Ask Captain Lim ~ All about Aviation

Hi Capt Lim,

I am just back from my flights to Atlanta and return. Thanks to you. I enjoyed these flights very much! I am now a lot more confident even though one of the personal TV screens in the first class caught fire on the runway in Atlanta. We had to taxi back and had to wait for 3 hours before the CAA and FAA would let us fly! Both flights were very good and now I just have to overcome my jet lag.

One question, what would have happened if the TV screen had caught fire mid-flight?

Thanks for all your help!

John Wales.

Hi John,

I am not exactly sure if the personal TV screen did catch fire on the flight that you took. If it did, I am very surprised. What is more likely would be an electrical fire. If that happened in flight, the electrical source to the entertainment system would be switched off or isolated. This power source comes from a non-essential electrical system known as the utility bus-bar. Any subsequent fire that followed would more likely be a small one and can be put off quickly by the portable fire extinguisher in the aircraft cabin.