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SCOPITOExits 15.12.2006
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4.0 REVIEW OF EMERGENCY EXITS IN REAL HELICOPTERS
4.1 AVIATION LEGISLATION RELATING TO EVACUATION AND ESCAPE
Emergency evacuation and escape equipment on helicopters is designed to cover all types of incident, including both controlled and uncontrolled impacts on land and water. It
is a requirement that crew and passenger areas must have means for rapid evacuation, considering amongst other issues the possibility of fire JARFAR 29.803. In the event of
an impact on land, passengers are likely to be evacuated using the main cabin door, this being a large sliding door in many cases.
In the event of a ditching or controlled landing on water, under reasonably probable water conditions, the flotation time of the helicopter should provide sufficient time, at least five
minutes, for the occupants to leave the helicopter and enter the liferafts JARFAR 27.801 29.801. Many exit doors are capable of jettison when the helicopter is in the
upright condition. Doors designated as emergency exits that cannot be jettisoned are required to have a means of securing them in the open position so that they do not
interfere with occupants egress in all sea conditions JAR-OPS 3.837 a5; 2004. However, it is recognised that in the event of either an intentional ditching into rough water
or an uncontrolled water impact, the helicopter may suffer serious damage, making it highly probable that the helicopter will either sink or capsize. Under these conditions
there is also a risk that the flotation equipment will be damaged, again increasing the probability of capsize. In this event, crew and passengers will of necessity have to escape
underwater, using either an emergency exit or escape window. For this reason, European regulations relating to helicopters operating to or from helidecks located in a hostile sea
area JAR-OPS 3.837 a6; 2004 call for all doors, windows or other openings in the passenger compartment authorised by the authority [EASA] as suitable for the purpose of
underwater escape, are equipped so as to be operable in an emergency.
4.2 EMERGENCY EXIT REQUIREMENTS
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