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Fire Extinguisher Deployment Test Video

goatflieg

Well Known Member
Since the location of the fire extinguisher in an RV-8 can be tricky, I thought I'd share my experience in deciding how and where to install mine, and determining how well it will work. Enjoy... and read the disclaimers in the description.
https://youtu.be/_8Mjqo-gbwA
 
Interesting. I have mine installed in a similar location. I noticed your elbows would have hit the canopy a couple of times if you had it installed ( you still would have been able to use it ) so I'm going to test mine tomorrow with the canopy closed and see what happens. Thanks for the video.
 
Interesting. I have mine installed in a similar location. I noticed your elbows would have hit the canopy a couple of times if you had it installed ( you still would have been able to use it ) so I'm going to test mine tomorrow with the canopy closed and see what happens. Thanks for the video.

I'll be interested in hearing your follow up; feel free to share in the video comments too. I'm leading up to my Big Cut on the canopy, so I'll be able to test it with the canopy closed soon. I've had some naysayers on Facebook, and asked for their alternative suggestions. We're all here to learn...
 
Might want to try it when you?re harnessed in.
I mounted mine under the right canopy rail and added a thin wire around the release in case it gets bumped. It?s tight, but might work. I?m more worried about it staying put in a crash impulse.
 
I don't have fly an RV8 so I'm not speaking from experience but watching your video I couldn't help but think to myself that in a real emergency when your heart's pumping and you are trying to get to it as fast as you can, it would just be terrible if you flipped the latch open and it fell somewhere in the back that you couldn't reach. Scenario could be an off airport landing in to a sandy field maybe that gets the plane either upside down or just not sitting in a 3 point position, one arm possibly hurt, and you see or smell smoke, reach for the latch and it falls. Just thinking that it should be mounted somewhere in the front. The trade off may be worth it someday.

Just some thoughts. Very cool that you are putting some careful thought into the placement of it. I would not have thought that would be a challenge.
 
I would worry about dropping it or it coming lose and falling down around the rear stick blocking controls.
 
I fly my -8 99% of the time with my right hand. I saw you using your right hand to retrieve the bottle. If you need that thing you're going to have smoke, flames (maybe on you), adrenaline at level 11, and need to keep flying the plane. Behind the front seat back looked pretty difficult to retrieve. Mine's under the forward right canopy rail. Never kicked, hit, or used in 20 years.

2 cents of free internet opinion.
 
Sorry, but I would not be comfortable with this location for reasons already stated. Whose flying the airplane (No.1 rule) during all these gyrations?
A fire extinguisher must be easily and quickly accessible to be effective.
 
Well Done Video

Martin, I have the same extinguisher mounted in the same place on our -8. One minor difference is I rivited a doubler to the seat back due to cracking concerns.
I can retrieve the bottle in flight but hope to NEVER have that need. My primary concern was a problem on the ground, such as a brake fire or engine compartment fire. I could not stand the thought of watching something like a brake fire total my airplane, and me standing there with nothing... I prefer to have a fighting chance.
 
installation

... Mine's under the forward right canopy rail. Never kicked, hit, or used in 20 years.

2 cents of free internet opinion.
Can I get another couple of cents of opinion? :) How did you install it? Do you have some photos you can share?
 
Can I get another couple of cents of opinion? :) How did you install it? Do you have some photos you can share?

I'll take some pics when I get home. How installed - I made a custom mount that holds the extinguisher as far forward as possible, suspended under the rail. Extinguisher is secured with a nylon woven strap and Velcro. Pull the end of the strap to release, extinguisher is free. Never inadvertently dislodged in 20 yrs after many multi G flights.
 
Mine is under the left front rail, stock mount although I may have a different extinguisher...

If you really want it behind the seat, I would suggest a stick cover...
 
IMG-1334.jpg


IMG-1335.jpg
 
Mine is in the same spot you picked.. I saw one there in another 8, ran a few tests like you and mounted it below the back stick for all the reasons you mentioned. I have done some deployment checks.. This location provides access to pax. Hope I never need it.



RV-8
N950 AE
 
Who's flying the airplane while you're using both hands to free the extinguisher? And, I think there is a pretty good chance you'd drop that sucker right into the back seat! The extinguisher should be up front where you can see it and reach it easily.
 
Sorry, but I would not be comfortable with this location for reasons already stated. Whose flying the airplane (No.1 rule) during all these gyrations?
A fire extinguisher must be easily and quickly accessible to be effective.

+1. When the **** hits the fan I think it needs to be right there, not having to fumble around trying to find it. Don't have an 8 and can't see your cockpit layout to suggest other options.

In my 4 it was between my legs on the center console forward of the stick above the battery compartment. In my 7 it is between the seats at my right butt cheek. Quick, easy to reach and visible in both of those locations.
 
Mine is on the seat back and no problem reaching it. It is the right place for front seat occupant to reach it easily, passenger can reach it, and easily accessible while standing outside the plane. Your choice of course, but I find it to be the ideal location. Perhaps some are overestimating the size of the passenger area and distance from front seat. I'm 6 ft tall and can reach any area of the rear seat while belted in without turning around. This includes reaching a camera in the rear seat stick well dropped by a passenger.
 
I have mine mounted oriented fore and aft on the panel just behind the gear leg tower. Easy to reach with your right hand.
 
+1 for aft of gear tower panel

I have mine mounted oriented fore and aft on the panel just behind the gear leg tower. Easy to reach with your right hand.

Plus one for this location. Very easy to get too, no fumbling. Mounted a canopy breaker tool right next to it. Plenty of room.
 
I was a little concerned when I saw the video because mine is in the same exact place so today I sat in my plane and while flying with my right hand as usual I just reached back with my left hand, unlatched the bottle, and pulled it easily to the front. No fuss no hassles, a very simple thing to do.

I noticed in the video that he would unlatch it then grab it by the sprayer head and was wasting time there. I just unlatched it and my hand was right where it needed to be to pull and bring it forward.

Mine is staying installed right there where it is.
 
Based on the feedback I've received here and on other builder sites, I will be installing this smaller fire extinguisher in the front cockpit. I now have two extinguishers installed in the aircraft; one that can be quickly and easily reached by the pilot in flight, and a larger one that can be reached by the pilot, passenger or anyone outside the aircraft when it's on the ground and the canopy is open. Thanks for all the input.
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Hello Martin,
Nice tidy place for your second fire extinguisher. Your fire extinguisher looks like one I had in my C-150. A halon unit without a pressure gauge on it. My fire extinguisher leaked over an unknown period of time until it was empty. I only found this out when I picked it up during an annual inspection and noticed how light it was and when I sloshed it back and forth there was no liquid inside.

I notice you have an inspection tag on yours. I suggest you weight it regularly to make sure it isn't leaking.

I replaced mine with another larger halon extinguisher in my C-150, this one has a gauge. It also leaked down after many years but at least I noticed it because of the gauge.

The reason I bring this up is that based on my experience with dry chemical fire extinguishers, I had the idea that extinguishers don't leak and are serviceable for decades. Based on a sample size of two for two, this isn't the case with halon extinguishers.
 
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