HL Deb 05 July 1962 vol 241 cc1341-4

3.7 p.m.

LORD FARINGDON

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether it is a fact that the new mechanically operated companion ways fitted to the entrances to aeroplanes render these entrances useless as emergency exits, and, if so, what steps they propose to take to secure the greatest possible safety for passengers.]

LORD DENHAM

My Lords, some types of folding stairs may render the entrance door to an aircraft unsuitable as an emergency exit, but in such instances the alternative emergency exits have to be increased accordingly.

LORD FARINGDON

My Lords, while thanking the noble Lord for his Answer, I must confess that I am not wholly satisfied. The noble Lord is aware that the most convenient and the best exits are, in fact, the entrances. I wonder whether he is aware, too, that those who are professionally interested in dealing with emergencies in aircraft are most anxious about this particular difficulty, which they foresee in rescuing people from them.

LORD DENHAM

My Lords, Her Majesty's Government are aware that the most convenient exits are the ordinary doors. But I would tell the noble Lord that in most cases the steps incorporated in aircraft doors are not a disadvantage but an advantage in the case of an emergency. There are, in fact, three types of steps incorporated in aircraft. The first is built into the back of the door itself, and the hinge of the door is at the bottom so that when the door lowers the steps appear. The second type, which is known, I regret to say, as an airscalator, is titled to the Viscount, and in that the steps fold outwards from the vestibule; but when they are in the "shut" position they do not inconvenience exit through the door at all.

The third type, which I think may have given rise to the noble Lord's Question, is that fitted to the Vanguard, where steps again fold out from the vestibule. They are quite bulky when folded up. These are hydraulically operated, but there is a system whereby they can be switched over to manual operation, so that they can be pushed out. In most cases the main entrance will still be workable in case of emergency. With regard to the second supplementary, suggesting that those professionally interested in aircraft were worried about this, I can only tell the noble Lord that the Air Registration Board are more than satisfied with the emergency exits of these two aircraft, the Viscount and the Vanguard, as they have more than the minimum number of emergency exits required, which in a pressurised aircraft is no small achievement.

LORD SHACKLETON

My Lords, I do not think the noble Lord has completely answered the point of my noble friend. May I ask him whether the Air Registration Board, while expressing themselves as satisfied at the increase in the number of emergency exits, were specifically satisfied also, in the case of the last type of entrance-exit, with the special hydraulic method of lowering which can be achieved by hand? Are they in all the circumstances really satisfied that this is satisfactory? There are certain types of landing of which I am sure the noble Lord will be aware where in fact it would not be possible to lower the steps. For instance, there might be a belly landing.

LORD DENHAM

My Lords, this third type which I have instanced, although it will work in most cases, is not completely, 100 per cent. foolproof. For this reason it is laid down that there must be the requisite number of emergency exits, not counting the main doors to which these steps are fitted.

LORD STONHAM

My Lords, I am not professionally interested in this, but I shall be flying in a Viscount this afternoon. Perhaps the noble Lord could tell me where this additional exit is?

LORD DENHAM

My Lords, I hope the noble Lord will not have cause to find out.

LORD STONHAM

That is not really an answer to my question. The noble Lord will not be about to tell me, so can he please tell me now where the additional exit is?

LORD MERRIVALE

My Lords, would my noble friend make inquiries to find out whether it would be feasible to provide steps for access through the normal entrance, and whether these could be jettisoned at the same time as the entrance doorway was jettisoned?

LORD DENHAM

I will certainly make inquiries to that effect.