Viscount724 From Switzerland, joined Oct 2006, 21679 posts, RR: 23 Reply 1, posted (6 months 23 hours ago) and read 1543 times:
Quoting fanofjets (Thread starter): Why did the KLM DC-8-50 series aircraft have only one overwing emergency exit on each side?
Your first photo is an early DC-8-32, not a DC-8-50. You repeat the same photo further down, referring to it as one of KLM's "later airframes", but it was actually one of the earliest.
Quoting fanofjets (Thread starter): And the Jet Traders apparently had an extra overwing exit added later on, in addition to another exit behind the wing on each side:
As far as I know, all DC-8-50F combis (with main deck cargo door) had the extra exits behind the wing. It was needed if the overwing exit(s) were in front of the cargo/passenger divider when the aircraft was operated in mixed cargo-passenger configuration. UA's all-passenger DC-8-62s also had that additional exit behind the wing although it wasn't really needed. The largest-selling 707 model, the -320C also had similar exits behind the wing in addition to the overwing exits for the same reason.
I have no idea why some of the KL DC-8s only had one overwing exit. Obviously it miust have complied with the evacuation requirements at the time. Douglas offered many different DC-8 cabin/window arrangements, especially on the -60 series models.
KELPkid From United States of America, joined Nov 2005, 5962 posts, RR: 4 Reply 2, posted (6 months 21 hours ago) and read 1513 times:
Quoting Viscount724 (Reply 1): I have no idea why some of the KL DC-8s only had one overwing exit. Obviously it miust have complied with the evacuation requirements at the time. Douglas offered many different DC-8 cabin/window arrangements, especially on the -60 series models.
Maybe differing regulations between Holland and the US concerning evacuation requirements? I recall BA deactivated a set of doors on their 747's (back in the day) because under UK CAA regulations at the time, they were not necessary. US operators required all of the doors that the 747 came with to be active to comply with regulations...
As late as the 767, Boeing was offering different door configurations to different operators. AFAIK, though, all door configurations on the 767 comply with US FAR's concerning evacuation requirements (at least at the time of the 767's certification).
Celebrating the birth of KELPkidJR on August 5, 2009 :-)
Viscount724 From Switzerland, joined Oct 2006, 21679 posts, RR: 23 Reply 3, posted (5 months 4 weeks ago) and read 1332 times:
Quoting KELPkid (Reply 2): I recall BA deactivated a set of doors on their 747's (back in the day) because under UK CAA regulations at the time, they were not necessary.
Not just BA. KL, CX and TG also sealed up the overwing doors on 742s and 743s and installed additional seats in those areas.
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