I sent the following e-mail to some University engineering graduate students requesting information on electrical arcing, in respect to their studying improving circuit breakers to solve the basic problem of in-flight electrical fires. I am including copies to the ATSRAC Committee, Boeing, DoT/FAA, NTSB, Media contacts and other Air Industry personnel.

Since it appears Boeing went out of their way to influence the ATSRAC Committee, DoT/FAA and NTSB, not to have a work study project on studying WIRE TYPES, in contrast to what knowledgeable Boeing engineers; Alex Taylor, Asok Bhattachauya, and Issa Ghoreisha have known about aircraft wiring, I felt obligated to give them true Facts. This is what I received and my answer that I sent them:

>> We are really indebted with your prompt reply. Some views were really thought
provoking. Mr. Price we are looking into details such as:

a) Signatures of current and voltage during arcing.
b) Techniques or algorithms used by arc fault circuit breakers to detect
the faults.
c) Process involved for differentiating current and voltages during the
transient phase or steady state or arcing phase.

Using this information we are investigating if we could figure out whether, the fault is present on the wire or on the system (motor, as we are experimenting with this). And is it possible to locate the fault?

We would really appreciate if you could share the information relating to the
above topics with us. This information could be vital in us cracking the problem. <<

>> My reply: Let's take your item (a) Signatures of current and voltage during arcing. Why I took the position that I did regarding circuit breakers is that you have to know what is happening during ARC TRACKING. The INSULATION MATERIAL of the aircraft wire has to have been penetrated on two of the wires or one of the wires and an electrical ground near by (Structure). Electrical energy TRACKS ACROSS the INSULATION MATERIAL until the TRACKS GET DEEPER and ONE BARE WIRE is looking at the other BARE WIRE or STRUCTURE and at the next electrical arc across the wires or wire to structure, sets off an ARC FLASHOVER (SHORT CIRCUIT).

Now if the CHEMICAL CONSTRUCTED INSULATION MATERIAL is like KAPTON, X-link Tefzel, Poly-X, PVC or other types of older wire material, the material becomes a FUEL for an ELECTRICAL IN-FLIGHT FIRE. If the insulation material is TKT, you still get an electrical flashover but NO FIRE.

As the arc tracking proceeds, the insulation material HEATS UP and RELEASES SMALL AMOUNTS OF CHEMICAL GASES of the insulation material. If the gases released contain OXYGEN, HYDROGEN and other gas types, they are ignited by the electrical arcs until eventually you get ONE BIG ARC (EXPLOSION) and a flashover. Take an electronic temperature monitor and measure the heat of the area where the arcing is taking place. The more current being carried like a main power bus, the larger the EXPLOSION.

That is the reason why I maintain that the CHEMICAL CONSTRUCTION of the INSULATION MATERIAL is the BASIC PROBLEM period! Why it is necessary to study DIFFERENT WIRE TYPES. Anything that Boeing, DoT/FAA and the whole Air Industry try to divert attention AWAY from discussing wire types is just PROLONGING what's been happening for the past three decades.

Sure, circuit breakers can & should be made better!

But unless you can prevent the wire insulation material from being penetrated, you will ALWAYS be faced with electrical arcing for ANY TYPE of WIRE whether it's on airplanes, cars, buses, boats, in electrical vaults underneath the street or anyplace, where wire is carrying electrical energy.

For you to live and experience quality of living, BLOOD has to circulated throughout your body. For an airplane to fly safe, it has to have electrical energy circulating throughout it's body. Anything that an engineer can do to ensure the safety of the airplane and people onboard would be, to design a CHEMICAL CONSTRUCTED AIRCRAFT WIRE that prevents IN-FLIGHT ELECTRICAL FIRES like BMS 13-60!

I hope that I have been able to describe the basic problem to you and show you how the basic problem must be solved.

Patrick <<

New and faster circuit breakers will not solve the basic problem.

That was Patrick Price, aircraft wiring expert.