During water ditching on 319/320, which exits are considered primary and which are alternate?

During water ditching on 319/320, which exits are considered primary and which are alternate?

• A. Water: all exits are primary
• B. Water: only overwing exits are primary
• C. Water: doors primary and overwing exits are alternate
• D. Water: doors 1 and 2 only are primary

Answer: (C)

In a water ditching, the priority is to use exits that provide immediate access to life rafts and a controlled, organized egress. The doors are designed for this purpose on the A319/320, so they are considered the primary exits for ditching. They carry the life rafts and allow passengers to enter the water in a predictable, safer path. Overwing exits are designated as alternate because they’re not the first option for water egress. They may require passengers to step onto the wing and then into the water, and they often don’t offer the same raft provisioning or ease of use as the doors. If the doors are blocked or unavailable, or if directed by the crew, passengers would use the overwing exits, which is why they’re labeled the alternate exits in this scenario.

In a water ditching, the priority is to use exits that provide immediate access to life rafts and a controlled, organized egress. The doors are designed for this purpose on the A319/320, so they are considered the primary exits for ditching. They carry the life rafts and allow passengers to enter the water in a predictable, safer path.

Overwing exits are designated as alternate because they’re not the first option for water egress. They may require passengers to step onto the wing and then into the water, and they often don’t offer the same raft provisioning or ease of use as the doors. If the doors are blocked or unavailable, or if directed by the crew, passengers would use the overwing exits, which is why they’re labeled the alternate exits in this scenario.