Emergency device actuation assemblies and aircraft including same

An aircraft comprising:

• an inflatable emergency device;
• an emergency device bay having an interior space for containing the inflatable emergency device and including an access panel with at least one panel latch to cover the interior space and the inflatable emergency device contained therein,
• an actuation assembly to allow deployment of the inflatable emergency device, and
• a latching system operably connected to the at least one panel latch of the access panel, wherein
• the actuation assembly includes:
• a rotatable actuation shaft;
• a manually operated actuation lever fixed to the actuation shaft so as to rotate the actuation shaft in response to movement of the actuation lever between stowed and deployed conditions thereof;
• and
• a safety locking system operably connected to the rotatable shaft and having a locked condition which prevents operation of the actuation lever to thereby maintain the actuation assembly in a safe mode during normal vehicle operation, and an armed mode which allows the actuation lever to be moved into the deployed condition thereof, and wherein
• the latching system includes:
• a drive link having a proximal end connected to the actuation shaft so as to be rotatable therewith;
• and
• an engagement rod operably connected at one end to a distal end of the drive link and having an opposite end movable into and out of engagement with a latch hook associated with the at least one latch of the access panel, wherein movement of the actuation lever into the deployed condition causes the engagement rod to move out of engagement with the latch hook.