The A320 fire protection system detects and suppresses fires in engines, APU, and cargo compartments. Each engine has two fire extinguisher bottles, APU has one bottle, and cargo compartments have smoke detection. Understanding fire detection loops, extinguisher discharge procedures, and ECAM actions is critical for type rating.
Fire Detection Zones
- Engine 1 & 2: Dual loop fire detection in each engine nacelle
- APU: Fire detection loop in APU compartment
- Main Cargo: Smoke detection
- Forward Cargo: Smoke detection
- Lavatory: Smoke detector with automatic extinguisher
Fire Extinguishing
Engine fire procedure: ENG FIRE pushbutton (isolates engine, arms bottles), discharge AGENT 1, if fire continues discharge AGENT 2. APU fire: automatic shutdown on ground, manual shutdown in flight. Cargo fire: discharge halon into cargo compartment, descend and land ASAP.