The CRJ200 Quicknotes Study Guide

FIRE PROTECTION REVIEW

The Fire and Overheat Protection System is
divided into two separate subsystems:
• Fire and Overheat Detection
• Fire Extinguishing
The Fire and Overheat Detection System
includes components which detect fire,
overheat, or smoke conditions.
The fire extinguishing system includes the
containment and delivery of an extinguishing
agent to all protected areas of the aircraft.
The detection and extinguishing systems can be
tested and monitored from the flight deck.

FIRE DETECTION AND EXTINGUISHING

• Engine Nacelles
DUAL loop Detection / 2 Halon 1301 bottles, N2 pressurized to 600 - 625 psi / 15°C
• APU
DUAL loop Detection / 1 Halon 1301 bottle, N2 pressurized to 600 - 625 psi / 15°C
• Cargo Compartment
2 Smoke Detectors / 2 Halon 1301 bottles, N2 pressurized to 360 - 385 psi / 15°C
• Lavatory Receptacle

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 The CRJ200 Quicknotes Study Guide

1 Smoke Detector / 1 Halon 1301 capsule, N2 pressurized to 190 psi

DETECTION ONLY
• Engine Jetpipe / Pylon - DUAL loop Detection
• Main Landing Gear (MLG) wheel well - SINGLE loop Detection

AURAL WARNINGS
• Inside Cockpit
–– Fire Bell – Engine or APU fire
–– “JETPIPE OVERHEAT” Aural Warning – Jetpipe/Pylon overheat condition
–– “SMOKE” Aural Warning – Smoke in CARGO compartment
–– “GEAR BAY OVERHEAT” Aural Warning – MLG overheat condition
–– Associated Triple chimes
• Outside Airplane
–– Exterior APU fire horn – APU fire

FIRE PROTECTION LOOP OPERATION

• When loop is heated, resistance (across ceramic interior) between outer sheathing and inner wire
decreases
• When resistance drops to specified trip point – OVERHEAT sensed in the loop

FIRE PROTECTION LOOP “RULES”

• Both loops must agree to get a Fire Warning
• If one loop is sensing overheat and the other is normal – FIRE FAIL Caution Message
• If one loop is shorted, the system reverts to single loop logic

• Open Loop - A loop open circuit failure is indicated if there is a missing warning message.

To isolate the defective open loop, place the loop switch to Loop A and perform the WARN test,
then place the loop switch to Loop B and perform the WARN test again. The missing message will
be displayed when the operative loop is selected, i.e. open loop = Missing Warning Message during

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 The CRJ200 Quicknotes Study Guide

WARN TEST

• Shorted Loop - During the WARN test, if one loop is shorted or loses power, the normal
indications are present and the EICAS displays a FIRE FAIL Caution Message.

If this happens, the pilot may place the switch to either A or B. When the failed loop is selected, the
FIRE FAIL message will continue to be displayed. When the operative loop is selected, the FIRE
FAIL message will not be displayed.

Shorted or loses power = FIRE FAIL during the FIRE DETECTION WARN TEST

• An OPEN loop still has the ability to detect a fire, just not at the point where the loop is OPEN.
• A SHORT does NOT have the ability to detect a fire.
• With an OPEN loop, you WILL NOT get the WARNING message
• With a SHORT, you WILL get a FIRE FAIL message

ENGINE FIRE / OVERHEAT NORMAL DUAL LOOP INDICATIONS

LOOP A LOOP B FAIL MESSAGE FIRE WARNING
Normal Normal OFF OFF
Detecting Fire Detecting Fire OFF ON
Short/Power failure Short/Power failure ON OFF
Normal Detecting false fire ON OFF
Normal Short OFF OFF
Detecting Fire Short/Power Failure OFF ON
Detecting False Fire Normal ON OFF
Open Normal OFF OFF
Short/Power Failure Open OFF OFF
Open Open OFF OFF
Open Detecting Fire Detecting Fire OFF ON

