Definition
Portable devices carried in the aircraft cabin or cockpit used to suppress small in-flight or on-ground fires by discharging a chemical agent (commonly Halon or a Halon replacement) that interrupts combustion. Aircraft fire extinguishers are sized and certified for use in enclosed cabin environments and are intended for fires involving electrical equipment, fuel, oil, or ordinary combustibles encountered in flight.
Plain English
Hand-held bottles in the aircraft that a pilot can grab and use to put out a small fire, such as one starting behind the instrument panel or in the cabin.
Context Anchor
Seen in aircraft emergency equipment checks, cockpit or cabin fire procedures, and discussions of in-flight or ground emergencies.
Derivation
From Latin extinguere, meaning to quench or put out. The device literally extinguishes (puts out) a fire.
Why Pilots Care
In-flight fires can spread rapidly and destroy control systems; having functional extinguishers allows immediate suppression to maintain aircraft control and reach a safe landing.
Intuition Check
Do not assume any fire extinguisher is safe for any fire. In aviation, the important point is having the correct, approved extinguisher for the kind of fire and using it only when it does not create a bigger danger.
Example Sentence 1
During preflight, the pilot checked that the fire extinguisher was charged, secured in its bracket, and within its inspection date.
Example Sentence 2
When smoke appeared from the instrument panel, the crew discharged the fire extinguisher into the affected area.