Click pic to bask in the geekiness of this bucket of bolts
[Link fixed above]
For those who haven’t heard of the A380, it’s currently the largest airliner in the world. For those who wish to buy one, I think you can order one on-line from the Airbus website. Not sure if they take all credit cards, though. And if you do, or just plan on flying on someone else’s, you might want to check out how to evacuate one quickly:
From the YouTube description:
Hamburg, Germany, 26 March 2006. With only 8 of the 16 exits opened, the task for this evacuation certification was to get 853 passengers and 20 crew out of the plane within 90 seconds. This all happened in darkness, with only cabin emergency lights switched on. The footage is from night vision cameras. The crew and passengers did not know which exits would be blocked.
853 passengers is just the maximum number in a single-class economy configuration. The typical three-class configuation will be able to carry 525 passengers.
The regulations say that in this test:
– 35% must be aged over 50,
– a minimum 40% must be female,
– 15% female and over 50.They did it!
In 1:17 – that is 77 seconds.
Click pic appears to be roken
I just got an idea for a new TV game show:
Who wants to be a Ninja Airplane Evacuee?
Now all they have to do is before you crash let everyone in on it ahead of time. Give them numbered vests. Pull into a hanger and have all the support personal waiting.
HOLY CRAP!! Talk about mass exodus. That’s a lot of people.
Can’t tell from looking, but that seat cushion looks a bit thin and flat—surely it can’t be as uncomfortable as it looks.
Ernest K. Gann’s take on the DC3 (American Airlines, 1936), on first seeing that incredible airplane, “Do you think we’ll ever be able to fly anything this big?”
The fly-by-wire A380 is certificated for Cat III-C ILS (full autoland) and will certainly be upgraded for LAAS when it becomes available (GPS autoland).
Geez, I’ll bet a pilot could just punch in the destination at the jetway, sit back and watch.
Embraer 145 auto landing, Cat II ILS in fog. This would just about make my pants damp:
Way cool find, Uncle Dave!
The regulations say that in this test:
– 35% must be aged over 50,
– a minimum 40% must be female,
– 15% female and over 50.
Suggested additions:
– 11% must have had the maximum alchohol service.
– 17% should have ipod or noise canceling headphones that render them nearly deaf.
– 37% must attempt to retrieve their carry-on luggage.
– 100% should be lightly pepper sprayed.
– Smoke and fire should be present.
Now that would be a test.
Are those freaking cup holders i see in there?
For something that big, where the eff are all the cup holders? Surely on long haul flights, they would expect the crew to want to have a coffee.
It appears that the door does not have the required anti kick-in bar installed. The plane must be destined for a non-us air carrier or the door is thicker than it appears.
Since it looks like there are only joysticks instead of yokes are the Pilots all supposed to be left handed and the co pilots right handed?
#7
The regulations say that in this test:
– 35% must be aged over 50,
– a minimum 40% must be female,
– 15% female and over 50.
Suggested additions:
– 11% must have had the maximum alchohol service.
– 17% should have ipod or noise canceling headphones that render them nearly deaf.
– 37% must attempt to retrieve their carry-on luggage.
– 100% should be lightly pepper sprayed.
– Smoke and fire should be present.
Now that would be a test.
More suggestions:
30% should have a traveling companion that they HAVE to stay attached to
15% should be under age 12
8% should be trying to climb over the seats to get to the exit doors
10% should be screaming at the top of their lungs
4% should immediately fall and block the aisle
3% should be fighting with another passenger
Now that’s reality!
I wish they use that procedure during regular landings. Last time I flew, 15 minutes after arriving at the gate, passengers were still blocking the aisles pulling stuff from overhead bins, etc.
The center screen appears to show a live view of the top side of the airplane. Does the A380 have a video camera mounted in the vertical stabilizer?
#10: Since it looks like there are only joysticks instead of yokes are the Pilots all supposed to be left handed and the co pilots right handed?
A friend of mine who pilots an Airbus (not the 380 but whatever-other-model-it-is-that-has-joysticks told me it’s tricky converting between left and right seats. “It’s like a gigantic video game,” was his description of sitting in the simulator for the first time.
Few things in life have made me regret not becoming a pilot more than that cockpit shot. It makes the flight deck of the STS Orbiter look like a Beechcraft Bonanza by comparison. (OK, not rilly, but you get my point) 🙂
More Suggestions ….
One of the big problems is that everyone one knows it’s a test. I remember hearing about one test where they announced that the first 20 people off the plane get $1,000.
The results where more in-line with how actual evacuees describe their experiences. You know, the kind experience where the first 20 people off the plane get to live.
#13 – Joe
Indeed, that is the camera that’s mounted high in the tail. I remember seeing a documentary on the A380 where the power cable to the camera was long enough but the fiber-optic link from the cockpit was short by an inch or two at the camera end. Doh !!!
Toss the thing in some water, and see how fast they get off…I am sure they could break less than 50 seconds.
I just wish I could GET ON A PLANE half that fast!
I’ll bet in their test that didn’t use any fat asses that have to be driven through the airport on a cart because they’re too fat to walk. There is nothing worse than sitting in an isle seat and getting slammed into by 400lbs. of cellulite. Well, I take that back – the guys that carry their bags over their shoulder and behind them and smack everyone in the head as they pass, watch for my Bic pen dragging over you as you go by.
#7 (Perry Noiya) & #11 (Libertican)
Add to that:
– 2% are Muslim terrorists.
– 59% are fundamental Christians who believe in the rapture.
Let’s see how many make it to the doors with those folks onboard.