Fire Protection System

13.1 Overview
 Overview
The fire protection system on the Mi-8/17 consists of fire detection, warning, and
extinguishing systems. Thermocouples are used for fire detection and there are two
fire bottles for fire extinguishing. There are four “protected compartments” on the
aircraft: Left engine, right engine, main gearbox and APU, and the heater.
Additionally, the aircraft is equipped with two handheld portable fire extinguishers.
Depending on the aircraft variant, the fuel tanks may also be equipped with
polyurethane filler for explosion prevention.
Fire Protection System

13.2 Fire Detection and Warning

 Fire Detection and Warning
• Fire detection and warning for the aircraft is
provided by the SSP-FK (ССП-ФК) fire warning
system. This system consists of the following units:

• Three SSP-FK-BI (ССП-ФК-БИ) actuating units

• Forty-two DPS (ДПС) detectors

• The detectors are divided into 14 groups with 3

detectors per group. The detectors in each group
are connected in series to an actuating unit.

• Each actuating unit is capable of connecting up to

six groups of detectors, hence the requirement for
three actuating units.

• In the event that a fire is detected in one of the

protected compartments, a warning is generated
and the first fire bottle is automatically discharged.
 Fire Detectors
• The fire detectors DPS (ДПС) have a chromel-
alumel thermocouple which generates a small
voltage when heated rapidly.

• A single detector circuit on the Mi-8/17 consists

of three detectors in series, connecting to an
actuating unit.

• The detectors are mounted throughout the

aircraft on color-coded brackets. The color of the
bracket indicates which channel the detector is
part of.

• In many cases, the color is either missing from the

bracket, or the bracket is improperly painted. In
these cases, it is necessary to determine the
detector channel by cross-referencing the
detector’s wiring diagram identification with the
identification collar on the detector wiring harness.
 Fire Detectors
• The fourteen groups of
detectors are arranged
into six channels, which
are coded by color:

• Channel 1: Red
• Channel 2: Grey
• Channel 3: Green
• Channel 4: Blue
• Channel 5: Yellow
• Channel 6: Brown

• Each protected
compartment contains at
least two separate
channels of detectors in
order to provide
redundancy.
 Fire Detectors
• Channel 1 (Red) consists of
four groups of detectors,
protecting the left engine,
right engine, heater, and
main gearbox
compartments.

• Channel 2 (Grey) consists

of four groups of detectors,
protecting the left engine,
right engine, heater, and
main gearbox
compartments.

• Channel 3 (Green) consists

of three groups of detectors,
protecting the left engine,
right engine, and main
gearbox compartments.
 Fire Detectors
• Channel 1 (Blue) consists
of one group of detectors,
protecting main gearbox
compartment.

• Channel 2 (Yellow) consists

of one group of detectors,
protecting APU
compartment.

• Channel 3 (Brown) consists

of one group of detectors,
protecting the APU
compartment.
 Fire Detectors
• For reference, here is a lookup table to determine which detector identifications
match up with which detectors:

Channel 1 Channel 2 Channel 3 Channel 4 Channel 5 Channel 6

(Red) (Grey) (Green) (Blue) (Yellow) (Brown)

Left 50/9, 51/9, 53/9, 54/9, 56/9, 57/9,

Engine 52/9 55/9 58/9

Right 59/9, 60/9, 62/9, 63/9, 65/9, 66/9,

Engine 61/9 64/9 67/9

KO-50 107/9, 108/9, 110/9,

Heater 109/9 111/9, 112/9

APU/Main 79/9, 80/9, 82/9, 83/9, 85/9, 86/9, 88/9, 89/9, 91/9, 92/9, 94/9, 95/9,
Gearbox 81/9 84/9 87/9 90/9 93/9 96/9
 Actuating Units
• The Mi-8/17 has three actuating units installed for
the fire protection system, each capable of
handling up to six groups of detectors.

• On the Mi-8/17, two actuating units are

connected to six groups each, while the third unit
only connects to two groups.

• The actuating unit receives voltages generated by

the detector circuits. Any voltage received is
amplified and sent to a threshold device within the
unit. If the signal exceeds the limit in the threshold
device, the actuating unit supplies voltage to its
output circuit through a power relay amplifier.

• The output voltage from the actuating unit is used

to simultaneously initiate visual and audio
warnings in the cockpit, as well as initiate the
discharge of the main fire bottle.
 Actuating Units
• On the Mi-17V-5 and Mi-172KF, the
actuating units are located in the overhead
section in the cabin

• On the Mi-8MTV-1 and Mi-17-1V, the three

Frame 3
actuating units are located in a stack behind
the copilot’s seat.

Frame 4

Frame 5

Frame 7
 Fire Detection and Warning
• Control, warning, and testing of the fire protection system are provided in the
cockpit in the center of the overhead panel.
 Fire Detection and Warning
• When testing the fire detection system, the first step is always to make sure that the
rotary knob is in the OFF position, that the FIRE EXTING switch is in the TEST FIRE DET
position, and that the FIRE DET TEST light is illuminated.
 Fire Detection and Warning
• Turn the rotary knob to the CHANNEL 1 position.

• All four fire lights should illuminate: L ENG FIRE, R ENG FIRE, COMBUST HTR FIRE, and
APU GEAR FIRE. Additionally, the FIRE light on the pilot’s dashboard should illuminate
and flash.
 Fire Detection and Warning
• Turn the rotary knob to the CHANNEL 2 position.

