Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Prepare for flight safely
• Part 2 of 3: Preparing for impact
• Part 3 of 3: Surviving the crash
• Tips
• Warnings

The chances of dying in a commercial airliner are only one in nine million. That said, a lot can go wrong at an altitude of 10 kilometers. If you're unlucky enough to be on board when something goes wrong, the decisions you make can mean the difference between life and death. Almost 95% of plane crashes have survivors, so even if the unthinkable happens, your odds may not be as bad as you think. You can learn how to safely prepare for flights, how to stay calm during the crash itself, and how to survive the aftermath.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Prepare for flight safely

1. Dress comfortably. If you survive a crash you should be able to stay warm. Even if the temperature is not a factor, more of your body will be covered in the crash, reducing the risk of serious injury or burns. Wear long pants, a long-sleeved T-shirt and sturdy, comfortable lace-up shoes.
   • Loose or clumsy clothing carries a risk because those clothes can get caught on obstacles in the confined space of the aircraft. Dress appropriately when flying over cold areas, and consider keeping a jacket on your lap.
   • Cotton and / or wool clothing is preferred because it is less flammable. Wool is preferable to cotton when flying over water, as wool loses less of its insulating properties when wet than cotton.
2. Wear responsible footwear. While you may want to feel comfortable on the plane or look professional, sandals or high heels reduce your ability to move around in an emergency. In addition, high heels are not allowed on the evacuation slide. Wearing sandals could cut your feet or toes on the glass, and flammable liquids could also get onto or into your sandals.
3. Sit in the tail of the plane. Passengers in the back of the plane have a 40% higher survival rate in the event of a crash than those in the first few rows ... Since a quick escape gives you the best chance of survival, it is best to stay close to an exit. sit on the aisle and in the back of the plane.
   • Statistically, it is safer to fly economy than to fly first class. Save money and stay safer.
4. Read the safety card and listen to the instructions of the airline personnel. You may have heard that tune a hundred times, and you probably don't need it. However, if you keep your headphones in during the instructions or refuse to read the safety card, you will refrain from information that could be essential in the event of a crash.
   • Also, don't assume that you already know everything. Each type of aircraft has its own safety instructions.
   • If you are in the emergency exit line, you can already study the door to learn how to open the door when the time comes. Normally, the flight crew will open the door, but if they are deceased or disabled you may have to take on that task.
5. Count the number of seats between you and the emergency exit row. Find the nearest emergency exit and count the number of seats between you and that exit. When the plane crashes, the situation in the cabin changes significantly. It can be blue with smoke, it can be very noisy and the atmosphere can be panicky or confusing. If you need to escape, you may have to feel your way to the exit - and that will be a lot easier if you know where the emergency exit is and how far you are from it.
   • You could even choose to write the number on your hand in pen so you can refer to it if needed.
6. Keep your seat belt on at all times. Every inch of slack in your seat belt triples the g-force you will experience in the crash. It is therefore important to keep your seat belt tight at all times during the flight.
   • Push the belt as low over your pelvis as possible. You should be able to feel the top edge of your pelvis above the top edge of the belt. If you can do this, you will be able to brace yourself better in an emergency than if the belt is around your soft stomach.
   • Leave your seat belt on, even when you go to sleep. If something happens while you're in dreamland, you'll be glad you did it.

Part 2 of 3: Preparing for impact

1. Assess the situation. Try to determine what surface the plane will land on. This way you will be able to adjust your preparations if desired. If the landing is going to take place in the water, you can already put on your life jacket - do not inflate it until you have left the plane. If you're going to land in cold conditions, try putting on a blanket or jacket so you can keep warm once you're outside.
   • Check out the standard route in advance so you have a reasonable idea of ​​where to go if the plane crashes. For example, if you fly from the Netherlands to Romania, you can be reasonably sure that you will not land in the sea.
   • Use the time before the crash to find your exit. When the plane crashes, you usually have a few minutes to prepare for impact. Use this time to check again exactly where the emergency exits are located.
2. Prepare your space as best you can. When you know you are going to crash, you should put your seat back in its upright position and tuck away any loose objects that could be dangerous. Zip up your jacket and make sure your shoe laces are secure. Then assume one of the two usual imposition positions. Try to stay calm.
   • In each of the two positions, your feet should be flat on the floor and further back than your knees. This will reduce the risk of injury to feet and legs, which you will need to successfully exit the aircraft after impact. Place your legs as far under the seat as possible to avoid breaking your shins.
3. Brace yourself against the chair in front of you. If the chair in front of you is within reach, you can put one hand with the palm against the back of the chair. Cross your other hand over the first hand, palm down as well. Rest your forehead against your hands. Do not fold the fingers together.
   • It is also sometimes recommended to put your head directly against the chair in front of you, fold your fingers together behind your head, and hold your upper arms against the sides of your head to clamp the head.
   • Bend forward if you don't have a seat in front of you. If you don't have a chair right in front of you, you can bend forward, bring your chest to your thighs, and put your head between your knees. Cross your wrists for the lower legs and grasp your ankles.
4. Try to stay calm. It's all too easy to get carried away by the cauldron that will explode immediately before and after the crash. However, if you keep your cool, the chance that you will survive is much greater. Know that even in the worst wrecks you still have a chance of survival. In order to increase that chance as much as possible, you need to be and remain able to think methodically and rationally.
5. Put on your life jacket in case of a crash in the water - but don't inflate it just yet. If you inflate the vest on the plane as it fills with water, it will force you against the roof of the plane. It then becomes very difficult to swim back down, which will cause you to get stuck. Rather, try to hold your breath and swim outside, and don't inflate your life jacket until you're outside.
6. Put on your oxygen mask before you start helping others. You've probably heard this on every flight you've ever taken, but it's worth repeating. If the integrity of the cabin is compromised, you will only have fifteen seconds or less to breathe through your oxygen mask before you pass out.
   • While the first impulse may be to help your children or the elderly next to you, you are not doing anyone a favor if you do not stay conscious. Also remember that you can put an oxygen mask on someone else, even if he / she is unconscious. This can help you save his / her life.

