The Cranfield Institute for Safety, Risk and Reliability (commonly referred to simply as The Cranfield Institute) is a part of

Cranfield University , mottoeng = After clouds light , established = 1946 - College of Aeronautics 1969 - Cranfield Institute of Technology (gained university status by royal charter) 1993 - Cranfield University (adopted current name) , type = Public research uni ...

in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

. It is primarily a teaching and research facility, but also offers safety-related consultancy to businesses.

Facilities

The Cranfield Institute has several simulators designed for risk and hazard assessment and research. They have two aircraft cabin simulators (the Large Cabin Evacuation Simulator and

Boeing 737 The Boeing 737 is a narrow-body aircraft produced by Boeing at its Renton Factory in Washington. Developed to supplement the Boeing 727 on short and thin routes, the twinjet retains the 707 fuselage width and six abreast seating with two un ...

Cabin Simulator). They also have a driving simulator and the Cranfield Impact Centre Laboratories, which provides both static and dynamic impact testing.

Cranfield and the aviation industry

Following the

Kegworth Air Disaster The Kegworth air disaster occurred when British Midland Airways Flight 092, a Boeing 737-400, crashed onto the motorway embankment between the M1 motorway and A453 road near Kegworth, Leicestershire, England, while attempting to make an emerge ...

the

United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is the statutory corporation which oversees and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the United Kingdom. Its areas of responsibility include: * Supervising the issuing of pilots' licences, testing of e ...

(CAA) commissioned the Cranfield Institute to research a best brace position for passengers in an air crash. This research was conducted by the Cranfield Impact Centre Laboratories using both their impact sled and computer modelling. Cranfield also conducted research on behalf of the CAA after the Manchester Air Disaster to assess why so many passengers were unable to make it to the emergency exits safely. This research prompted changes to cabin layouts in the UK, including making overwing exits more accessible in an emergency by improving seat layout, forcing the installation of emergency floor lighting to assist in a smoke-filled cabin and widening of bulkhead passageways to prevent bottle-necking of evacuating passengers.

References

External links

The Cranfield Institute for Safety, Risk and Reliability

Cranfield Impact Centre Laboratories {{Cranfield University Cranfield University, Institute, Cranfield