I have the opportunity to buy a never used emergency slide from an Airbus A320 for cheap. So I need to know how they can be reused and how to deflate and repack them so I can use it for another time.
$\begingroup$
$\endgroup$
7
-
$\begingroup$ Are you planning to install this in another Airbus A320? $\endgroup$– Michael HallMay 21, 2020 at 18:15
-
2$\begingroup$ Your English is just fine (better than I've heard from many native English speaking Americans), don't apologize! $\endgroup$– FreeManMay 21, 2020 at 18:21
-
2$\begingroup$ This would make an awesome Slip 'n Slide™ for summer-time backyard fun!! $\endgroup$– FreeManMay 21, 2020 at 18:22
-
2$\begingroup$ Im not planing to install this in another a320 , I want to use it in my backyard just for fun and for my curiosity. $\endgroup$– LeonardoMay 21, 2020 at 18:40
-
1$\begingroup$ I don't think they are meant to be repacked anywhere other than the factory, so I'd be surprised if that information was available. $\endgroup$– Ron BeyerMay 21, 2020 at 18:50
|
Show 2 more comments
2 Answers
$\begingroup$
$\endgroup$
4
WARNING
These slides may contain explosive squibs and/or chemicals not safe for ingestion and it is NOT SAFE to mess with them if you do not know what you are doing! If an airbag in a car can kill or cause injury, imagine an enormous version of that. If one became available for sale, I would be very cautious as to whether it had been made safe/inert. Tread carefully.
Only authorised life support fitter type maintainers at the factory or the approved delegated authority will be able to fold slides up again to the correct standard. It is a specialist type job and a jigsaw puzzle. It is similar to trying to get a tent back in it's bag if you don't use the correct technique.
As with all aircraft maintenance tasks, it may sound like a cop out, but the answer to any how do you do that question is "in accordance with the approved procedure". Find the approved procedure and you will know. It will be in the airbus manual or from the manufacturer of the slide.
-
4$\begingroup$ Altough your warnings are useful, the only piece of answer you bring is basically "go get a approved maintainer" without giving a clue of how it is done (which is the question). You should add material about that as it is the asked question. $\endgroup$– Manu HMay 22, 2020 at 7:21
-
3$\begingroup$ To you two naysayers, sometimes the best answer is a warning. Now if he said it had been used, and he was just looking for suggestions on how to re-inflate it for backyard use, that would be different. But we do have some responsibility to not condone careless actions. $\endgroup$ May 22, 2020 at 23:52
-
4$\begingroup$ Yeah, I don't really care if I don't answer it to your standards. I've made the poster aware that it is dangerous. The standard you walk past is the standard you set. I'm obliged to make people aware of unsafe actions. I would think this is a very understandable mindset given it is a website about aviation. $\endgroup$– CraigMay 24, 2020 at 9:16
-
3$\begingroup$ @craig Agreed. If the question was 'How do I re arm this ejection seat' nobody would look twice at your answer. Sometimes it's a case of "If you have to ask, don't do it" $\endgroup$– DanMay 24, 2020 at 9:58
$\begingroup$
$\endgroup$
The slide is just a slide and can be packed and inflated without pyrotechnics.
We use slides for training; we use them on the ground to demonstrate them as rafts, and to side down.
Manufacturer documents are used to maintain the slide, and will include packing instructions.
The slides are not hazardous to handle, neither to inflate nor repack. The exception would be if the slide is armed with the rapid inflator; that's something that should be handled appropriately. Otherwise, they can slowly be inflated.
For home use, I'd seek modification from a firm that does inflatable carnival or yard toys like a bounce house, that can bond a proper filler valve and make the slide usable for the longer term.
Be aware that aircraft slides aren't nearly as slick as one might think; going down a slide, you're quite likely to get friction burns on exposed skin, and I've burned a hole in uniform pants on them, as well as hurt my leg and hand.
If you're just using it for home entertainment, then inflating it and using it for bouncing, or things like that, are probably fine. I suppose it could be put on a lake, but they're not really meant for repeat use after that.
