AircraftLoadingWalkwaysLiteratureandInformationReview

ExecutiveSummary
Lastupdated:May2014
Thereareseveralmanufacturersthatbuildaircraftglassloadingwalkways,whicharecurrently
permittedincountriesthathavenotadoptedNationalFireProtectionAssociation(NFPA)standards.The
TechnicalCommitteeforNFPA415,StandardonAirportTerminalBuildings,FuelingRampDrainage,and
LoadingWalkwaysdesiredmoreinformationabouttheglobalexperienceofusingglassloading
walkways,includingfireresistanceoftheloadingwalkways,firetestmethods,useof
alternate/additionalescaperoutesfromtheplane,passengerbehaviorduringactualemergency
incidents,andpsychology/sociologyofoccupantsthatmightegressthroughaglassloadingwalkway
withalargefireoutside/below.
TheFireProtectionResearchFoundation(FPRF)respondedtotheNFPA415committeerequestby
sponsoringaprojecttoinvestigatethemanyfactorsassociatedwithglassloadingwalkways.This
involvedaliteraturesearch/informationgatheringprojectperformedbyastudentintern.Thisintern
wasmentoredbyaseniorengineerfamiliarwithaviationsafetyandfireprotection.Atechnicalpanel,
comprisedofprofessionalsinthefieldofaviationsafetyandfireprotection,wasformedtoprovide
inputaswellasreviewtheresults.
Currently,NFPA415Section6.1.2requireswalkwaystobefireresistant,asdemonstratedbyafire
exposuretestspecifiedinSection6.4.Analternativetoafireresistiveenclosureistheinstallationofan
automaticallyoperateddelugewatersprayorfoamfiresuppressionsystem.Forallwalkways,there
maybenotransparentortranslucentwalls,windows,orsurfacesotherthanthosewindowslocatedin
therampaccessdoorandinthecabarea,forthepurposeofoperatingtheaircraftloadingwalkway.
Thesenseofthecommitteetodate,asreflectedbythecurrentrequirements,isthat:
1) Asafeegresspathmustbeavailableattheterminalgateintheeventofafuelspillfire;
2) Afireresistiveloadingwalkway(orwalkwaywiththeareaprotectedbyanautomatic
suppressionsystem)istheappropriatemeanstoprovidethenecessarysafeexit;and,
3) Passengerswillbeafraidorreluctanttoexitthroughapathwheretheycanseeafire(even
thoughitmayprovideprotectionagainstheatandsmoke).Therefore,glassshouldbe
prohibitedasaprimarywalkwayconstructionmaterial.
Theobjectiveofthisresearchwastogatherpertinentinformationandprovideinsightonthefiresafety
aspectsofglassloadingwalkways.Theoverallobjectiveisthesafeevacuationofpassengersandcrew
fromafireengulfinganaircraftatornearanairportterminal.Theinformationfromthisprojectis
intendedtoprovideguidancetotheNFPA415TechnicalCommitteeontheuseofglassloading

walkwaysandmaybeusedasthetechnicalbasisforthecontinuedprohibitionorfutureinclusionof
glassloadingwalkwaysinthestandard.Ultimately,theinformationwasgatheredtosupportordisprove
thefollowingnullhypothesis:Currentrequirementswhichrestricttheuseofglassinconstructing
aircraftloadingwalkwaysdonotsignificantlyimpacttheprobabilityofsafeevacuationfromtheaircraft.
Aircraftandairportoperationsareconsidered,alongwiththeimpactofbuildingandfirecodes
applicabletoairports.
Thescopeofthisprojectprovidesinformationdirectlyrelatedtotheconstructionofbothtraditional
andglassloadingwalkways,areviewoffirehistory,adiscussionoftheloadingwalkwayasameansof
egress,andthepsychologicalimpactsoccupantsmayexperiencewhileusingtheloadingwalkwayasa
meansofegressduringafireevent.Aliteraturesearchofrelevantinformationthataddressesthese
topicswasperformed.
Thefollowingfindingsweretheresultofthisproject:
1)

TheNFPA415committeeisconcernedthatemergencyevacuationwillbeimpededif
exitingpassengerscanseeafire,ifglassisusedinaloadingwalkway.

