![]() ![]() These disposable hatch type exits are called Type IIIA and Type IIIB exits. ![]() There are principally two types of overwing exits (excluding the full-sized door on the likes of the Boeing 747 and Boeing 777, which is not considered an overwing exit - referred to as a Type I or Type A exit) in use on modern aircraft. Research conducted at the Cranfield Institute in the UK showed that many passengers are prone to leaving the exit hatch on the seat next to the exit, thereby hindering other passengers' egress through the exit.Īdditionally, during aircraft evacuations, it has been found that the majority of overwing window exit designs of Boeing 737 (NG) Next Generation Line along with the Airbus A320, hamper evacuation in comparison with traditional floor level exits due to the inherent "step up and through motion" required of passengers as they exit the aircraft, unlike the designs of older generation wide body aircraft such as the Boeing 747, Boeing 777, McDonnell Douglas DC-10 and Lockheed L1011 which are all floor level. The majority of overwing exits involve the passenger physically removing the hatch from its frame and disposing of it outside on the wing without blocking the exit. The arrowed route has non-slip paint so is safer to walk over than the rest of the wing.Īnother hazard in the use of overwing exits is their being improperly opened, usually a result of passengers in these seats not paying attention to the verbal briefing provided pre-departure, or not observing the opening instructions on the safety card and on the exit. ![]() The preferred escape route for passengers, if they exit the overwing doors after an emergency on this EasyJet Airbus A319-100, is marked by red arrows on a white background. Typically, these problems do not occur at floor level, full sized, exit doors because these are operated in an emergency by flight attendants, who have extensive emergency training. This occurred in the Ryanair engine fire in Stansted Airport in 2002, where passengers evacuated themselves onto a burning wing, despite airport fire services personnel shouting at them to return inside the aircraft and evacuate via a usable exit. Also, passengers frequently open an exit as soon as evacuation begins which may result in them evacuating into danger. While many passengers (especially frequent fliers) would believe that they are adult enough and educated enough to decide that they need to get out of an aircraft, they are not trained in the specific dangers or the sequence of events required to decide when a full-scale evacuation is needed. The primary hazard involving the use of overwing exits is passengers not waiting to be given the command to evacuate, but rather initiating it themselves. Thus, airlines normally restrict seating in these rows to people who are physically capable of assisting in an evacuation, and are not flying with children or other passengers that they may need to assist. Overwing exits are primarily self-help exits meaning that in an emergency evacuation the passengers seated immediately adjacent to the exit will be responsible for assessing external hazards and opening the exit. Overwing exits are smaller in width and height than standard emergency exits on an aircraft, and therefore have a reduced evacuation capacity, and are typically added to aircraft where there is insufficient evacuation capacity at the main doors to obtain a 90 second evacuation, but where the addition of another set of full sized exits is not necessary to accomplish this. Overwing exits are found on passenger aircraft to provide a means of evacuation onto the wing, where passengers continue off the trailing edge, either by sliding down the extended flaps or by using an evacuation slide that deploys when the exit is opened. ![]()
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