Air France A340 crash-landing evacuation procedures.
Arriving from Paris France, Flt 358 accident occcurred today, Aug 2,
in a thunderstorm at YYZ.

All early accounts say the stewardesses of the A-340 performed admirably in
the unexpected emergency evacuation of the ruptured airliner.

From the perspective of a passenger my understanding of such
evacuations is that the first two persons down each emergency chute
should be men.  Upon contact with the ground the first duty of the two
men is to hold the base of the chute to facilitate the escape of those
behind them, like women and children and old people.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4740539.stm

"Fellow passenger [Monsieur] Roel Bramar said he was the second person down the
emergency chute, having been right at the back of the plane."

"He said he 'ran like crazy, because there was quite a bit of fire on the ground'."
 


http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article303340.ece

"'All I did was run like crazy,' a passenger, Roel Bramar, said. 'I
was the second one off the plane and everyone was running like crazy.
It was full. Totally full.'"

One hopes that faced with such tribulations one would not run away.

What is the duty of the the first two persons down each chute?

---

Clarification of Question by grthumongous-ga on 03 Aug 2005 05:36 PDT

answerfinder, please feel free to proceed with what you have. thanks.

Dear grthumongous-ga,

Thank you for accepting my research even though it was just a comment.

I have been unable to establish the regulations on the Direction
générale de l?aviation civile web site, but it appedepends on the
relevant aviation authority.


The US Federal Aviation Administration requires that the passenger
should stabilise the slide and assist others. While the Canadian
Authority Regulations make no mention of the slide.

US Federal Aviation Administration regulations, Part 121, Section 585,
states that airlines must not seat a person next to an exit seat who
would be unable
?(ix) To stabilize an escape slide after deployment; or
(x) To assist others in getting off an escape slide;?

Their passenger information cards must contain advice and a warning
that the passenger may be called upon to,

?(8) Assess the condition of an escape slide, activate the slide, and 
stabilize the slide after deployment to assist others in getting off the 
Slide;?
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/get-cfr.cgi?TITLE=14&PART=121&SECTION=585&YEAR=1999&TYPE=TEXT

Other FAA regulations 
http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_99/14cfr121_99.html


This is from the Canadian Aviation Regulations - FAQs page.

?7.  Are there requirements for occupying seats in an emergency exit row?
Each airline must establish procedures to ensure that seats in an
emergency exit row are not occupied by passengers whose presence in
those seats could adversely affect the safety of passengers and crew
members during an emergency.
Passengers seated at exits:
must be physically capable of using the exit; 
must be capable of understanding the printed and spoken emergency instructions; 
must be able to visually determine if the exit is safe to open; 
must have sufficient mobility, strength and dexterity to reach,
operate and stow (or otherwise dispose of) the emergency exit;
must be able to receive aural information from the crew and to orally
communicate that information to other passengers;
must be of a minimum age (as established by the air operator) to
ensure that he/she has the physical, cognitive and sensory capacity to
operate an emergency exit;
must not be responsible for another person as this can hinder the
opening of the emergency exit; and
must not have a condition that might cause them harm by opening the exit. 
?
http://www.tc.gc.ca/CivilAviation/commerce/CabinSafety/tips/faq7.htm
http://www.tc.gc.ca/civilaviation/commerce/circulars/AC0181.htm

You may be interested in this report on Emergency Evacuation of
Commercial Airplanes - page 40 onwards
http://www.ntsb.gov/publictn/2000/SS0001.pdf

Do not hesitate to ask for clarification of any part of this research.
answerfinder-ga

thanks.

Dear grthumongous-ga,

Because of my total lack of French I cannot find the answer on the
French Direction générale de l?aviation civile web site (perhaps
another researcher will be able to), but I think it may depend on the
relevant aviation authority.

The US Federal Aviation Administration requires that the passenger
should stabilise the slide and assist others. While the Canadian
Authority Regulations may no mention of the slide.


Must not seat a person next to an exit seat who would be unable to, 
?(ix) To stabilize an escape slide after deployment; or
(x) To assist others in getting off an escape slide;?

Passenger information cards must contain advice and a warning that the
passenger may be called upon to,

?(8) Assess the condition of an escape slide, activate the slide, and 
stabilize the slide after deployment to assist others in getting off the 
Slide;?
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/get-cfr.cgi?TITLE=14&PART=121&SECTION=585&YEAR=1999&TYPE=TEXT

Other regulations
http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_99/14cfr121_99.html


Canadian Aviation Regulations - FAQs

?7.  Are there requirements for occupying seats in an emergency exit row?
Each airline must establish procedures to ensure that seats in an
emergency exit row are not occupied by passengers whose presence in
those seats could adversely affect the safety of passengers and crew
members during an emergency.
Passengers seated at exits:
must be physically capable of using the exit; 
must be capable of understanding the printed and spoken emergency instructions; 
must be able to visually determine if the exit is safe to open; 
must have sufficient mobility, strength and dexterity to reach,
operate and stow (or otherwise dispose of) the emergency exit;
must be able to receive aural information from the crew and to orally
communicate that information to other passengers;
must be of a minimum age (as established by the air operator) to
ensure that he/she has the physical, cognitive and sensory capacity to
operate an emergency exit;
must not be responsible for another person as this can hinder the
opening of the emergency exit; and
must not have a condition that might cause them harm by opening the exit.?

http://www.tc.gc.ca/CivilAviation/commerce/CabinSafety/tips/faq7.htm
http://www.tc.gc.ca/civilaviation/commerce/circulars/AC0181.htm


answerfinder-ga

Dear grthumongous-ga,
Thank you for the tip. Pleased I could help.
answerfinder-ga

If I can make you feel better, I'm french and was unable to find the
answer on the DGAC website. It look like Canada, there's a notice for
children, disabled people and so on not to sit next to the emergency
exit and they say they will be given additionnal instructions
on-board.
Nothing more as I not going to read the 300+ pages .pdf on the website
detailling formal procedures.