Surviving a plane crash

[Singapore Sling]

Here are the top five tips for surviving a plane crash:

1. Listen up! All planes are different
"Pay attention to the safety briefing from the cabin crew, and read the safety information card. I know everyone thinks that they've heard it all before, but each briefing and information card will be specific to that aircraft type. If you follow the instructions to the letter, you'll have the best chance of coping if there is a crash. "

2. Don't get caught out with seat belts and exits
"Have a plan. This is so important. Once you've listened to the briefing, and read the card, take a moment to think in your mind what you'd do, and where you'd need to go in the event of an evacuation. You would definitely be in shock, so being able to bring your mind back to your plan could really help. Note where the exit is - are you going left or right when you get up? Remember that the seatbelt on a plane unbuckles, it doesn't release when you press it, so practice opening and closing it a few times too."

3. Brace correctly
"There's a few urban myths floating around about adopting the brace position. I'll clear that up now. First, bracing is the best position to get into to minimise injury. Second, getting into a brace position will be achievable, even if you're on board a plane with a smaller seat pitch, because it's a requirement that the safety advice the plane gives, has been tested. Again, this is airline specific, so make sure you check what they recommend."

4. Choose your seat wisely
"What's the safest seat on the plane? The one right at the front on the left hand of the cockpit! But if you're not a pilot, then any seat near an exit is a good bet. Of course, not everyone can sit next to an exit, and there is no way of predicting where 'the safe seat' is on a plane because it depends on the point of impact. Just be clear where your nearest exit point is."

5. Crouch low and move fast
"On leaving the plane, move quickly, but in a controlled fashion. In the event of a fire, you don't want to hang around, so get out of your seat and move towards the exit. Leave your belongings where they are and listen to the cabin crew. They have safety procedure training every year, so they will know what to do. I've been involved in test flying smoke detection and clearance, as a rule, the smoke stays high, so don't crawl or get on the floor. Crouch low and move fast."

So there you have it: pay attention, be prepared, brace, crouch low and move fast. But don't forget you'll almost certainly never need to use this information.

Here is the link for the full news story:
http://uk.travel.yahoo.com/p-promo-3359547

[mr_botak]

Count the rows to the exits forward of you and behind you - it may be dark, or you may be underwater. Remember there are exits on both sides of the aircraft. Learn how to open the door. Think about doing it upside down.

[taipeiflyer]

according to one SQTalker... the biggest factor in surviving a plane crash is bringing your smoke mask.

[jjpb3]

Is anyone else frustrated by repeatedly hearing safety tip #1? Even read the safety tip as it's written in the article: does it tell you what's specifically different, or does it sound coy about the critical differences? I know the point is accurate, but sorry, I think the safety messages currently played actually detract from it: to my ears, the messages are just too generic-sounding and resemble each other too closely. From a pax's point of view, it's quite difficult to catch what exactly it is you're supposed to be paying attention to, that is specific to the aircraft you're on (i.e., context-specific information). Once you hear similar-sounding words in the beginning of the message, it's too tempting to zone out and think, 'I heard that before.'

I understand this isn't the correct attitude, but I think it's one that is easily fostered by the similar-sounding message. Why can't the message say something more specific like, 'There are a few things which may be different on this aircraft compared to those you have flown in before: the location of the exit row; the location of your safety jacket; and how to operate the safety jacket'. Or whatever the case may be. Then the rest of the message can play showing the exit rows; the location of the life jacket; and the way to operate the life jacket. I just think (JMHO) the verbal signal can be a lot more specific and pointed.

(Perhaps my issue is that the message seems to be geared to first-time flyers, whereas the audience is much more likely to consist of people who have been on a flight before and therefore more likely to think they don't need to pay attention. BA tries to compensate for this by having the captain ask passengers to pay attention, but he doesn't say what exactly may be different on this flight, i.e., what to pay particularly close attention to; I think the message then becomes less compelling because of the vagueness.)

Then, just maybe, for example, the gestures (often half-hearted-looking and sometimes merely vaguely directional) of the cabin crew (this is on a number of the airlines I've flown) would become more meaningful, and advice like mr_botak's could have greater salience.

[nickbot]

I think you make a very good point jjpb3.

Some good tips out there from both Singapore Sling and mr Botak (not forgetting taipeiflyer's point too!) Seat back counting to the nearest exit is one that I always perform at boarding.

For what good it may do, I have also heard that when adopting the brace position one is best to put your primary/writing hand on your head first and cover it with the second, that way your main hand is protected to a degree from falling/flying debris, preserving it for operating an emergency exit or other egress efforts.

[Singapore Sling]

the location of the life jacket; and the way in which to operate the life jackets. I just think (JMHO) the verbal signal can be a lot more specific and pointed.

I always use to check where my life jacket was, because on different airlines, seat types, it can be under the seat to the side and not easy to find. You could waste a lot off time trying to find it in a crash. If you are new to that seat make sure you know where it is before take off.

Point 5. Crouch low you have to be carefull with this one, if everyone else is just running out of the plane you will be flatten.

[SQtraveller]

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[trekkie]

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[boing]

Here are few other pointers you could follow:

1. Always check to see if there are life jackets where they are supposed to be. These things in some aircrafts easily come off and are sometimes mistakenly disposed off by the cleaners during transit. So, always as a habit, check for them when getting to your seat.

2. If the plane happens to ditch into water, DO NOT inflate the life jacket while in the aircraft. Put on the life jacket aircraft before the a/c ditches, but always pull the cord after exiting the a/c.

3. In addition to the crouch low tactic to avoid smoke, you could also use a wet towel to cover ** nose and mouth to avoid smoke inhalation. Crouching low is not always practical in d narrow aisles of modern a/c.

4. Emergency equipment like fire extinguishers and torchlights are always located below the crew seat at the doors or sometimes at the "doghouses" in the aft most seats near the bulkhead. Only to be used by the cabin crew, but useful info nevertheless in a situation where every second counts or if there are injured cabin crews.

5. As a rule of thumb, emergency doors are always located equidistant from each other to ensure everyone has a fair chance. The white strips u see at the edge of the aisle seat are fluorescent light strips that illuminate in darkness to guide u to these exits. So, you always look down to these strips as guides and go. They are independent of any power source.

6. If possible, avoid choosing seats near or over the wing as these are where the fuel tanks are. If explosions occur, pax have the least time to escape from an inferno. It's said the aft most of the a/c is most likely to survive a crash. This why the black boxes are located there.

7. And always, if seating near an emex seat, learn how to open the door. Every a/c has different ways of opening them, even the same a/c type may have doors of different type at certain exits, so it's important to learn it. And it's useful to know that the slide raft can double up as a life raft in ditching conditions.

[mr_botak]

One other thing on the subject of doors - before opening the door remember to look outside for fire.

[SQflyergirl]

2. If the plane happens to ditch into water, DO NOT inflate the life jacket while in the aircraft. Put on the life jacket aircraft before the a/c ditches, but always pull the cord after exiting the a/c.

This is exactly what happened on the Ethiopian 767 hijacked near the Comoros some years ago. Most people survived the impact - but then inflated their vests whilst still inside, and floated to the ceiling hampering their exits. COD for a lot of them was actually drowning.

[lingua101]

This is exactly what happened on the Ethiopian 767 hijacked near the Comoros some years ago. Most people survived the impact - but then inflated their vests whilst still inside, and floated to the ceiling hampering their exits. COD for a lot of them was actually drowning.

yeap i saw the programme also.... if only they listen to the instruction carefully....

but i can understand people were on panic mode.