Transcript of Hearing 12/12/97 - TWA Flight 800 Investigation

1238123knowledge base into the petrochemical industry andnuclear industry. But, we have not done a lot at thispoint.4CHAIRMAN HALL:Well, my brother is a5678chemical engineer. He went, unfortunately, toVanderbilt University.(Laughter. )I went to the University of Tennessee, but he910has been talking to me sinceChairman about this accident,–– everybody talks to theand I am pleased to hear111213you are going to pursue those things, because he thinksthere are things that might be able to be learned fromthe refining and chemical industries.14MR. BIRKY:The interesting thing, I think,151617181920from the chemical industry is they start with a littlebit of a different philosophy or premise; they cannotdesign out all ignition sources, so they have to takesome other action.I wonder if that philosophy would beapplicable in this environment we are talking about.21so,I am suggesting we might look at removing all22electrical systems from a tank, for example.23WITNESS THOMAS:We have talked about that.24As I said, we have talked about going to non-electrical25FQIS fuel gaging systems.We have talked about non–CAPITAL HILL REPORTING, INC.(202) 466-9500