Emergency evacuation from double-deck aircraft

Airbus Industrie is considering building a family of double-deck aircraft. A research project was initiated primarily to investigate the effects of the height of the new upper deck on human performance in case of an emergency, but it was also investigated whether factors such as visibility, slide design, and passenger safety instruction might influence individuals' performance. A performance model was developed that includes (a) situational I technical and individual dispositional factors, (b) cognitive and emotional reactions to the situation, and (c) performance features. Based on this model, new tools were developed for assessing dispositions and reactions, for analyzing behaviors at the exit, in the slide, and on ground, and for measuring times for the evacuation steps. These tools were applied in partial tests that were carried out on a double-deck mock-up with one exit.