Passenger EducationPast and Present

Professor Helen Muirand

Lauren Thomas

Fourth Triennial International Fire and Cabin Safety Research Conference

Lisbon, PortugalNovember 2004

Passenger Education

Accidents

Fire Fatalities

Impact Fatalities

Fire Scenario

Rapid Evacuation– 90 Second Evacuation Demonstration– Cabin Configuration– Cabin Crew Performance– Passenger Education

90 Second Evacuation Demonstration

All passengers through half exits Realistic as possible Representative sample of public Darkness Baggage in aisles

Cabin Configuration

Cabin Configuration

Cabin Crew Performance

Assertive Cabin Crew

Passenger Education

Passenger Education

Passenger Education

Impact Fatalities

Accidents at take off

Accidents at landing

Impact Fatalities

Passenger Education

NTSB Investigation of 21 Accidents (1962 – 1984)

Passenger risk reduced:

1. Paid attention to safety briefings

2. Read safety card

3. Better motivated and prepared

Reasons for Disregarding Safety Information

NTSB data from accidents 1983 – 2000

Survival rate 95.7%

Passenger beliefs lower

Research

Johnson 1976–Attenders–Non Attenders

Information consistent with expectations and events (brace, brace)

Research

Muir and Fennel 1992– Frequent fliers– Non-frequent fliers

Cabin crew tasks:– Passenger safety– Assisting in emergency– Information on safety procedures– Service role less important

Passenger beliefs influence behaviour in an emergency

Research NTSB (2000) 46 evacuations

1. Watched briefing?54% No – seen before15% No – common knowledge

2. Effectiveness of briefing?Over 50%

- information not specific to their evacuation- needed more information on exit routes, use of slides and

how to get off wing.

3. Read Safety Card?68% No (89% said read on previous flights)44% not read card or listened to briefing

- If read card, found useful – location of exits and slides, use of slides and location of emergency lighting.

Safety Card StudiesCaird et al (1997)

113 participants comprehension of 36 pictograms, from 9 safety cards. Responses : correct, partially correct or incorrectOnly 16 pictograms comprehension over 50%.

Jentsch (1996)150 participants English, French and German. Understanding of

black and white pictograms- General interpretations- Not specific details of information.

Johnson (1976)Phrases on safety cards:- “Jump – don’t sit” 73.5% correct- “Jump” 67.8%- No information 59.9%Sitting takes 1/3 second longer

Cobbett et al (2001)

4 types of briefing on Type III exit operation

Groups of 3

1. Standard briefing and safety card

2. Plus minimum Type III briefing

3. Plus when and how to operate exit (orally)

4. Plus when and how to operate exit (written)

Results - 3 and 4 reacted more quickly to call to evacuate- 4 made exit operational more quickly- 1 were more likely to leave exit in cabin.

Video Briefings:

Consistency More information Realistic demonstrations Variety of languages Novelty Rapidly changing images

New Technology

Individually controlled displays Computer literate passengers Interactive Briefings for different scenarios Passengers select language Learning game on aircraft safety Non computer literate have traditional briefing

video Future technology

Future VLTAs – Twin Deck

Future VLTAs – Twin Deck

Future VLTAs

Future VLTAs –Blended Wing

Future VLTAs – Blended Wing

Conclusions

Passenger knowledge makes a difference Challenge to ensure all passenger groups obtain required

information– persuade passengers of need– Keep attention– Language appropriate for context– Specific information– Specific instructions– Pictograms comprehensible– Clear detailed information improves performance– Length of briefing– Specific focused briefings