Aerospace

Cranfield to run aircraft evacuation trials

Posted 7 October 2024

In conjunction with the University of Greenwich, Cranfield University will be running a series of evacuation trials in February 2025, looking at the decisions made by passengers when they are evacuating a large Blended Wing Body (BWB) aeroplane cabin mock-up and the role different aspects of the cabin environment play in those choices.

Image courtesy Cranfield

BWB planes are cutting-edge concepts where there is no clear divide between the wings and the main body of the plane, so they look nothing like the current passenger planes which have two wings joined to a central fuselage. Participants in these trials will be some of the first people to have a chance to experience what the interiors of these ‘planes of the future’ will be like.

This study will help to improve aeroplane evacuations and provide the aviation industry with valuable information about how people behave when exiting. We’re looking for volunteers between 18-65 years old to be passengers in the trials.

What’s involved?
Participants will take their seats receive a pre-flight safety briefing from cabin crew. At some point afterwards, there will be an instruction to evacuate due to an unspecified emergency. Everyone will be asked to quickly but safely make their way to an exit. Further details on the scenario:

- The cabin mock-up will be stationary at all times and is ground-based. There are no stairs to board or disembark.

- Audio will be used in the cabin to simulate engines starting, taxiing and take-off.

- Smoke will not be used in the cabin to simulate and emergency.

- Emergency evacuation slides will not be used.

- Each evacuation trial will involved a large number of people, so you must be comfortable in crowded places.

- Your behaviour in the cabin will be recorded by overhead cameras.

- Each participant will be involved in three evacuation trials during the day.

After exiting the BWB mock-up, participants will complete a questionnaire about the choices they made during evacuation. Experts from the University of Greenwich will then analyse that information to help the aviation industry develop its aircraft designs and safety protocols.

The trials are scheduled for Tuesdays and Fridays between 4th-21st February 2025. They will take place on Cranfield University campus in Cranfield, Bedfordshire.

If you would like to take part in the trials, or want more information: www.cranfield.ac.uk/events/events-2025/evacuation-experiment