Smoke in the cockpit

alpha1 · Post by **alpha1** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 7:57 am

any "smoke in the cockpit" stories to share?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 01412.html

flyinhigh · Post by **flyinhigh** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 8:43 am

Excellent read, This is a situation that is going to be hard to fix as it was quoted your in an aluminum tube with a fire, you got no where to go.

Thanks for posting

grounded · Post by **grounded** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 8:55 am

I was getting ready to leave a small northern community to fly to another one when the cockpit lights went out. As it was nighttime I reset the CB, the lights stayed on and I taxiied out. All was normal until about 300 feet on departure and the lights all went out again, and some smoke came out from under the dash. The lights going out was a pain, but the smell of something burning was more than a little disconcerting, as I couldn't get back into the place I just left. Off with the master, I dug out my flashlight(AA Maglite) and flew the rest of the 1/2 hour flight with it in my mouth. I now have a flashlight that has a stip of rubber around it, because a chunk of aluminium in your mouth like that isn't very comfortable. Turns out one of the rheostats for the cockpit lighting gave up and the smoke was from it. Interesting trip for a guy with about 500 hours.

Spokes · Post by **Spokes** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 10:11 am

In 20+ years of military flying, had only two times where we had any significant smoke in the aircraft. Both times removing power from the equipment that was the source very quickly put an end to it.

Aluminum flashlight in the mouth. Yuch. I got myself a little Pelican light with a clip to attatch to yourself and a swively pointing gizmo. (technical term). Seems like a better way than sticking a flashlight in your mouth.

LostinRotation · Post by **LostinRotation** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 1:55 pm

grounded wrote:I was getting ready to leave a small northern community to fly to another one when the cockpit lights went out. As it was nighttime I reset the CB, the lights stayed on and I taxiied out. All was normal until about 300 feet on departure and the lights all went out again, and some smoke came out from under the dash. The lights going out was a pain, but the smell of something burning was more than a little disconcerting, as I couldn't get back into the place I just left. Off with the master, I dug out my flashlight(AA Maglite) and flew the rest of the 1/2 hour flight with it in my mouth. I now have a flashlight that has a stip of rubber around it, because a chunk of aluminium in your mouth like that isn't very comfortable. Turns out one of the rheostats for the cockpit lighting gave up and the smoke was from it. Interesting trip for a guy with about 500 hours.

I had a similar experience but it was in IMC and about 3000 feet into an 8000 foot climb between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. The lights fried, the circuit breaker popped and I flew the rest of the trip with a mini-mag and a headset light. I had the headset light in my flight bag and had actually forgotten about it...man was I happy to find it.....goooood times.

-=0=LiR=0=-

Justwannafly · Post by **Justwannafly** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 2:09 pm

whay about SMOKING in the cockpit?

or atleast in the plane...

co-joe · Post by **co-joe** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 3:04 pm

Justwannafly wrote:whay about SMOKING in the cockpit?

That's what I was thinking about. Flying back from Wyoming next to "Igor Gorski" smoking Pom Poms and eating comissary. Good times.[/quote]

Lurch · Post by **Lurch** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 7:19 pm

Why don't we call it a "flying clippership"? Sounds so much more sophisticated.

What would we be called instead of pilots? Clipperheads?