Hermano Lobo
22nd Jan 2007, 09:42
14th September
'Passenger Safety and the Aircraft Cabin'
Prof Helen Muir - Cranfield University
Some extremely important issues about aircraft emergency evacuation were revealed at this lecture. Surprisingly there are survivors in most aircraft incidents. Professor Muir began with the 1985 British Airways Boeing B737 fire that happened on take-off at Manchester Airport. Tragically there were casualities but most passengers got out. A seat diagram showed that even passengers furthest from the exits managed to leave the aircraft. One of the problems was the bottleneck that happened in the ensuing panic. The door at the galley bulkhead was discovered to be too narrow and Professor Muir has been instrumental in having this door widened. Films of simulated evactuations were shown and to create reality, a £5 pound note was offered to the first 20 volunteers to get out of the aircraft. Aircraft emergency evacuations need to simulate the panic and rush that happens when there is an accident. The reward motivated the charge for the exits on the Trident practice aircraft. Again a bottleneck happened at the overwing exits, it is essential to follow the instructions of the cabin crew. They are not there to serve you food and drink but to care for your safety, refreshments are the secondary function. It is important to familiarise oneself with the location of the aircraft exits and wise to sit near them, if you are able. Helen Muir talked about the 1992 incident at New York's JFK International Airport, where a TWA Tri-Star(L-1011) aborted a take off and caught fire. There were no fatalities and all 280 passengers got out although ten suffered injuries. The reason they evacuated was put down to an excess of airline crew on the aircraft. Apart from the designated crew there were crew re-positioning and crew as passengers. That meant that there were plenty of experienced staff to deal with the emergency. The staff to passenger ratio was a major factor, the passengers followed the authoritive instructions and left in a quick and orderly manner, thereby saving themselves. It is important to familiarise oneself with the location of the aircraft exits and sit as near as possible to them. Significantly, listen to and follow the instructions of the cabin crew ! (Ref:www.ntsb.gov/recs/letters/1993/A93_49_54.pdf)
12th October
'Time Flies - 60 Years of Heathrow History'
Alan Gallop - Author & Historian
I was unable to attend this lecture as I was out of the country. Alan Gallop based his lecture on a book he has written, it is worth looking at. Ref: Time-Flies-Heathrow-at-60 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Time-Flies-Heathrow-at-60/dp/0750938404)
9th November
Sir Richard Fairey Lecture
'Sophisticated Small Satellites from Surrey'
Dr Stuart Eves - Surrey Satellite Technology
Yes they do make satellites the size of Coke cans !
Dr Stuart Eves joined SSTL in January 2004 as principal engineer for military systems, having spent more than 16 years working in various space-related jobs for the UK MoD. This included time spent looking at both communication and surveillance satellites, in both a research capacity, and as part of the UK's Defence Intelligence Staff (DIS). Stuart is responsible for the Topsat imaging satellite programme and having instigated the initial research into the project in 1997, he is currently assisting with the integration of the flight hardware. Stuart has an MSc in Astrophysics, a PhD in constellation design, and has been a Fellow of the UK's Royal Astronomical Society for 15 years.
Surrey Satellite Technology Limited was formed in 1985 by the University of Surrey to commercialise the results of its innovative small satellite engineering research. SSTL was the first professional organisation to offer low-cost small satellites with rapid response employing advanced terrestrial technologies. Today, SSTL employs over 200 staff and has been involved in 23 small satellite missions, the most successful and experienced small satellite supplier in the world.
14th December
'The Value of Design - The Virgin View'
Paul Edwards - Senior Design Manager, Virgin Atlantic Airways
An interesting insight into Virgin Atlantic's approach to the design of aircraft interiors and their lounges at airports around the World. They have redesigned the economy seats so that they are lighter and wider. Allegedly their beds in First Class are the best. They have done the major design work for their A380's but they will now be a long way from service. Apparently there will be a number of areas on the A380 that will not have seats so it will be interesting how the different airlines fill this space. Paul Edwards complained that toilets on aircraft have had little innovation and it is a case of like it or lump it from the suppliers. Virgin Atlantic strive to be different and some of their airport lounges look quite an experience.
