Airfoilsguy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Posted (6 years 7 months 2 weeks 5 days 4 hours ago) and read 7617 times:
The below photo of the emergency slide on the 747 looks kind of scary. Can a passenger go down that and not break bones? Will the A380s be of the same design? I am sure if it was between death by fire, and taking the slide, I would take the slide, but there has to be a better design.
Newark777 From United States of America, joined Dec 2004, 9348 posts, RR: 33 Reply 2, posted (6 years 7 months 2 weeks 5 days 4 hours ago) and read 7595 times:
The point isn't to have a fun ride down a slide. It's to get to the ground as fast as possible, while limiting injuries. I may sprain my ankle, but it is far better than burning alive trying to get out through the bottom level.
2H4 From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 8950 posts, RR: 62 Reply 3, posted (6 years 7 months 2 weeks 5 days 3 hours ago) and read 7594 times:
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IIRC, when the Gimli Glider (Air Canada flight 143) ran out of fuel, glided to an abandoned airstrip, and screeched to a stop with a collapsed nose gear, the only injuries occured on the evacuation slides.
I suspect this was a result of the nose gear being collapsed. The rearward section of the airplane was higher than normal, so the slides hung at an angle that was steeper than normal.
I've stood at an open door on a 747 upper deck, and I can tell you...the main exit would have to be blocked by a wall of flames for me to jump.
Lemurs From United States of America, joined Mar 2005, 1439 posts, RR: 4 Reply 4, posted (6 years 7 months 2 weeks 5 days 3 hours ago) and read 7579 times:
Quoting 2H4 (Reply 3): I've stood at an open door on a 747 upper deck, and I can tell you...the main exit would have to be blocked by a wall of flames for me to jump.
I wonder how many of the 34 injuries that occured during the max-pax evac test on the A388 came from the upper deck slides versus lower. I don't think I've ever seen it spelled out...perhaps intentionally?
There are 10 kinds of people in the world; those who understand binary, and those that don't.
2H4 From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 8950 posts, RR: 62 Reply 5, posted (6 years 7 months 2 weeks 5 days 3 hours ago) and read 7554 times:
AIRLINERS.NET CREW HEAD DATABASE EDITOR
Quoting Lemurs (Reply 4): I wonder how many of the 34 injuries that occured during the max-pax evac test on the A388 came from the upper deck slides versus lower. I don't think I've ever seen it spelled out...perhaps intentionally?
Good question. I'd love to see the data.
Slightly off-topic...does anyone know whether the A380's upper deck slides will the have covered 90-degree corners at the top? There was talk of including them to prevent evacuees from seeing the view down until they've already jumped onto the slide.
KELPkid From United States of America, joined Nov 2005, 5932 posts, RR: 4 Reply 6, posted (6 years 7 months 2 weeks 5 days 3 hours ago) and read 7554 times:
Question...(relating, to the photo). In a freighter, who arms the evac slides? I realize that in a 747, the upper doors are *always* armed, but in every other airliner model, this has to be an issue...
Celebrating the birth of KELPkidJR on August 5, 2009 :-)
Airfoilsguy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 7, posted (6 years 7 months 2 weeks 5 days 3 hours ago) and read 7534 times:
I would think a better design would be some kind of tube with an huge inflated pillow at the bottom. Like the kind you see kids bouncing on at carnivals
Quoting Newark777 (Reply 2): It's to get to the ground as fast as possible, while limiting injuries
The slide shown above is almost at a 90 degree angle to the ground with a very little lip or landing zone at the bottom. I don't see how anyone can go down that with out injury.
Newark777 From United States of America, joined Dec 2004, 9348 posts, RR: 33 Reply 9, posted (6 years 7 months 2 weeks 5 days 1 hour ago) and read 7417 times:
Quoting Airfoilsguy (Reply 7):
The slide shown above is almost at a 90 degree angle to the ground with a very little lip or landing zone at the bottom. I don't see how anyone can go down that with out injury.
I really doubt it's close to 90 degrees. It's probably steep, but not that bad.
Starlionblue From Hong Kong, joined Feb 2004, 15870 posts, RR: 66 Reply 10, posted (6 years 7 months 2 weeks 5 days 1 hour ago) and read 7373 times:
Quoting 2H4 (Reply 3):
I suspect this was a result of the nose gear being collapsed. The rearward section of the airplane was higher than normal, so the slides hung at an angle that was steeper than normal.
Correct for the Gimli Glider.
It is an accepted "fact" not widely advertized by the airlines that an evacuation will probably involve a couple of sprains and maybe a broken bone or two. These are seen as preferable to the alternatives. You know, the charred flesh and stuff...
"There are no stupid questions, but there are a lot of inquisitive idiots." - from Citadel by John Ringo
Flyer732 From Namibia, joined Nov 1999, 1334 posts, RR: 27 Reply 11, posted (6 years 7 months 2 weeks 5 days 1 hour ago) and read 7369 times:
Quoting KELPkid (Reply 6): Question...(relating, to the photo). In a freighter, who arms the evac slides? I realize that in a 747, the upper doors are *always* armed, but in every other airliner model, this has to be an issue...
FredT From United Kingdom, joined Feb 2002, 2184 posts, RR: 26 Reply 12, posted (6 years 7 months 2 weeks 5 days ago) and read 7357 times:
You are being tricked by the optics of the camera.
