Hamburg, Germany, 26 March 2006. With only 8 of the 16 exits opened, the task for this evacuation certification was to get 853 passengers and 20 crew out of the plane within 90 seconds. This all happened in darkness, with only cabin emergency lights switched on. The footage is from night vision cameras. The crew and passengers did not know which exits would be blocked.

853 passengers is just the maximum number in a single-class economy configuration. The typical three-class configuation will be able to carry 525 passengers.

The regulations say that in this test:

- 35% must be aged over 50,
- a minimum 40% must be female,
- 15% female and over 50.

They did it!

In 1:17 - that is 77 seconds.

Here’s proof that this all makes sense: Air France Flight 358: Overrun at Toronto

http://www.youtube.com/watch’v=sCXlRsmq8g8

Airlines