• Again, all four fire lights should illuminate: L ENG FIRE, R ENG FIRE, COMBUST HTR
FIRE, and APU GEAR FIRE. Additionally, the FIRE light on the pilot’s dashboard should
illuminate and flash.
 Fire Detection and Warning
• Turn the rotary knob to the CHANNEL 3 position.

• Three fire lights should illuminate: L ENG FIRE, R ENG FIRE, and APU GEAR FIRE.
Additionally, the FIRE light on the pilot’s dashboard should illuminate and flash.
 Fire Detection and Warning
• Turn the rotary knob to the CHANNEL 4 position.

• Only one fire light should illuminate: APU GEAR FIRE. Additionally, the FIRE light on
the pilot’s dashboard should illuminate and flash.
 Fire Detection and Warning
• Turn the rotary knob to the CHANNEL 5 position.

• Only one fire light should illuminate: APU GEAR FIRE. Additionally, the FIRE light on
the pilot’s dashboard should illuminate and flash.
 Fire Detection and Warning
• Turn the rotary knob to the CHANNEL 6 position.

• Only one fire light should illuminate: APU GEAR FIRE. Additionally, the FIRE light on
the pilot’s dashboard should illuminate and flash.
 Fire Detection and Warning
• To test the squib channels, move the TEST SQUIBS switch to the “II” position and
verify that none of the MAIN DISCH or ALTN DISCH lights illuminate. Return the TEST
SQUIBS switch to the “I” position and again verify that none of the MAIN DISCH or
ALTN DISCH lights illuminate. If any of the discharge lights illuminate, it indicates a
failure in one of the squib circuits.
 Fire Detection and Warning
• During aircraft startup, after the channel selector knob has been verified in the OFF
position, the FIRE EXTING switch is placed in the up position. The FIRE DET TEST light
extinguishes and the system is ready for operation. WARNING: Moving the channel
test selector knob to any of the six channel positions with the FIRE EXTING switch in
the up position will result in the activation of the main fire bottle.
Fire Protection System

13.3 Fire Extinguishing

 Fire Extinguishing
• The fire extinguishing system is
made up of the following:

• Two fire bottles (main and

alternate)

• Piping to transport extinguishing

agent to the protected
compartments

• Sprayers in each protected

compartments to dispense the
extinguishing agent.

• There are also two handheld fire

extinguishers in the aircraft. One is
located at the left front of the
cabin, and the other is located at
the right rear of the cabin.
 Fire Bottles
• The aircraft is equipped with two fire
bottles, a main fire bottle and an alternate
fire bottle.

• The bottles have a capacity of 4 liters, and

are charged with 5.64 kg (roughly 2.6 liters)
of Chladon 114B2 and compressed air or
nitrogen. The air or nitrogen is compressed
to 105 to 115 kg/cm2 (1493-1636 psi) at 20-
25°C (59-68°F) and provides the pressure to
deliver the agent to the affected
compartment.

• Other names for Chladon 114B2 include

Freon 114B2, Halon 114B2, and Halon 2402.

• The bottles have a thermal relief valve that

activates when the pressure inside the
bottles reaches 200±20 kg/cm2 (2845±285 psi).
 Fire Bottles
• The fire bottles are mounted on the right side of the main gearbox deck. The main
fire bottle is forward and the alternate fire bottle is aft.

• Each bottle contains a siphon pipe that allows the liquid extinguishing agent to be
forced out of the bottle by the pressurized air or nitrogen. From the siphon pipe, the
agent is directed through a pipeline and to the sprayers of the affected compartment.

Alternate Fire Bottle

Main Fire Bottle

 Fire Bottles
• Each fire bottle has four valves, corresponding to each of the four protected
compartments.

• Each valve has two electrically fired squib cartridges that allow the valve to open
under spring pressure.

• Once a valve is opened, the fire bottle completely discharges within 1.3 seconds.
 Pipelines and Sprayers
• The pipelines and sprayers of the fire protection system are all made of stainless
steel and are painted with red enamel.

• The sprayers are drilled with 0.8 mm holes in such a way as to provide the protected
compartment with an optimal dispersion of fire extinguishing agent.
Fire Protection System

13.4 Operation
 Fire Detection and Warning
• In the event of a fire (in this example, in the right engine compartment), the fire light
for the affected compartment will illuminate, and the main fire bottle will
automatically discharge, illuminating the MAIN DISCH light for that compartment.
Also, the FIRE light on the pilot’s dashboard will illuminate.
 Fire Detection and Warning
• If the fire was successfully extinguished by the discharge of the main fire bottle, the
fire light on the fire extinguishing system control panel will go out. The discharge light
will remain illuminated to show that the main fire bottle has been discharged. The
FIRE light on the pilot’s dashboard remains illuminated until the FIRE WARN OFF
button is pressed.
 Fire Detection and Warning
• If the fire was NOT successfully extinguished by the discharge of the main fire bottle,
the fire light on the fire extinguishing system control panel will remain illuminated. In
this case, it is necessary to manually discharge the alternate fire bottle by pressing the
ALTN DISCH button corresponding to the affected compartment. The ALTN DISCH light
will illuminate to show that the alternate fire bottle has been discharged.
 Fire Detection and Warning
• If the fire was successfully extinguished by the discharge of the alternate fire bottle,
the fire light on the fire extinguishing system control panel will go out. The discharge
lights will remain illuminated to show that both fire bottles have been discharged. The
FIRE light on the pilot’s dashboard remains illuminated until the FIRE WARN OFF
button is pressed.
Fire Protection System

End of Presentation