College Project

Cking.

Thank you for confirming something I’ve long suspected. Brutal but understandable. Which is why I always board an aircraft on crutches.

I was a nurse and on the top floor ward in an elderly care unit the one thing we dreaded was fire. It was then you as an individual would have to decide who was left behind.

Britannia.

If you want any more input re Disabled Access just pm me.

I guess you could, there would be plenty of stuff with people like airport planners.

Thanks very much guys, you’ve got me thinking about the issues raised. I quite like the one about disabled access. On the other hand, could I go into more depth with the ground safety issue?

lol just read your post….ok, so its even more brutal than i thought…thought the crew would just chuck em overboard (no offence meant).

Hi Coanda.

If we’re being brutally honest, any cabin crew worth their salt would ensure the safety of the majority of passengers in an incident rather than risking time to physically manhandle a non mobile passenger out of a burning cabin.

Thats why they put disabled passengers as FAR away as possible from the emergency exits. Brutal but true

Rgds Cking

The JAA/CAA/FAA care about crash loads.

The clamps are doable, BUT………

1.Will the wheel rims stand a 9g forward load of wheelchair and passenger without breaking?

2.Will the seatbelts and their attachments withstand a 9g forward load without breaking.

3.will the seat itself withstand a 9g downward load?
->If so, will the frame it is attachedto stand a 9g downward load?
->If so, will the wheel axles stand a 9g downward load?
->If so will the wheel rims stand a 9g load?

(not just the weight times g if the load is offset, a moment must then be carried aswell).

When you’ve come to a full stop after your crash, who undoes the clamps on the floor of the aircraft? is it a safe thing to do? could the wheel chair swing around and block an exit, with a jammed clamp? will the wheelchairs battery catch fire? emmit toxic fumes? batteries can be nasty if they get smacked about. what about the people behind you, what if they fall into your wheelchair, could they be electrocuted? could they get stuck in the drive mechanism (and you not knowing it, drive off). How does the cabin crew hope to get you off the aircraft after a crash when the exits are going to be by inflatable slides, can you navigate an inflatable slide in an electric wheelchair? do you cause a hazard or otherwise slow the progress of passengers behind you?

I imagine that where possible, disabled people are located very near to exits on purpose, by the crew, and, in an emergency situation your exit would be swift but sure…..not neccesarily passed over the chaos hand-on-hand, by herdes of blonde virgins, but done….and what more can you really ask for?

In a lovely world where airliners don’t crash and the farts of drunk hairy glaswegians smell of freshly washed clothes, your idea would be great….but this is the real world. Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.

Coanda

Hi Coanda.

So how does the safety standard in aircraft equate to the acceptable loads of say a 25 stone patient secured to an ambulance or minibus floor via the clamps I mentioned?
There must be some way of making a clamp which ensures the wheelchair user has safety in flight? If we’re being brutally honest, any cabin crew worth their salt would ensure the safety of the majority of passengers in an incident rather than risking time to physically manhandle a non mobile passenger out of a burning cabin. The loads I’m talking about are those encountered in flight rather than those in a forced landing or crash situation.

Edited to add: Having purchased my own I have a vague idea of just how expensive chairs can be. And mine isn’t electric either!

Regards,

kev35

kevin, i’m afraid your removable seats are quite unlikely because of the crash loads that the seats must be certified to. Wheelchairs would get expensive qiuick if they had to withstand what an airliner cabin seat does (to keep you alive!)

your suggestion of a day of testing would be very informative.

coanda

Ever seen the ‘spacious’ toilet module on certain Airbus widebodies ? very nice.

Luffys A33X was very spacious in the toilets, even with its own window. In contrast Uniteds B777 was alot smaller.

How about Disability issues? Quickly removable seats which allow wheelchair users, particularly those in electrics to remain in their chairs. A set of rails moulded into the floor which held the security clamps which are used in minibuses would be ideal. A small thing but a big issue for someone requiring transfer from wheelchair to airline seat.

Other disability access issues around the airport. If you want I’ll come to you for a day in my chair and you can wheel me around, land and airside if allowed, and see if you come across any difficulties.

Regards,

kev35

Good points Kevin .

How about Disability issues? Quickly removable seats which allow wheelchair users, particularly those in electrics to remain in their chairs. A set of rails moulded into the floor which held the security clamps which are used in minibuses would be ideal. A small thing but a big issue for someone requiring transfer from wheelchair to airline seat.

Other disability access issues around the airport. If you want I’ll come to you for a day in my chair and you can wheel me around, land and airside if allowed, and see if you come across any difficulties.

Regards,

kev35

One thing that really bugs me on an aircraft is the ridiculous size of the toilets. Some of them are much too small. Rip out a few seats and make the things bigger.

Ever seen the ‘spacious’ toilet module on certain Airbus widebodies ? very nice.

I’d second that jethro15 . It’s not just bumping into things either, there is an element at Manchester that ignores the safety zone around the engine air intakes when they are running. I have seen two very near misses recently. I spoke the the blokes involved and they just laughed! I then reported them both to their firms and the airfield safety officer but it still keeps hapening. THERE WILL BE A DEATH ONE DAY!!!!!!!!! 😡
There you go! Divise a training programme for airfield safety. It would have to cover all the obvious hazards and some of the not so obvious ones. The course would have to last no longer than a day, be very simple (most of the ramp workers are un-skilled/semi skilled) and be available in a variety of languages. Accidents on the ramp cost the airlines millions every year, so if you’re programme is good enough you hawk it around the industry and make a fortune!

Rgds Cking

P.S. Remember to give me my cut 😀

With regard to ‘around aircraft’, how about better training for ground crews in light of the growing number of ground equipment collisions with aircraft that seem to be growing at an alarming rate.

the ridiculous size of the toilets.

i second that

More galley space

Get your credit cards out then boys. Cabin space is some of the most expensive real estate around. Fine to have more space for anything other than seats but watch the tickets go up in price soon after.

1L.

personally, i think from a crew members point of view, on some of our aircraft mainly G-LSAD there needs to be more Galley surface space, maybe pull put tables or larger work stations conciderin my folder with all my bloody paperwork doesnt even fit on it.
also gize of galley for 5 crew on that aircraft is really bad, you CANT fit all 4 crew members who work down the back in it, therefor you have crew standing in the aisle waiting to come in. not good.
Also some of our 737 fleet mainly the ex- Anset ones, not all but some they too have really small galley space!!
Rant over

More galley space for crew!!

i second that , when you 6 feet 5 , its rather hard to take a dump or have a leek.

One thing that really bugs me on an aircraft is the ridiculous size of the toilets. Some of them are much too small. Rip out a few seats and make the things bigger.