2)

Aperformancebasedapproachcanbeappliedtothissituation.ThecurrentNFPA415
providesmuchofthebasisforthisperformance(5minutefireresistance).Themissing
informationisthereactionofpassengerstovisiblefirewhenevacuatinganaircraft.

3)

IncurrentNFPA415firetestrequirements,thefirethreattowallassembliesisnon
conservative,andtherearenocriteriaforexplicitlylimitingsmokeobscuration.

4)

Glassloadingwalkwaysarewidelyavailableandusedthroughouttheworld.Theycanbe
designedtomeettheNFPA415firetestrequirements.

5)

Firelosseventsofaircraftatornearthegatewereidentified.Exceptwherefire/smoke
haspenetratedthefuselage,alloccupantsinidentifiedincidentsinvolvingaircraftator
nearthegatehavesuccessfullyevacuatedtheaircraft,usingtheprimarywalkwayor
secondaryexits(overwingorslideexits).

6)

ThereisnoUSbuilding/firecode,FAA,orotherregulatoryprovisiontorequirefire
resistiveloadingwalkwaysinaccordancewithNFPA415.Itisbelievedthatmostenclosed
walkwaysintheUScomplywithNFPA415.

7)

Someoperatorsintentionallydischargepassengersdirectlytotherampareavia
unprotectedstairs/walkways.Thereisnoregulatoryprohibitionforthis.Thefireresistive
integrityofwalkwaysareroutinelycompromisedbyairportoperations.Thereisno
consistencyinthelevelofprotectionprovidedtoaircraftpassengersboardingor
deplaninganaircraft.

8)

Aminimumofoneexitpathway,staffedbyatrainedflightattendant,mustbeavailable
anytimepassengersareonboardanaircraft.Shouldtheloadingwalkwaybeblocked,
secondaryexitsareavailablethroughoverwingdoorexits(passengeroperated)orfloor
levelexits(requiringflightattendantassistancetorearmtheevacuationslide).

9)

TheFAArequiresflightattendant/crewtrainingforemergencyevacuationsituations.
Crewresponse,instructions,andassertivenessisimportant.

10)

TimelyARFFresponseisanimportantelementtopassengersafetyforaircraftparkedat
thegate.

11)

Occupantevacuationbehaviordiffersdependingontheperceivedthreat:
a. Wherethereisnofireorthethreathasnotpenetratedtheenclosure,passengers
wereabletoevacuate.Theyfollowedcrewdirections,orusedapaththeyperceived
asbetter.Thisisthecaseevenwherefireisplainlyvisible.
b. Wherefire/smokehaspenetratedthefuselage,passengerstendtobe
insubordinatetocrewinstructions.Selfpreservationmayapply,evenifitconflicts
withcrewevacuationinstructions.
Thesefindings,derivedalmostentirelyfrompassengerbehaviorwithinparkedaircraft,
wouldappeartoapplyfortheglassloadingwalkwayelementoftheevacuationpath.

12)

Theoverallfindingswouldseemtosupportthenullhypothesis:currentrequirements
whichrestricttheuseofglassinconstructingaircraftloadingwalkwaysdonotsignificantly
impacttheprobabilityofsafeevacuationfromtheaircraft.

AbouttheFireProtectionResearchFoundation
TheFireProtectionResearchFoundationplans,manages,andcommunicatesresearchonabroadrange
offiresafetyissuesincollaborationwithscientistsandlaboratoriesaroundtheworld.TheFoundationis
anaffiliateofNFPA.
AbouttheNationalFireProtectionAssociation(NFPA)
NFPAisaworldwideleaderinfire,electrical,building,andlifesafety.Themissionoftheinternational
nonprofitorganizationfoundedin1896istoreducetheworldwideburdenoffireandotherhazardson
thequalityoflifebyprovidingandadvocatingconsensuscodesandstandards,research,training,and
education.NFPAdevelopsmorethan300codesandstandardstominimizethepossibilityandeffectsof
fire and other hazards. All NFPA codes and standards can be viewed at no cost
atwww.nfpa.org/freeaccess.