Meggitt Safety Systems’ fire systems play vital role in Airbus A380 maiden flight

May 18, 2005

Meggitt Safety Systems, a unit of the Meggitt Aerospace Equipment Group, has played a vital role in the recent maiden flight of the Airbus A380. The world’s largest commercial airliner, Airbus’ double-decker platform is protected by Meggitt’s monitors.

The Meggitt Safety Systems installed products monitor the A380 to ensure that even the slightest change in conditions can be dealt with quickly, providing an extreme high level of safety during operating conditions.

Meggitt is providing the fire, overheat detection system for the engines, main landing gear and the auxiliary power unit. The system comprises a microcomputer based controller (FDU), analogue to digital converter module (CM) and fire/overheat detectors. The detectors’ outputs are digitized by the CM’s and pass along a Can databus to the FDU, which in turn provides status information to the on-board central maintenance computer.

The system, which is vital to the safety of the aircraft, detects fire events and warns the crew. In-flight, it monitors the fire extinguishing system on the engines, main landing gear and auxiliary power unit. On ground, it controls the auxiliary power unit extinguishing system.

Other Meggitt companies have contributed a large number of products for the Airbus A380 that increase the aircraft’s flight safety. These products include: engine condition monitoring systems, wheels and brakes, engine heat exchangers, air oil separators and airframe seals.

Meggitt PLC group has been a big supporter of the Airbus platform and Meggitt’s many divisions have numerous parts installed that increase the safety of flight.

ENDS

EUROPE
Tim Figg, Meggitt European Director
Office: +44 1234 210115
Mobile: +44 7712 880429
timothy.figg@meggitt.com

US
Phil Myers
Telephone: (001) 661 288 0084
Fax: (001) 661 288 0304
Mobile: (001) 310 422 6292
phil34@earthlink.net