By Skies Magazine | June 14, 2023 Estimated reading time 6 minutes, seconds.
Fairbanks, Alaska-based Airframe Innovations Inc. has developed a solution to address a long-standing design limitation in the Cessna 206 aircraft. The company — a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Parts Manufacturer Approval facility — has engineered and designed the PDQ Emergency Egress System, a simple yet effective system that enables rapid egress for occupants in the rear of the aircraft.
One of the inherent design challenges with the Cessna 206 is that when the flaps are deployed in the landing configuration, the rear passenger door becomes obstructed, making it difficult for occupants to exit the aircraft quickly during emergency situations, Airframe Innovations said. This issue becomes even more critical when the aircraft is equipped with floats, posing a known hazard in water-related emergencies.
The PDQ Emergency Egress System, designed with fail-safes to withstand in-flight uncertainties and airport security protocols, offers a reliable solution to the 206 egress issue.
The system is supplemental type certificate (STC) approved for installation in Canada and the U.S., and requires no modifications to the door. Instead, a base plate is installed in the fuselage wall, accompanied by a small hole to accommodate the shaft. The design ensures compatibility with the current Cessna Service Manual and allows for the freedom of seat placement without any restrictions imposed by the STC, Airframe Innovations said.
Installation of the system is straightforward, “as long as both hinges on the forward door are in alignment,” the company noted. Transitioning from two hinge pins to a single hinge pin assembly, the process takes approximately one to two hours.
All exterior parts of the PDQ Emergency Egress System are made with stainless steel, and the entire system weighs only two pounds — minimally impacting the overall weight distribution of the aircraft.
The interior of the rear door is equipped with an emergency exit door release, which was thoroughly tested in cooperation with the FAA to ensure the door release could not be accidentally activated in flight.
“Through multiple testing scenarios with the actual equipment . . . it was determined that the mechanical fail-safes inherent to the design of the system require intentional acts in the correct order to release the door, as per the operating instructions,” said Airframe Innovations. “When the door is in the ‘in-flight locked’ position, the door will not fall off with just pulling the red handle, and pulling the red handle on a locked door will be very difficult.”
Currently, the STC covers a variety of models, including the 206, U206, U206A, U206B, U206C, U206D, U206E, U206F, U206G, TU206A, TU206B, TU206C, TU206D, TU206E, TU206F, TU206G, 206H, and T206H. Airframe Innovations said availability of the system is subject to stock, with immediate shipping for in-stock items and a lead time of one week for out-of-stock items.
While the system is Transport Canada (TC) approved, Airframe Innovations said it is still waiting on the Alternative Means of Compliance (AMOC) document from TC that will exempt operators from Airworthiness Directive CF-2020-10.
Although Canadian customers are not barred from installing the system, Airframe Innovations has introduced an Egress Door Deposit for Canadian customers, allowing them to ensure their kit is ready to ship once the AMOC is issued.
The company shared that as of May 30, 2023, it has been waiting one month for TC to issue the AMOC. “However, the last update indicated it was assigned to someone to complete the AMOC process.”