http://www.ghostspace.net/archives/LHR%205B_LO.jpg
http://www.seka.co.kr/portfolio/im/4_s0171_i262.jpg
http://www.asnf73.dsl.pipex.com/Virgin/bar.jpg
http://www.etravelblackboard.com/images/etc/32963c.jpg
http://www.etravelblackboard.com/images/etc/32963a.jpg
'Passenger Safety and the Aircraft Cabin'
Prof Helen Muir - Cranfield University
Some extremely important issues about aircraft emergency evacuation were revealed at this lecture. Surprisingly there are survivors in most aircraft incidents. Professor Muir began with the 1985 British Airways Boeing B737 fire that happened on take-off at Manchester Airport. Tragically there were casualities but most passengers got out. A seat diagram showed that even passengers furthest from the exits managed to leave the aircraft. One of the problems was the bottleneck that happened in the ensuing panic. The door at the galley bulkhead was discovered to be too narrow and Professor Muir has been instrumental in having this door widened. Films of simulated evactuations were shown and to create reality, a £5 pound note was offered to the first 20 volunteers to get out of the aircraft. Aircraft emergency evacuations need to simulate the panic and rush that happens when there is an accident. The reward motivated the charge for the exits on the Trident practice aircraft. Again a bottleneck happened at the overwing exits, it is essential to follow the instructions of the cabin crew. They are not there to serve you food and drink but to care for your safety, refreshments are the secondary function. It is important to familiarise oneself with the location of the aircraft exits and wise to sit near them, if you are able. Helen Muir talked about the 1992 incident at New York's JFK International Airport, where a TWA Tri-Star(L-1011) aborted a take off and caught fire. There were no fatalities and all 280 passengers got out although ten suffered injuries. The reason they evacuated was put down to an excess of airline crew on the aircraft. Apart from the designated crew there were crew re-positioning and crew as passengers. That meant that there were plenty of experienced staff to deal with the emergency. The staff to passenger ratio was a major factor, the passengers followed the authoritive instructions and left in a quick and orderly manner, thereby saving themselves. It is important to familiarise oneself with the location of the aircraft exits and sit as near as possible to them. Significantly, listen to and follow the instructions of the cabin crew ! (Ref:www.ntsb.gov/recs/letters/1993/A93_49_54.pdf)
12th October
'Time Flies - 60 Years of Heathrow History'
Alan Gallop - Author & Historian
I was unable to attend this lecture as I was out of the country. Alan Gallop based his lecture on a book he has written, it is worth looking at. Ref: Time-Flies-Heathrow-at-60 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Time-Flies-Heathrow-at-60/dp/0750938404)
9th November
Sir Richard Fairey Lecture
'Sophisticated Small Satellites from Surrey'
Dr Stuart Eves - Surrey Satellite Technology
Yes they do make satellites the size of Coke cans !
Dr Stuart Eves joined SSTL in January 2004 as principal engineer for military systems, having spent more than 16 years working in various space-related jobs for the UK MoD. This included time spent looking at both communication and surveillance satellites, in both a research capacity, and as part of the UK's Defence Intelligence Staff (DIS). Stuart is responsible for the Topsat imaging satellite programme and having instigated the initial research into the project in 1997, he is currently assisting with the integration of the flight hardware. Stuart has an MSc in Astrophysics, a PhD in constellation design, and has been a Fellow of the UK's Royal Astronomical Society for 15 years.
Surrey Satellite Technology Limited was formed in 1985 by the University of Surrey to commercialise the results of its innovative small satellite engineering research. SSTL was the first professional organisation to offer low-cost small satellites with rapid response employing advanced terrestrial technologies. Today, SSTL employs over 200 staff and has been involved in 23 small satellite missions, the most successful and experienced small satellite supplier in the world.
14th December
'The Value of Design - The Virgin View'
Paul Edwards - Senior Design Manager, Virgin Atlantic Airways
An interesting insight into Virgin Atlantic's approach to the design of aircraft interiors and their lounges at airports around the World. They have redesigned the economy seats so that they are lighter and wider. Allegedly their beds in First Class are the best. They have done the major design work for their A380's but they will now be a long way from service. Apparently there will be a number of areas on the A380 that will not have seats so it will be interesting how the different airlines fill this space. Paul Edwards complained that toilets on aircraft have had little innovation and it is a case of like it or lump it from the suppliers. Virgin Atlantic strive to be different and some of their airport lounges look quite an experience.
http://www.ghostspace.net/archives/LHR%205B_LO.jpg
http://www.seka.co.kr/portfolio/im/4_s0171_i262.jpg
http://www.asnf73.dsl.pipex.com/Virgin/bar.jpg
http://www.etravelblackboard.com/images/etc/32963c.jpg
http://www.etravelblackboard.com/images/etc/32963a.jpg