When using a telephoto lens, the objects depicted appear compressed along the direction in which the photo is taken, i e flatter than they actually are. This makes the angle of the slide appear a lot steeper than it actually is.
That, however, does not change the fact that a few injuries are expected during any emergency evac. That's why they are a bit reluctant to blow the horn at times. They know that there'll be a broken bone or two, a few broken wrists, hips, sprained ankles etc.
Rgds,
/Fred
I thought I was doing good trying to avoid those airport hotels... and look at me now.
Legoguy From United Kingdom, joined Jun 2006, 3301 posts, RR: 44 Reply 13, posted (6 years 7 months 2 weeks 5 days ago) and read 7349 times:
I would imagine elderly people would have abit of a problem even thinking about going down that slide. I can picture an elderly granny standing at the top, repeating over and over that she can't go down. She would end up holding people back up behind her and the flight attendant can not really just push her down.
Which makes me wonder, is there any rules about flying on the upper deck of a 747?
In case there is an emergency, all people on the top deck should be able to, if required, go down the steep emergency slide without much thought.
Can you say 'Beer Can' without sounding like a Jamaican saying 'Bacon'?
Lemurs From United States of America, joined Mar 2005, 1439 posts, RR: 4 Reply 14, posted (6 years 7 months 2 weeks 5 days ago) and read 7346 times:
Quoting Starlionblue (Reply 10): It is an accepted "fact" not widely advertized by the airlines that an evacuation will probably involve a couple of sprains and maybe a broken bone or two. These are seen as preferable to the alternatives. You know, the charred flesh and stuff...
Yup, there have to be standards for that stuff when evaluating the evacuation methods for the planes, etc...I am pretty sure the acceptable maximum in a drill is 5%. That means the 34 injured pax on the A380 are well below the threshold for how many were in the plane (almost 900?)...a pretty impressive showing considering you had hundreds of people falling from many feet up in the air from that second deck. Good job on Airbus.
There are 10 kinds of people in the world; those who understand binary, and those that don't.
Newark777 From United States of America, joined Dec 2004, 9348 posts, RR: 33 Reply 16, posted (6 years 7 months 2 weeks 5 days ago) and read 7331 times:
Quoting Legoguy (Reply 13): She would end up holding people back up behind her and the flight attendant can not really just push her down.
If I see flames, grandma is getting a nice firm kick in the ass, and isn't going to have a choice.
TEBguy From United States of America, joined Feb 2005, 255 posts, RR: 1 Reply 21, posted (6 years 7 months 2 weeks 4 days 23 hours ago) and read 7288 times:
wow
and i thought on campus parking was bad.
Remember, taking off is optional, landing is mandatory.
AirWillie6475 From United States of America, joined Jan 2005, 2448 posts, RR: 1 Reply 22, posted (6 years 7 months 2 weeks 4 days 23 hours ago) and read 7276 times:
Things such as the slide up there are tested over and over again, they don't just put an inflatable slide and hope for the best.
2H4 From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 8950 posts, RR: 62 Reply 24, posted (6 years 7 months 2 weeks 4 days 23 hours ago) and read 7271 times:
AIRLINERS.NET CREW HEAD DATABASE EDITOR
Quoting ThrottleHold (Reply 15): That's a bit of a dramatic title!! Do you write headlines for the FOX Channel by any chance?
The title of this thread is, in my opinion, one of the single greatest thread titles I've ever seen on A.net.
2H4
Intentionally Left Blank
25 Airfoilsguy: That one dosen't look so bad. That is histerical. Sort of a new meaning to adding insult to injury
26 Tod: Didn't some granny break her neck in a Douglas evac test about 20 years ago? Tod
27 N600RR: ...Sounds more like something from Mythbusters Hmmm, well the slide part looks tame enough, but going off the end...
28 Starlionblue: As Newark777 points out, granny would get a kick in the bum. To quote well known pointy eared science officer: "Sometimes the needs of the many outwe
30 2H4: Come to think of it, that was the other main cause of injuries on the Gimli Glider evac. Apparently, there's enough friction to cause very severe bur
31 MarkHKG: For the record, the UD slide in the picture was NOT opened by the cabin crew. It was opened by maintence personnel after the evacuation had taken pla
32 Skookum: At least lube it up with some lav blue-goo first.
33 Kaddyuk: I've been down a B744 UD Slide Before, its fast, but not dangerous... Not in the slightest... If you keep your whits about you and put your feet down
34 MD11Engineer: Anybody know the inertia reels attached to the cockpit emergency hatch of the 747 (UPS used them also for their 757s)? You were supposed to don a harn
35 2H4: I think that's the same equipment used by Batman. 2H4
36 Airfoilsguy: Great photos, I have been waiting to see what the A380 slides look like. They don't look any worse then those big slides you see at the fair.
37 HAWK21M: It all depends on the correct method used for Jumping on the slide. regds MEL
38 MarkHKG: Check out the A380 evacuation trial video too... http://www.a380.singaporeair.com/gallery_home.html#
39 Pygmalion: The 747 also had only a hand reel, no diaper/harness. You grab on and slide down the side of the fuselage. I think they are all the same. Its still b