United 737 Slide Deploys in Flight
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United 737 Slide Deploys in Flight
“When the pilot came out right after landing he said, ‘Oh golly, I’ve never seen that before.’” (Wonder if he really said "Golly"?)
Joined: May 2008
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From: United States
I believe there has been a serious injury (or fatality) in a previous internal slide deployment.
Joined: Aug 2007
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From: virginia, USA
And I think in several of these slide incidents they have had trouble finding anything sharp to deflate the slides. An interesting antedote of post 9-11 travel.
(and no I am not suggesting that Rambo type survival knives and machettes be allowed as carry ons.)
(and no I am not suggesting that Rambo type survival knives and machettes be allowed as carry ons.)
Resident insomniac
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From: N54 58 34 W02 01 21
Joined: May 2004
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From: N Ireland
I have always carried a Swiss Army knife on me up until this modern day daftness where it now goes in the hold.
Infinitely useful many times and more importantly the potential to be.
I've been traveling commercially and on offshore helicopters for 40 plus years now and have seen a case in a helicopter that flamed out after lifting of from a satellite platform in which one guy drowned as his seat belt buckle was twisted and he could not get it open in time. Maybe if he had access to a small knife it could have turned out differently.
Infinitely useful many times and more importantly the potential to be.
I've been traveling commercially and on offshore helicopters for 40 plus years now and have seen a case in a helicopter that flamed out after lifting of from a satellite platform in which one guy drowned as his seat belt buckle was twisted and he could not get it open in time. Maybe if he had access to a small knife it could have turned out differently.
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: Alloway
It happened to us
While renewing slide on Tristar in Riyadh the old one opened and the door was shut, a guy was pressed so hard against the galley that he was in danger so out came our screwdrivers and problem over. But I can tell you all it fills the area very quick, we all looked at each other and said it wasn't me of course!!!!
Keep them up boys
Keep them up boys
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From: Australia
Technical explanation
The girt bar on the 737 is a crappy little rod that has to be engaged in two slots by hand and disengaged to disarm the door.
A distinct possibility is that the girt bar was not properly in the slots, this would mean that if someone stood close to the door and stood on the bar, they may have pulled it down enough to fire the slide.
That is the only way I could see it happening.
A distinct possibility is that the girt bar was not properly in the slots, this would mean that if someone stood close to the door and stood on the bar, they may have pulled it down enough to fire the slide.
That is the only way I could see it happening.
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From: last time I looked I was still here.
I heard there has been some serious discussion about seat-back airbags for the pax and instrument panel ones for the pilots. A sticking point is at what G-load they should deploy; considering some of the 'firm' landings followed by max braking techniques that are sometimes employed; and the 22 stone chump who lets it all collapse into their seat scaring the hell out of the granny in the seat behind. That must be close to a 6g shock load.
Also, what safety issues should be incorporated to prevent accidental/inadvertent/unnecessary deployment.
Could it be that this was a test of such systems and it went wrong?
Tongue in cheek once more.
Also, what safety issues should be incorporated to prevent accidental/inadvertent/unnecessary deployment.
Could it be that this was a test of such systems and it went wrong?
Tongue in cheek once more.
Last edited by RAT 5; 2nd July 2014 at 12:43.
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From: Róisín Dubh
I know a mech who was pinned by an A330 slide going off in the rear galley. His arm broke but thankfully he managed to reach his stanley blade with his other arm before he was crushed/smothered. They have killed in the past
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From: Where I always have been...firmly in the real world
" The girt bar on the 737 is a crappy little rod that has to be engaged in two slots by hand and disengaged to disarm the door.
A distinct possibility is that the girt bar was not properly in the slots
I don't know about the NG, but, on the 2/3/400 series the girt bar was hardly a "crappy little rod". fairly light in construction yes, but certainly not as you describe it.
The girt bar attachment points on the floor however, were prone to sticking due to a combination of usage and the general "rubbish" that accumulates on entry door / galley floors, no matter how extensively the area is cleaned.
Having deployed plenty of "time ex." slides over the years, we can only be thankful, that, whatever the causal factor (s) there were no injuries or fatalities given the rapidity of a slide deployment which is the intention after all when being used for the purpose they were designed for.
It will be interesting to learn what did cause the activation therefore.
A distinct possibility is that the girt bar was not properly in the slots
I don't know about the NG, but, on the 2/3/400 series the girt bar was hardly a "crappy little rod". fairly light in construction yes, but certainly not as you describe it.
The girt bar attachment points on the floor however, were prone to sticking due to a combination of usage and the general "rubbish" that accumulates on entry door / galley floors, no matter how extensively the area is cleaned.
Having deployed plenty of "time ex." slides over the years, we can only be thankful, that, whatever the causal factor (s) there were no injuries or fatalities given the rapidity of a slide deployment which is the intention after all when being used for the purpose they were designed for.
It will be interesting to learn what did cause the activation therefore.