| Are airline accidents survivable? |
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The biggest myth in the eyes of passengers is that if your aircraft crashes,
your dead anyway. Wrong. Over 70% of airline accidents are survivable.
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| Why do so many people die in survivable accidents? |
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71% of people who die in survivable crashes, do so after the aircraft comes
to a complete stop. In many cases its because they are unprepared for the crash. The following
information should help you to be prepared and survive.
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| What do people do wrong? |
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People don't read the safety card in the seat pocket in front of them. They
don't know how many seats to nearest exit! There are many things that people don't do and in a toxic, smoke filled
enviroment of a burning aircraft they succumb to the smoke and toxic fumes. So pay attention to the cabin attendants
preflight safety briefing and live.
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| Is any seat the safest? |
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Generally no because you cannot predict the nature of the accident. Seated
next to an emergency exit is perhaps the safest seat, providing you are willing and able to operate the exit door
if directed by the cabin attendants. If unprepared to do this you should ask for a different seat. Regardless of
where you are situated always learn how many seats and directions to your nearest exit and an alternative exit.
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| What should I wear on the flight? |
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Always try to wear a tight knit natural fibre fabrics as these have the
least tendancy to burn. Dont wear synthentic nylon fabrics as they will melt and burn into your skin. Try and cover
as much of your body as possible to prevent your skin coming into contact with fire. Always wear leather boots/shoes
to allow you to walk through any wreakage. Don't wear high heal shoes as they have a tendancy to catch on escape
slides. Jeans and cotton long sleave shirts are recommended.
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| What is easiest precaution I can take? |
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By far the easiest and possibly the most important thing passengers can
do is to sit in their seats, put their seatbelts on and leave them on. Without seatbelts people have been injured
from unpredicted turbulence, sucked out from rapid decompressions or killed whilst being thrown around the cabin
in sudden impacts.
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| What cannot be carried onto aircraft?. |
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There are many items which may not be carried onto aircraft. If there is
any doubt please contact your airline for clarification and remember ignorance is not an excuse under the law.
The penalties are quite severe in relation to carrying prohibited items onto aircraft.
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| How quick do I have to be getting out of a crashed aircraft? |
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Aircraft have demonstrated before certification that they can be evacuated
at night, with half the exits blocked in under 90 seconds. Unfortunately in an evacuation people tend to try to
take hand luggage with them. Do not take hand luggage whilst evacuating an aircraft - your life is in mortal
danger. Sounds silly doesn't it, so dont you be one of those people.....
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| How do I avoid breathing smoke? |
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If you can hold your breath for 30 seconds, which if you know what you are
doing - is how long it should take you to exit the aircraft, you can probably get out alive.Once again you will
need to intimately know where your exits are. Count seats to exits so you can find them in the dark.
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| Why can't I use electronic equipment such as mobile phones in flight? |
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In modern aircraft you may interfere
with navigation equipment and other critical aircraft systems. |
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