Part 3 of 3: Surviving the crash

1. Protect yourself from smoke. Fire and smoke account for the highest percentage of aircraft fatalities. The smoke on an airplane can be very thick and extremely poisonous. Therefore, cover your mouth and nose with a piece of cloth when you breathe in air. If possible, moisten the fabric to provide extra protection.
   • Try to stay low on the escape so you can stay below the smoke level. It may not seem like a big deal, but fainting from smoke inhalation is one of the most dangerous things that can happen to you during this critical time.
2. Get off the plane as soon as possible. According to the US National Transportation Safety Board, 68% of all plane crash deaths can be attributed to post-crash fire; not that of injury from the impact itself. It is critical to get off the plane as soon as possible. If there is smoke or fire, you generally have less than two minutes to get off the plane safely.
   • Make sure the emergency exit you choose is safe. Look through the window to see if there is any fire or anything dangerous outside the exit. If so, try to find another emergency exit.
3. Listen to the flight crew's post-crash instructions. Flight attendants undergo rigorous training to make sure they know what to do in the event of a crash. If anyone on the flight crew is able to assist or instruct you, listen carefully and cooperate - this will increase everyone's chances of survival.
4. Leave your things. Don't try to save your belongings. It may sound logical, but many people don't seem to get it anyway. Leave everything behind. It will only slow you down when you try to save your things.
   • If it turns out that it is necessary to get things out of the plane, then you should worry about that later. At this point, the most important thing is to get out of the wreckage area and get yourself to safety. Leave the plane and the crash area immediately.
5. Walk at least 150 yards away from the wreckage and avoid standing in the wind. If you are stranded in a deserted area, it is best to stay close to the plane to wait for rescuers. You don't want to be too close to the wreck, however. At any point after the crash, a fire or explosion could occur, so make sure there is some distance between you and the plane. If the crash occurred in open water, you should swim as far away from the wreckage as possible.
6. Stay in one place, but pay close attention to what needs to be done. While it is essential to stay calm after a crash, you also need to recognize when to act and act quickly. Help people who are struggling and provide first aid where necessary.
   • If possible, take care of your own wounds first. Check yourself for cuts and scrapes and apply pressure to your wounds as needed. Stay in one place to reduce the risk of internal injury worsening.
   • Negative panic is a curious inability to respond assertively and appropriately to the situation. For example, people could sit in their seats instead of making their way to the emergency exit. Pay close attention to this phenomenon with your fellow passengers or travel companions.
7. Wait for rescue. The chance of survival is much higher if you stay in one and the same place. Don't wander for help or find anything nearby. If your plane has crashed, people will arrive on the scene quickly and you want you to be there when they do. Stay where you are.

Tips

• It is quite common after a crash that people forget how to unfasten their seat belts. It may seem like a piece of cake, but in your confused state you often instinctively start pushing buttons like you would with a seat belt. If that doesn't work, panic often strikes. Before impact, remind yourself mentally how to easily and quickly loosen the seat belt.
• Place your luggage under the seat in front of you. This can help you avoid breaking your legs under the seat.
• Remove sharp objects - pens, pencils, etc. - from your pockets for impact. It's even better not to carry them with you at all. Almost any object can become a deadly projectile in the event of a plane crash.
• Stay in the impact position until the aircraft comes to a complete stop, as the first impact is often followed by a second impact or a bounce.
• A jacket or blanket is the only exception to the “leave all your belongings” rule. Only consider taking those items with you if you already have it within reach before impact. While appropriate clothing can help you survive if you are stranded somewhere for a while, the most important thing is to get off the plane as quickly and safely as possible.
• If you don't have time to prepare for the crash and you forget the instructions, you can keep most of the information on the safety card in the seat in front of you.
• In the event of a water landing, remove your shoes and excess clothing just before or immediately after landing - this will make swimming and floating a lot easier.
• Call the emergency services if you have a mobile phone with you (in this English manual you will find the telephone numbers of the emergency services per country and continent.
• Listen to the instructions and don't overthink it. If you do, you risk your life. Do as instructed by the flight crew and only stand when it is safe and you are instructed to do so.
• Save yourself before saving others!

Warnings

• Don't push other passengers. Everyone's chance of survival is higher if the plane is left in an orderly fashion. If you panic and start pushing, you can be retaliated against.
• Do not lie on the floor of the plane. If there is smoke in the cabin, try to stay low; but not to crawl. The chance that you will be injured or trampled by other passengers trying to escape is high if there is little or poor visibility.
• Avoid excessive alcohol consumption before or during the flight. Alcohol impairs your ability to respond quickly and methodically to the crash and exit the plane.
• If you land in the water, do not inflate your life jacket before exiting the plane. If you do, you run the risk of getting stuck when the plane fills with water.
• Try not to wear synthetics when traveling by plane. If a fire breaks out in the cabin, synthetic materials will melt to the skin.
• Never keep your baby or toddler on your lap. While it may be cheaper to hold your child than it is to buy a separate ticket, if you hold him / her, the child will almost certainly not survive a crash.Have the child sit in their own seat and use an approved child seat.