"Cut here in emergency"

It occurs to me that I don’t know of any accident where cutting along the dotted line was both necessary and possible.
Has anyone ever seen it done?

We have tried this with the standard issue fire axe ,,,nigh on impossible ,,even if you get through the outer skin you have hatbins and interior trim to contend with,,even with a petrol cutter in the mayhem of possible leaking fuel and fluids this will be a risky process ,as most of you know i pull apart various airframes with a more than adequate machine and even this struggles sometimes,,

It occurs to me that I don’t know of any accident where cutting along the dotted line was both necessary and possible.
Has anyone ever seen it done?

Yes and at Kemble! 😀

Are you Stalking me ,,,,LOL:D

“Husquvarna petrol cutter works better,,,,or even a 35ton excavator”

Thanks mate, If you just happen to have one of either in your pocket at the time of the emergency ????
Can I assume from your address and knowledge of the equipment that you attack aircraft on the tarmac at Lasham ?? :diablo: :diablo:

Keith.

Attack is a bit strong ,,,,we like to call it sympathetic airframe disposal (S.A.D) we did a Fokker 100 at Norwich i think around two years ago now.

but…..whats wrong with the door beside the cut area? seems a little pointless to put a door next to a cut area, thats just a waste of hinges!

Doors/hatches can be jammed due to Airframe damage/distortion !So just a belt and braces approach to that eventuallity !

They should fit one of those sardine-can keys just above the “cut here” station and then have the little tab that you slot into the key. Or the more modern technique:

dont aircraft usually peel themselves open in amergency situations?

the 35 ton excavator might be a bit much especially if you got biggles on the inside with his axe, you know who would lose…..the 35 ton excavator thats who!

but…..whats wrong with the door beside the cut area? seems a little pointless to put a door next to a cut area, thats just a waste of hinges!

Yes and at Kemble! 😀

“Husquvarna petrol cutter works better,,,,or even a 35ton excavator”

Thanks mate, If you just happen to have one of either in your pocket at the time of the emergency ????
Can I assume from your address and knowledge of the equipment that you attack aircraft on the tarmac at Lasham ?? :diablo: :diablo:

Keith.

Husquvarna petrol cutter works better,,,,or even a 35ton excavator

I was just going to ask something similar: do the manufacturers have to dedicate an area of the aircraft to have these sections i.e. ensure certain areas are relatively ‘free’ for this purpose? Or are they considered near the end, and decide where to assign the cut-out section later?

I think that such marked areas are mandatory in some countries while in other countries not?

Thanks

JT442. Thank you for that well educated sounding answer, and welcome to the forum ! We will look forward to hearing from you in the very near future ! 🙂

Keith.

The short answer is ‘yes’

Usually, the area will be free of heavy structure, hydraulic pipelines, air conditioning ducts, etc. A fire axe will go through the skin and stringers with reletively little effort. In my experience, you have to be pretty dedicated to the task to cut a human-sized hole in any aluminium aircraft.

The standard aircraft fire axe (rounded blade, 8″ point on the other end) is a superb multi-use tool. I have cut down trees with mine!