What are these loops on this jet's wing?

[MathExplorer]

TL;DR Summary

found something weird welded to a jet plane's wing

I was watching a video about a herpetologist's trip to Thailand to study monitor lizards and there was a short part of the youtube video showing a part of the wing of an aircraft this guy was riding in. It's obvious it was a jet plane, but there was these weird loops that appear to be welded to the top of the wing. As a former Caterpillar employee and welder, I can tell this is meant for a crane to haul a wing around before it's attached to a plane(or so I'm guessing)...but why on Earth is it still attached to the wing? What's going on here?

Just curious. :)

 

[fresh_42]

This is for ropes that can be tightened as a handrail in case of an emergency landing on water.

 

[256bits]

This is for ropes that can be tightened as a handrail in case of an emergency landing on water.

Since overwing is passenger initiated, it seems unreasonable that a particular passenger would really know how to 1. find the rope 2. be able to attach it

 

[sysprog]

Since overwing is passenger initiated, it seems unreasonable that a particular passenger would really know how to 1. find the rope 2. be able to attach it

A crew member probably would, though ##-## confirming @fresh_42's answer, here's an explanatory video from an Airbus pilot:

 

[256bits]

A crew member probably would, though ##-## confirming @fresh_42's answer, here's an explanatory video from an Airbus pilot:

yes I saw that video.
In a chaotic emergency and everybody out in 90 seconds, the flight attendants man the main exits at floor level.
There is only so much crew to go around and they may be occupied elsewhere.
An attendant would have to be seated next to the wing, or climb over passengers to be the first one out.

These wing exits, much smaller than the main ones, are put in so that a few passengers can get out from the middle of the plane to keep the 90 seconds approved.
Is there a training session for the passengers next to the wing exit on how to find the rope and tie it up.

 

[Dullard]

I happened to travel (last week) and was seated in the exit row. Being an Engineer-type, I actually reviewed the emergency procedures when prompted to do so. The terminal connection point (the ring/loop) for the guide-rope was addressed in the instructions.

 

[fresh_42]

Since overwing is passenger initiated, it seems unreasonable that a particular passenger would really know how to 1. find the rope 2. be able to attach it

Whether it is reasonable is a totally different matter. By this argument, you can also say that life jackets or oxygen masks are a waste. The structure of the plane will be completely destroyed and you will be injured after a landing on water (Sullenberger is an absolute exception for many reasons), and if you need oxygen, then the 10 minutes they work will very likely be too short.

 

[berkeman]

I happened to travel (last week) and was seated in the exit row. Being an Engineer-type, I actually reviewed the emergency procedures when prompted to do so. The terminal connection point (the ring/loop) for the guide-rope was addressed in the instructions.

Good job. Did they say where the ropes are stored?

 

[Astronuc]

Good job. Did they say where the ropes are stored?

If cabin crew must facilitate an emergency exit over the wing, called and "overwing exit," they will pull out ropes from safety lockers above the emergency exit row. Once the exit is open, cabin crew secure one end of the rope in the door frame while the other end of the rope is fed onto the wing and through the small yellow hooks.

Ostensibly, that is covered in the Emergency Instruction card at the exit row.

Ref: https://www.travelandleisure.com/airlines-airports/yellow-hooks-on-airplane-wing

 

[anorlunda]

Is there a training session for the passengers next to the wing exit on how to find the rope and tie it up.

I think it gets very complicated at that level.

1. Passenger competence to open the door.
2. Passenger impatience, opening too early.
3. Passenger competence to clip on the rope.
4. The requirement is to evacuate the plane in 90 seconds. I'm not sure if that includes the time to get them off the wing onto the ground or onto a raft..
5. The wings may be ripped off making the rope clips moot. The fuselage could be broken. But the overwing exits might be used nevertheless.

I doubt that a successful 90 second evacuation is dependent on every detail going according to plan. Unplanned obstacles are entirely foreseeable in those emergency conditions.

Edit: Wikpedia also says, "Some aircraft do not permit the use of overwing exits in a ditching and instead instruct passengers to evacuate via a door equipped with a life raft."

 

[berkeman]

The wings may be ripped off making the rope clips moot.

Oh, little Mister Sunshine!

 

[Dullard]

Good job. Did they say where the ropes are stored?

In the case of the aircraft that I was on, the lines were apparently on a spool in the frame of the exit door - accessible after the door was removed.

 

[MathExplorer]

cool, thanks all for the answers! :)