ENGINE FIRE / OVERHEAT SINGLE LOOP INDICATIONS

LOOP A OR B FAIL MESSAGE FIRE WARNING
Normal OFF OFF
Detecting Fire OFF ON
Short/Power Failure ON OFF
Open OFF OFF
Open with fire OFF ON

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 The CRJ200 Quicknotes Study Guide

ENGINE FIRE / OVERHEAT DUAL LOOP TEST / WARN INDICATIONS

LOOP A LOOP B FAIL MESSAGE FIRE WARNING
Normal Normal OFF ON
Open Open OFF OFF
Short/Power Failure Short/Power Failure ON OFF
Normal Open OFF OFF
Normal Short/Power Failure ON ON
Short/Power Failure Open ON OFF
Open Normal OFF OFF
Short/Power Failure Normal ON ON
Open Short/Power Failure ON OFF

GENERAL INFORMATION
• SQUIB TESTS – Test of bottle SQUIBS and circuit continuity, i.e., the ability to fire bottle
• ENG FIRE PUSH/MASTER WARN lights – Illuminate when FIRE detected
• Pressing the MASTER WARNING Switchlight:
–– Silences the aural warnings
–– Stops the flashing of the lights
–– Resets the system to detect another WARNING
• Pressing in the ENG FIRE PUSH light:
–– SQUIBS (GREEN LIGHTS) of BOTH fire bottles ARM and ILLUMINATE
–– FUEL SOV CLOSED
–– BLEED SOV CLOSED
–– HYDRAULIC SOV CLOSED
–– ENGINE GEN is tripped OFFLINE
• Illuminated BOTTLE ARMED PUSH TO DISC light indicates proper BOTTLE
PRESSURE ONLY
• BOTTLE ARMED PUSH TO DISC lights are to be pressed and held until light extinguishes

CARGO FIREX PANEL

Pressing CARGO SMOKE push lights:
• ARMS respective SQUIB
• Pressing out DISARMS respective SQUIB

ENGINE EXTINGUISHER BOTTLES

• One (1) SQUIB on each bottle for each engine – BOTH bottles can fire into ONE ENGINE
• ENG BTL 1(2) LO Caution Message should illuminate after bottle fully discharged
• When temperatures cool – FIRE Warning Message will go out
• For “JETPIPE OVERHEAT” aural warning – Get MASTER WARNING and thrust lever
should be retarded

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 The CRJ200 Quicknotes Study Guide

APU FIRE DETECTION

• DUAL LOOPS inside titanium APU enclosure
• SINGLE APU BOTTLE – dual squibs that fire simultaneously
• AUTOMATIC SHUTDOWN FEATURE:
–– Activates in event of FIRE or other overheat condition
–– SHUTS DOWN APU
–– Activates FIRE EXTINGUISHING (on GROUND ONLY after 5 seconds)
–– EXTERNAL HORN will sound on ground as well
• Pushing APU FIRE PUSH pushbutton:
–– Arms SQUIBS
–– Closes APU FUEL SOV
–– Closes APU LCV
–– APU BOTTLE ARMED PUSH TO DISC light illuminates
–– Energizes APU fire shutoff relay – used to shut down APU

• APU BTL LO Caution Message indicates bottle has fully discharged

CARGO FIRE DETECTION AND EXTINGUISHING

• Two (2) smoke detectors installed in the ceiling of the cargo compartment which independently
monitor for smoke
• Detectors measure the reflectivity of light
• One detector required to detect smoke and to activate Warning
• When smoke reaches a predetermined level:
–– EICAS – SMOKE CARGO
–– “SMOKE” Aural Alert
–– Power AUTOMATICALLY removed from CARGO FAN and HEATER
–– Cargo AIR CONDITIONING is AUTOMATICALLY SHUT OFF
–– Cargo compartment is isolated (two possible reasons):
1. Fans or heaters possibly causing smoke
2. Need to contain Halon in compartment once discharged
• Two (2) Halon Extinguisher bottles:
–– One quick initial discharge
–– One slow METERED discharge with protection for 45 minutes
• Pressing BOTH CARGO FIREX – CARGO SMOKE PUSH lights:
–– Isolates cargo compartment
–– Stops heating and air conditioning
–– Closes ALL valves
–– Arms BOTH SQUIBS – illuminates BOTH BOTTLE ARMED PUSH TO DISCH
lights
• Pressing one or BOTH BOTTLE ARMED PUSH TO DISCH lights:
–– Fires SQUIBS and BOTH bottles
–– Hold lights until they go out
–– Both lights are connected – If either bottle loses pressure, both lights will go out

