§ Mr. Leslie Huckfieldasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will amend the regulations governing the number of required emergency exits for civil airliners registered in this country so that ventral doors and staircases are not to be included in that number.
§ Mr. Goronwy RobertsI am advised that the Air Registration Board are considering revision of the relevant British Civil Airworthiness Requirements governing the number of emergency exits required for civil aircraft registered in the United Kingdom. Ventral doors and staircases are not regarded as required emergency exists but when provided some limited credit for additional passengers is permitted.
§ Mr. Leslie Huckfieldasked the President of the Board of Trade what are the regulations governing emergency exits from Boeing 707, 727 and 737, DC 9, DC 8, VC10, Trident I and II, BAC 1–11, Caravelle and Comet, operated by airlines registered in this country; whether he will amend them to increase their number; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Goronwy RobertsOf the aircraft mentioned, only the Boeing 707, Boeing 737, VC10, Trident I and II, BAC 1–11 and Comet are operated on the United Kingdom register. The British Civil Airworthiness Requirements relate the number and type of emergency exists to the seating capacity of the aircraft. I am advised that the Air Registration Board consider there is no justification for amendment of their requirements so as to increase the number of exits required by the existing seats in these aircraft.
§ Mr. Leslie Huckfieldasked the President of the Board of Trade what are the regulations governing emergency exits from Boeing 747 aircraft operated by airlines registered in this country; whether he is satisfied that the double door and double slide method of exit conforms with these specifications; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Goronwy RobertsThe requirements governing emergency exits in aircraft are contained in Section D of the British Civil Airworthiness Requirements 413W which are issued by the Air Registration Board. No specifications for double doors and slides are included but I am advised by the Air Registration Board, who are nearing completion of their investigation of the Boeing 747 for United Kingdom certification, that they are regarding the double door and slide method of exit as a satisfactory means of complying with the intention of their requirements.
§ Mr. Leslie Huckfieldasked the President of the Board of Trade what are the regulations governing the maximum time to be taken in emergency exits from aircraft registered in this country in civil use; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Goronwy RobertsThere are no regulations which specifically govern the maximum time to be taken in an emergency evacuation but the design requirements laid down in British Civil Airworthiness Requirements, in particular for the provision of doors and emergency exits, and the provisions of the Air Navigation Order, 1966 relating to escape facilities and the training of crews are intended to ensure that passengers are afforded the maximum opportunities of egress in an emergency.
§ Mr. Leslie Huckfieldasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will seek powers to require civil airliners registered in this country to be fitted with illuminated emergency exit signs of a crashproof type.
§ Mr. Goronwy RobertsThe Air Navigation Order, 1966, requires approved emergency lighting systems in public transport aircraft to facilitate the evacuation of the aircraft notwithstanding the failure of the normal lighting systems. I am advised that for approval of these systems the Air Registration Board requires them to illuminate the exits and signs and give general illumination to aid evacuation. These systems are required to operate automatically in crash conditions and so far as practicable to be crash proof. The requirements, including specifically the illumination of exit signs, are at present being reconsidered in the light of recent developments in systems and equipment.