Abstract: The air sampling smoke detector (ASSD) system includes a sampling detector configured to detect smoke in an air flow, a pipe fluidly connected to the sampling detector. The pipe includes at least one aspiration orifice defined therein, and a variable flow restrictor covering the at least one aspiration opening and including an insert received therein. The insert has a restricted opening defined therethrough. The restricted opening provides fluid communication between the pipe and an exterior of the ASSD system. The insert being removable from the at least one aspiration orifice when the variable flow restrictor is heated above a predetermined temperature thereby providing an unrestricted opening providing fluid communication between the pipe and the exterior of the ASSD system. The unrestricted opening has a cross-sectional area greater than a cross-sectional area of the restricted opening.