33 injured as Airbus A380 passes safety evacuation drill test

33 injured as Airbus A380 passes safety evacuation drill test

HAMBURG, Germany - The Airbus A380 superjumbo jet passed a safety evaluation test yesterday as 853 passengers and 20 crew members were able to exit a Lufthansa AG plane on slides "in a darkened hangar." But 32 people suffered minor injuries and one man broke his leg in the drill, in which every passenger was evacuated in 80 seconds.

The drill was crucial to Airbus, which hopes to have the largest passenger jet in operation by next year. The drill was also required for certification by European and US authorities. Airbus is confident of getting the certification by the end of this year. Officials from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the Federal Aviation Administration Agency were a witness to yesterday's drill in Hamburg.

"The initial impression is that the test went very well," Daniel Hoeltgen, a spokesman for EASA said. Charles Champion, chief operating officer at Airbus said that the company was pretty elated with the results, "We are very happy with this result. It clears the way for the transportation of passengers as defined by our initial customers who all have selected very comfortable three-class layouts," he said.

"And even in a higher density two class layout, the A380 cabin will continue to set new standards of comfort." Airbus was inundated with applications by volunteers to take part in the drill even though previous drills have resulted in serious injuries to "passengers." 40 percent of those who took part in the drill were women and 35 percent were over the age of 50.

Life size plastic dolls played the part of babies. To make the simulation as real as possible, the trial was conducted in darkness and the number of doors and slides which were operative were not disclosed beforehand. Those who were injured were treated on the spot by medical personnel and first aid services. Airbus said that it would perform another drill if required.