Airbus seeks to change safety tests on giant jet

By KIM SENGUPTA

PARIS - Airbus is planning to launch the world's biggest passenger airliner without running internationally recognised evacuation tests because it fears they are too dangerous and could lead to serious injuries.

The Independent has learned that Airbus wants instead to do partial, simulated exercises on its giant A380 jet, which will carry almost 1,000 people. About 200 are likely to be on the upper deck and will drop 9m to the ground in an emergency.

The company is concerned that a full-scale evacuation test could lead to panic and casualties. But the decision will allow its biggest commercial rival, Boeing, to claim that the plane's safety is unproven.

The A380 has been long heralded by Airbus and has gained widespread publicity. The multinational consortium has invested £7.5 billion and much of its prestige and credibility in the project. BAE Systems, which owns 20 per cent of the company, has the hugely valuable contract to build the wings.

Airbus is involved in a fierce struggle with Boeing for domination of the world aircraft business. At the company's press conference this week at Le Bourget in Paris, Noel Forgeard, the Airbus vice-chairman, spent most of his time attacking the American rival.

The A380 will dwarf Boeing's 747, at present the world's biggest passenger plane, which carries more than 400 passengers. Even the basic A380 will have a greater capacity, with the top-of-the-range capable of reaching the figure of nearly 1,000. Boeing did a full evacuation of the 747 before launch. But Derek Davies, Airbus's marketing director for the A380, stressed the hazards presented by more passengers.

He said: "This is a very sensitive topic [but] if you put 860 people through a real evacuation test some will come off the slide at the bottom and others will land on them. There is the danger of serious injuries. Questions will be asked of us, why should we put people in a situation where they may become paraplegic? The simulated tests we are considering would be extremely carefully done and highly accurate."

The A380 will come into production in 2006.

- INDEPENDENT