opening, wherein the at least one outlet opening is arranged and designed for delivering the fire extinguishing medium into a predetermined area of the aircraft, characterized in that there is an integrated indicating and inputting element, which indicates a fire alarm and the current state respectively of the first outlet valve and the second outlet valve, and with which a control device can be activated by a manual input, wherein the control device is connected to the fire detector, the indicating and inputting element, and the first outlet valve and the second outlet valve, wherein the control device is configured and set up in such a way that: - its activation by a manual input is only possible after the indication of a fire alarm triggered by the fire detector by the indicating and inputting element, - after its activation, the control device automatically switches the first outlet valve into the open state at a time t 1 = t 0 + Δt 1 as long as the fire detector still detects fire at the time t 1, where t 0 is the time of the activation of the control device and Δt 1 is a predetermined time period, and - the control device subsequently automatically switches the second outlet valve into the open state at a time t 2 = t 1 + Δt 2, as long as the fire detector still detects fire at the time t 2, where Δt 2 is a predetermined time period.