Here are some links on the A380 and PAX evac:
Airport Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF)
ICAO Paper
Airbus in fear of a full scale evac test
The real doozy..... This link is of the simulation software in action. Look how many people they expect to be on a slide at one time. Fat chance of that happening.
Panic
VLTA paper
ps. Chimbu chuckles - Unless the head of the Seattle FAA office is missinformed they have already decided. If Airbus wants the A380 to fly in the USA they must complete a full evac test per the FARs. Once you start down the path of cutting corners the dam bursts. They aren't going to go there with safety.
Here is the current FAR:
Sec. 25.803 Emergency evacuation.
(a) Each crew and passenger area must have emergency means to allow
rapid evacuation in crash landings, with the landing gear extended as
well as with the landing gear retracted, considering the possibility of
the airplane being on fire.
(b) [Reserved]
(c) For airplanes having a seating capacity of more than 44
passengers, it must be shown that the maximum seating capacity,
including the number of crewmembers required by the operating rules for
which certification is requested, can be evacuated from the airplane to
the ground under simulated emergency conditions within 90 seconds.
Compliance with this requirement must be shown by actual demonstration
using the test criteria outlined in appendix J of this part unless the
Administrator finds that a combination of analysis and testing will
provide data equivalent to that which would be obtained by actual
demonstration.
(d)-(e) [Reserved]
Appendix J to Part 25--Emergency Evacuation
The following test criteria and procedures must be used for showing
compliance with Sec. 25.803:
(a) The emergency evacuation must be conducted either during the
dark of the night or during daylight with the dark of night simulated.
If the demonstration is conducted indoors during daylight hours, it must
be conducted with each window covered and each door closed to minimize
the daylight effect. Illumination on the floor or ground may be used,
but it must be kept low and shielded against shining into the airplane's
windows or doors.
(b) The airplane must be in a normal attitude with landing gear
extended.
(c) Unless the airplane is equipped with an off-wing descent means,
stands or ramps may be used for descent from the wing to the ground.
Safety equipment such as mats or inverted life rafts may be placed on
the floor or ground to protect participants. No other equipment that is
not part of the emergency evacuation equipment of the airplane may be
used to aid the participants in reaching the ground.
(d) Except as provided in paragraph (a) of this appendix, only the
airplane's emergency lighting system may provide illumination.
(e) All emergency equipment required for the planned operation of
the airplane must be installed.
(f) Each external door and exit, and each internal door or curtain,
must be in the takeoff configuration.
(g) Each crewmember must be seated in the normally assigned seat for
takeoff and must remain in the seat until receiving the signal for
commencement of the demonstration. Each crewmember must be a person
having knowledge of the operation of exits and emergency equipment and,
if compliance with Sec. 121.291 is also being demonstrated,
[[Page 556]]
each flight attendant must be a member of a regularly scheduled line
crew.
(h) A representative passenger load of persons in normal health must
be used as follows:
(1) At least 40 percent of the passenger load must be female.
(2) At least 35 percent of the passenger load must be over 50 years
of age.
(3) At least 15 percent of the passenger load must be female and
over 50 years of age.
(4) Three life-size dolls, not included as part of the total
passenger load, must be carried by passengers to simulate live infants 2
years old or younger.
(5) Crewmembers, mechanics, and training personnel, who maintain or
operate the airplane in the normal course of their duties, may not be
used as passengers.
(i) No passenger may be assigned a specific seat except as the
Administrator may require. Except as required by subparagraph (g) of
this paragraph, no employee of the applicant may be seated next to an
emergency exit.
(j) Seat belts and shoulder harnesses (as required) must be
fastened.
(k) Before the start of the demonstration, approximately one-half of
the total average amount of carry-on baggage, blankets, pillows, and
other similar articles must be distributed at several locations in
aisles and emergency exit access ways to create minor obstructions.
(l) No prior indication may be given to any crewmember or passenger
of the particular exits to be used in the demonstration.
(m) The applicant may not practice, rehearse, or describe the
demonstration for the participants nor may any participant have taken
part in this type of demonstration within the preceding 6 months.
(n) The pretakeoff passenger briefing required by Sec. 121.571 may
be given. The passengers may also be advised to follow directions of
crewmembers but not be instructed on the procedures to be followed in
the demonstration.
(o) If safety equipment as allowed by paragraph (c) of this appendix
is provided, either all passenger and cockpit windows must be blacked
out or all of the emergency exits must have safety equipment in order to
prevent disclosure of the available emergency exits.
(p) Not more than 50 percent of the emergency exits in the sides of
the fuselage of an airplane that meets all of the requirements
applicable to the required emergency exits for that airplane may be used
for the demonstration. Exits that are not to be used in the
demonstration must have the exit handle deactivated or must be indicated
by red lights, red tape, or other acceptable means placed outside the
exits to indicate fire or other reason why they are unusable. The exits
to be used must be representative of all of the emergency exits on the
airplane and must be designated by the applicant, subject to approval by
the Administrator. At least one floor level exit must be used.
(q) Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, all
evacuees must leave the airplane by a means provided as part of the
airplane's equipment.
(r) The applicant's approved procedures must be fully utilized,
except the flightcrew must take no active role in assisting others
inside the cabin during the demonstration.
(s) The evacuation time period is completed when the last occupant
has evacuated the airplane and is on the ground. Provided that the
acceptance rate of the stand or ramp is no greater than the acceptance
rate of the means available on the airplane for descent from the wing
during an actual crash situation, evacuees using stands or ramps allowed
by paragraph (c) of this appendix are considered to be on the ground
when they are on the stand or ramp.
[Amdt. 25-72, 55 FR 29788, July 20, 1990, as amended by Amdt. 25-79,
Aug. 26, 1993]
If my info is correct there will be only 3 usable doors on the upper deck during the test. Without taking time to open the doors and deploy the slides 200 people through 3 doors will require each person to be up from their seat to the door and down the slide in 1.3 seconds.