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 The CRJ200 Quicknotes Study Guide

–– CARGO BTL LO caution indicates that at least one of the bottles is out of pressure
–– If SMOKE dissipates, WARNING message will disappear

LAVATORY FIRE DETECTION AND EXTINGUISHING

• Single smoke detector is mounted on the lavatory ceiling
• A single Halon capsule is mounted in the lavatory waste receptacle
• When exposed to heat, the HEAT SENSITIVE CAPSULE melts and Halon is released
through a discharge tube into the waste bin
• If FIRE/SMOKE detected by smoke detector – SMOKE TOILET Caution Message on
EICAS
–– Treat as an EMERGENCY on takeoff roll prior to V1
–– Red warning on detector illuminates
• No AURAL alert associated with SMOKE TOILET
• Pressing the INTERRUPT switch on the detector:
–– Removes EICAS SMOKE TOILET Caution Message
–– Silences alarm horn on detector

MAIN LANDING GEAR (MLG) OVERHEAT DETECTION

• Single loop installed in each main wheel bin
• If an OVERHEAT is sensed:
–– MLG BAY OVERHEAT Warning Message on EICAS
–– “GEAR BAY OVERHEAT” aural alert
–– MASTER WARNING lights illuminate
• Most likely caused by a hot brake

CRJ700 SYSTEM DIFFERENCES

• Dual loop detection system that is essentially the same as the CRJ200
• FIDEEX control unit, same function as the FIREX detection control unit in the CRJ200
• New L (R) ENG SQB Caution Messages
• No “JETPIPE OVHT” message
• Low pressure turbine overheat will give same indication as an engine core fire
• Pylon overheat protection provided by:
–– Bleed air leak detection system
–– Cowl anti-ice leak detection system
• The APU is located in a fire proof titanium compartment in the tail cone
–– Dual loop detection system
–– Same automatic shutdown upon detection of APU fire as CRJ200
–– No external fire horn
–– New APU SQB Caution Message
• Fwd cargo bay has 3 smoke detectors, aft cargo bay has 2:
–– Warnings are presented when smoke is detected by at least one smoke detector in the aft or

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 The CRJ200 Quicknotes Study Guide

any two in the fwd cargo bay

• Fwd and aft bays share two fire bottles:
–– Small bottle depletes immediately
–– Large bottle depletes slowly (60 minutes of a suitable airport vs. 45 minutes in 50)
• Smoke in the cargo bay is indicated by:
–– SMOKE FWD (AFT) CARGO Warning Message
–– Master warning lights
–– “Smoke” aural warning
–– Illumination of the CARGO SMOKE PUSH switchlight (FWD or AFT) on the CARGO
FIREX control panel
• AFT or FWD CARGO SMOKE PUSH switchlight when selected:
–– Arms the extinguishing system
–– BOTTLE ARMED PUSH TO DISCH switchlight illuminates green
–– Closes the intake and exhaust shutoff valves
–– Shuts off the aft cargo bay heater
• One button tests all fire and smoke detection systems:
–– Left and right engines
–– APU
–– Forward and aft cargo bay
• To test system – the pilot selects and holds TEST pushbutton for two seconds then releases.

Successful Test
–– FIRE SYS OK advisory message
–– Red and green left and right engine and APU glare shield indications
–– Red and green CARGO FIREX control panel indications
–– No aural warnings or master warning lights

Unsuccessful Test
–– The absence of the “FIRE SYS OK” advisory message
–– The switchlight for the failed system does not illuminate

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