From: rdd@cactus.org (Robert Dorsett)
Subject: Re: Surviving a Commercial Aircraft Accident
Organization: Capital Area Central Texas UNIX Society, Austin, Tx
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 22:53:52 GMT

In article <BzFAoL.JDD@mach1.wlu.ca> eandersn@mach1.wlu.ca (Niels Ejvind Andersen) writes:
>
>According to a survey of airline passengers, the commonly held opinion is
>that 75% of commercial aircraft accidents have one or more fatalities.  In
>reality, only 15% of such accidents have fatalities.

Ain't statistics wonderful? :-)


>Six Rules for Surviving a Commercial Aviation Accident (as a passenger). 
>
>1.  Bring a coat that won't burn or melt, and wear it both during takeoff
>    and during landing.

More precisely, don't wear polyester or synthetic clothing: it'll melt on
you like napalm.  Wear natural fibers, all-wool or cotton.  Wear long-sleeve
shirts.  I've seen pictures of crash victims: they often look like pictures
from Hiroshima.  Nasty burns on all exposed flesh, but fine, with even a 
thin layer of clothing between them and the source.


>2.  Wear flat shoes.  Don't remove them until after takeoff, and put them
>    back on for the landing.

I've been running into a persistent datum that a lot of airlines require you
to take your shoes off by POLICY, before a crash.  I hope I'm never on one
that does, since I consider this absolutely asinine--floor temperatures
can exceed 400F, which would inhibit evacuation--and would refuse.

Another recommendation is to wear leather shoes.  Aforementioned temperatures
could melt sneakers or plastic shoes in a bind.


>3.  Make sure your seatbelt is snug, and not too high on your hips, during
>    the takeoff and landing

"Tight" might be a better idea...


>4.  Know what brace position you need to get into for a crash (this should
>    be the position your body will end up in after the deceleration, if
>    you were sitting upright).  With a 1.5G or 2G deceleration in the forward
>    direction, your head, arms and legs will strike the seat in front of
>    you.  If an accident is imminent, get into the brace position immediately.
>    Don't wait for "brace" instructions from the crew.  The brace position
>    will minimize your risk of injury.

Reminds me of "Airplane!"  I still don't know what the "brace position" 
is, nor any safety-research behind the "grab your ankles and kiss your ass
goodbye" position.  :-)


>5.  Know where the nearest exits are.  

Make this priority #1, and mentally map the exits and movements from the
moment you enter the airplane.  Besides the toxic nature of smoke, the smoke
will be DENSE, and lighting, if any, will be highly minimal.  

Also, report any children or invalids blooking emergency routes: by law, no 
child may sit on an overwing exit row.  I've noticed several airlines do not
pay much attention to this; I've pointed it out on every flight I've been on,
and the people have been moved.


>6.  Know how to open the exit doors.

Make this #2.  Try to learn the difference between "auto" and "manual."  If
the F/A forgets to put the door on auto, it'll open, but the slide won't 
deploy.  This is what the "all doors to auto" PA announcement is for.


7.  Buy a smokehood!

Smoke's been the real killer in recent airline crashes: the Habsheim A320
crash; the Chicago ground-collision; the USAir crash at LAX; the Delta 727 
crash in Dallas.  They always find these heaps of bodies--often unburned--
next to a blocked door.  A smokehood should be mandatory equipment: it only
costs about $15, and can give you another minute or two of maneuvering time.

Flight International reported a few years ago that it'd cost a total of about
$8 million to equip EVERY airliner in existence with a smokehood, along with
a life preserver.  Nobody's ever gone for it, though.  





---
Robert Dorsett
rdd@cactus.org
...cs.utexas.edu!cactus.org!rdd
Newsgroups: rec.aviation.misc