CABIN SAFETY EQUIPMENTS

CABIN SAFETY EQUIPMENTS

There is various cabin safety equipment located throughout the aircraft compartment. This safety equipment includes:

A. Torches and flashlights: The hand held torches and flashlights are installed as a movable light source. They are used if bad light conditions occur during an on-board emergency. The flashlights are battery operated and you can easily replace the batteries.

B. Crash/Emergency Axe, Crow bar: The crash/emergency axe is used to cut through light structures, panels and windows to get access or exit in an emergency. The insulated handle is resistant to high voltages.

In an emergency the crowbar can be used to open doors that do not move freely, or remove panels for access or exit.

C. Emergency Location Transmitter/ Beacon: The emergency location transmitter /beacon has:

(i)                 a water-activated battery,

(ii)               a self erecting antenna,

(iii)             a lenyard,

(iv)             a special water bag,

(v)               an anti-freeze bat,

(vi)             a wet indicator.

D. Protective Gloves: The protective gloves are made of materials that are resistant to heat. They are supplied for use in fire emergencies and to handle overheated equipment.

E. Safety Instruction Card: A safety instruction card is put in the rear pocket of each passenger seat. The card shows the passenger, with the aid of illustrations:

(i)                 take-off and landing procedures,

(ii)               emergency exit and escape slide locations,

(iii)             emergency landing procedures,

(iv)             use of oxygen mask,

(v)               floor level escape route markings,

(vi)             use of life vest.

F. Escape slides and ropes/life lines, rafts:

Escape slide: Escape slide offers a means of escape from an aircraft usually under emergency conditions, when the normal means of evacuation, such as stairs, are not available.

Some escape slides are inflatable and some are non-inflatable. Both are stowed in their appropriate stowage compartments but operational aspects are different.

Non-inflatable escape slide: A webbing harness behind the centre roof panels in the forward vestibule retains the escape slide packs. Each pack consists of a slide assembly, a telescopic anchorage bar, handles and restraining tapes.

The slide assembly is fabricated from a continuous filament nylon material, made in to two single thickness side panels and double-thickness centre panel. The centre panel incorporates a foam rubber pad at one end. See Figure. 3.5    

Inflatable escape slide: In many types of aircraft, escape chutes or slides are of the inflatable type as shown in Figure 3.7 The slide is packed in a valise and comprises two parallel anti-static neoprene proofed fabric tubes linked and spaced apart by transverse tubes, The slide path is an anti-static neoprene proofed fabric sheet which links the two parallel tubes and merges into the head and foot transverse tubes. A transverse tube at the foot of the slide provides cushioning when the slide is at a high angle and assists persons evacuating to regain their feet when the angle is moderate. The upper transverse tube supplements the sill of the aircraft doorway assists with boarding and ensures that the slide when inflated is at right angles to the fore and aft line in the aircraft.

Compressed air for inflating the slide is stored in a cylinder on the underside of the slide. The cylinder is fitted with a valve and operating head connected by a flexible hose to an inflator through which the compressed air is admitted to the slide. An attachment bar at the end of the slide secures it to the aircraft. In the unlikely event of the slide failing to inflate it can still be used un-inflated. For this purpose suitable handholds are provided open each side of the slide at its lower end any by means of which ground personnel can stabilize the lower end during operation. The slide packed in its valise is normally stowed adjacent to the aircraft doorway. The arrangement is one whereby an attachment bar is secured at its lower end to a pivot attachment on the cabin floor.

The upper end of the attachment bar is secured to a quick-release fitting on the cabin wall. To operate the slide the upper end of the attachment bar is released from its attachment and the entire valise pivoted to the left until it lies on the floor and across the aircraft doorway. The free end of the attachment bar is then engaged with another fitting on the cabin floor. Removing a strip, which secures the flaps of the valise, opens the valise. As the operator pulls the operating cable and pushes the valise out of the doorway the slide rapidly inflates.  It is necessary is some other types for life rafts to be carried on board. A typical life raft shown in the ready for use condition is illustrated in Figure 3.6. It consists of two buoyancy chambers with an inflatable boarding ramp, an automatically erected canopy and a manually inflated floor. It is fitted with stabilizing water pockets, and other associated equipment such as lifelines, position light, paddles etc. Rafts can be stowed in a pannier located in the aircraft structure (normally a wing) or in a fabric valise stowed in the fuselage. Inflation is by CO₂ gas and is carried out automatically when the raft is released. Dinghies are small boat like rafts that may be installed in the cabin as survival equipment.

Escape Rope: Escape ropes are used by the cabin crew for evacuation during emergencies. It is made of Nylon. It has a handle to grip and through out its length there are Nylon moulding knot for easy descending of the cabin crews. It is installed above the side windows of the cockpit and beside the slide.

Rafts: Some slides /chutes are configured to use as rafts after deployment. They are slide rafts. A slide rafts is stowed in its valise adjacent to the passenger, over-wing and emergency doors/exits. After deployment, it is disconnected from the girt bar to float on seawater to be used as a raft.

It consists of two buoyancy chambers with an inflatable boarding ramp, an automatically erected canopy and a manually inflated floor. It is fitted with stabilizing water pockets, and other associated equipment such as lifelines, position light, paddles etc.

Rafts can be stowed in pannier located in the aircraft structure (normally a wing) or in fabric valves stowed in the fuselage. Inflammation is by CO₂ gas and is carried out automatically when the raft is released. Figure 3.6 illustrates a raft.

G. Portable oxygen: A typical portable oxygen set consists of an alloy steel light weight oxygen cylinder fitted with a combined flow control/reducing valve and a pressure gauge, a breathing mask with flexible connecting tube and a carrying strap. The charged cylinder pressure is usually 1800 ib/in². The capacity of the sets varies but a size commonly used Contains 120 litres. Depending on the type of set, it is normally possible to select at least two rates of flow. Normal and High.  With some sets three flow selections are possible i.e. 'Normal' 'High and Emergency which would correspond to flow rates of 2.4 and 10 litres/ minute with endurance under these flow rates of 60, 30 and 12 minutes respectively for a cylinder of 120 litre capacity. Portable oxygen bottles are located in stowage compartment of each passenger compartment as well as cockpit compartment.