EMERGENCY EXIT REQUIREMENTS REVIEW OF EMERGENCY EXITS IN REAL HELICOPTERS

OPITO SCOPITOExits 15.12.2006 Page 11 of 30

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

Helicopters certified with ditching provisions i.e. for over-water operations, must have a minimum of one emergency exit on each side of the cabin readily accessible to each passenger, that is above the waterline and that opens without interference from flotation devices FARJAR 27.807. Emergency exits are variously described in the regulations as movable doors or hatches or a movable window or panel, or additional external door, providing an unobstructed opening that will admit a 19- by 26-inch ellipse JARFAR 27.807. Means of opening each emergency exit are required to be simple and obvious and must not require exceptional effort JARFAR 27.807, 29.809. Each passenger emergency exit, its means of access and means of opening must be conspicuously marked, with instructions for operating handles JARFAR 29.811. Exit markings and location signs must have white letters 1 high on a red background 2 high these colours may be reversed if this improves visibility. Emergency lighting is also required at each emergency exit JARFAR 29.812. The number of passenger emergency exits varies depending upon the passenger seating capacity of the helicopter. Table 2 shows the exit requirements for normal helicopter operations excluding ditching requirements. OPITO SCOPITOExits 15.12.2006 Page 12 of 30 Table 2: Requirements for emergency exit provision excluding ditching requirements Emergency exits for each side of the fuselage Passenger seating capacity Type I Type II Type III Type IV 1 to 10 1 11 to 19 1 or 2 20 to 39 1 1 40 to 59 1 1 60 to 79 1 1 or 2 Table taken from JARFAR 29.807b Helicopters operating over water and certified for ditching are further regulated. Those helicopters with a seating capacity of nine passengers or less are required to be provided with one emergency exit above the waterline in each side of the helicopter, meeting at least the dimensions of a Type IV exit. Helicopters certified for ditching, with a seating capacity of ten passengers or more are required to be provided with one exit above the waterline in a side of the rotorcraft meeting at least the dimensions of a Type III exit, for each unit or part of a unit of 35 passenger seats, but no less than two such exits in the passenger cabin, with one on each side of the rotorcraft. The types of passenger emergency exits have been defined as follows JARFAR 29.807: Type I - a rectangular opening of at least 610 mm wide by 1219 mm high 24 by 48, with corner radii not greater than one third the width of the exit, in the passenger area in the side of the fuselage at floor level and as far away as practicable from areas that might become potential fire hazards in a crash. Type II – the same as Type I, except that the opening must be at least 508 mm wide by 1118 mm high 20 by 44. Type III – the same as Type I, except that the opening must be at least 508 mm wide by 914 mm high 20 by 36; and the exits need not be at floor level. Type IV - a rectangular opening of at least 483 mm wide by 660 mm high 19 by 26, with corner radii not greater than one third the width of the exit, in the side of the fuselage with a step-up inside the helicopter of not more than 737 mm 29.

4.3 GUIDANCE ON ESCAPE WINDOWS