SIMULATORS
We need to collect this data with healthy
times. Each volunteer group was asked to evacuate the
simulator four times. In between evacuations the cabin
was reconfigured with a different combination of seat
width and pitch.
Seat pitch is the space between seats from one row to
and mobile people before we start
the next. It is essentially a measure of passenger legroom,
which along with seat size, consumer groups claim have
been shrinking as airlines try to cram more seats into
economy cabins.
HIGH PROFILE TESTING
The Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI) tests were
the first time an aviation regulator has tested for the
effect of this phenomenon on passenger safety. The
results of the tests, which are not expected until the
summer, could have a major impact on aviation.
If they show that current standards for width and
pitch make it impossible for passengers to evacuate an
aircraft within 90 seconds, the threshold under FAA
regulations, there could be major economic implications
for airlines, who will be forced to re-certify all the seats
on their aircraft and alter current seat designs.
Meanwhile, consumer rights groups are concerned
that a result showing no link between width, pitch and
egress times will be interpreted by airlines as permission
to shrink seat size even further. The tests are therefore
being scrutinised closely by both industry and air
passenger consumer groups.
Since the test program was announced, its critics
have complained that the setup was flawed in that the
FAA’s pool of volunteers excluded demographics that
might slow down an evacuation, such as the disabled
and obese. Another criticism made about the FAA’s test
criteria is that they have not been updated to take
account of changes in the size of passengers. According
to the US Centre for Disease Control, between 1999 and
2016 the average weight of American men increased by
nearly 4kg, and American women by more than 3kg.
1
Ed Coleman, an assistant professor of safety sciences at
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, believes these
omissions reflect what he sees as the FAA’s reluctance to
conduct the evacuation tests.
“I don’t think it’s something they wanted to do,” says
Coleman. “That’s why the tests had to be mandated by
Congress. They were trying to satisfy the mandate the
easiest way they could.”
The FAA argues that it is seat size and pitch that is
under test and that adding too many other variables
“could obscure the effect of the study parameters”. In
response to criticism that the test did not reflect changes
in average body size the FAA says that “recent
demographic data on Oklahomans indicate that our
study population will likely be larger than the current
national average.”
MARCH 2020 \\ AEROSPACETESTINGINTERNATIONAL.84 COM
adding in other variables
1 // The FlexSim is mounted
on a custom-designed
positioning system, which
allows the Civil Aerospace
Medical Institute team to
study the effect of abnormal
landing conditions
(Image: Newton Design)
2 & 3 // The cabin
simulator was configured
to represent a standard
airline cabin
2
/www.aerospacetestinginternational.com