The Fourth Triennial International Aircraft Fire and Cabin Safety Research Conference Lisbon Conference Centre Portugal

1. VERRESVLTA Emergency Requirement Research Evaluation StudyBuilding a Mental Representation (Situation Awareness) of the aircraft for Passengers The Fourth Triennial International Aircraft Fire and Cabin Safety Research Conference Lisbon Conference Centre Portugal 15-18 November 2004

2. Agenda • VERRES project introduction • Approach of the study • Theoretical aspects • Limitation of present a/c passengers briefing • Recommendations shaped like a boarding scenario • Expected effects on Passenger Mental Representation of the flight

3. VERRES Context

4. WP1: Configurational aspects for VLTA WP2: Investigating the requirements of a methodology utilising analysis and partial testing WP4: Synthesis WP5: Dissemination VERRES project WP3: Aspects of occupants safety for VLTA concepts

5. Objective and Approach of the Study • Objective : identification of the main issues in order to guide future VLTA research or design • Approach: • Bibliographical research (state of the art) • Theoretical aspect • Cognitive psychology • Sociological field • Ethology • Past research review • Makerecommendations

6. Theoretical Appraisal (1/2) • The information nature and quality are key factors in the Situation Awareness building • The SA is built on the basis of acquired knowledge determining the importance given to some information in the present context (prejudice, belief, etc.) • The SA is threatened by social factors as: • lack of group cohesion, • lack of leadership • lack of common experiences • In emergency conditions, recent acquired knowledge disappears in aid of familiar knowledge (e.g. the route to exit the plane)

7. Theoretical Appraisal (2/2) • Emotion can forbid the access to SA during a given period of time • Alert phase management is fundamental to build a clear and reassuring SA • The group affiliation feeling has a reinsuring effect on validity of information and reinforces SA • The highly structured rituals setting during pre-flight and boarding phases favours • the spatial references • the time based references of the affiliation to the group, • allow the improvement ofthe emotional factors management

8. Past researches review key outputs (1/2) • A lot of passengers continue to pay very few attention to safety briefings (written and oral ones) • Everymoment of attention capacity should be identified to use them properly. An additional safety briefing just before boarding or descent could be an alternative, especially on long haul flights • Passengers do not feel concerned by the safety information either because : • they overestimate their knowledge of safety aspect, • they underestimate their chances of survival, • they see Cabin Crews as the only safety actors possible during an evacuation (it does not worth listening to them), • they do not see the demonstration.

9. Past researches review key outputs (2/2) • A lot of recommendations have been already listed. They could be adapted taking into account the VLTA environment demands • New information means (video, interactive media…) can improve the attractiveness and the attention capture potential of the safety instructions • Despite safety instructions, passengers still intent to evacuate with their luggage and some personal effects.

10. Recommendations shaped like a boarding scenario • First Scene context : Cabin characteristics • VLTA cabin divided in several zones • Each zone corresponds to a safety gate • To each zone correspond a colour or a sign (on the seat, on the safety door, on the uniform of the CCs, on the boarding card) • Each zone is in charge of specific CCs • First Scene: Passenger Check in • At this first stage, passengers know their cabin area symbol (colour, sign) • Passengers who check in first, are assigned to area supposed to board first • They are provided with a bum-bag and asked to put all little “precious” objects in during all the flight (medicine, glasses, money, passport, jewels...)

11. Recommendations shaped like a boarding scenario : 2nd scene • 2ndScene context : Boarding room characteristics • Divided in the same amount of areas as the cabin • Drinks and light foods are proposed to promote conviviality in each area • A set of safety information means are proposed to passengers • All the information devices show the location of the areas in the whole cabin (entrance door, evacuation door of the area) and the safety briefing • All the safety messages are completed by technological advertisements in order to be attractive and reinsuring • 2nd Scene : Boarding • Each passenger is asked to wait to the boarding order of his area. • Each zone boards independently • The CC in charge of the zone welcomes the passenger and introduces her/himself as the responsible of the zone • The CC invites people to read the safety cards or to give attention to a safety message

12. Expected effects on « actors » • The Passengers Situation Awareness should contain • A good mental map of the aircraft with the location of her/his emergency door. • A precise idea of the emergency tasks involved in the evacuation (live jacket, route to reach the door, jumping,...) • A rational idea of the chance to survive and then motivation to be attentive to all the safety information • An affiliation feeling with the passengers supposed to leave the aircraft at the same door (same area). • The CC leadership recognition • The CC safety role recognition • An adapted collective behaviour • Ordered evacuation • CCs less inclined to move from their doors • Organised and spontaneous rescue and safe behaviours

13. The Fourth Triennial International Aircraft Fire and Cabin Safety Research Conference