Commercial airlines around the world now carry nearly 2.5 billion passengers a year, and despite the inherent dangers of rocketing through the sky miles above the Earth in a very heavy piece of metal, these travelers are amazingly safe. That said, a lot can go wrong at 33,000 feet above the ground, and if you’re unlucky enough to be aboard when something does, the decisions you make could mean the difference between life and death. Keep in mind that about 95% of airplane crashes have survivors, so even if the worst does happen, your odds aren't as bad as you might think.

STEP 1

Wear long pants, a long-sleeve t-shirt, and sturdy, comfortable, lace-up shoes.
Although you may want to be comfortable or professional-looking on a flight, sandals or high heels make it hard to move quickly within the wreckage. High heels are not allowed on the evacuation slides and you can cut your feet and toes on glass or get flammable liquids on or in your sandals if you wear them.
•Loose or elaborate clothing also poses a risk, as it can get snagged on obstacles in the close confines of a plane. If you know you’re going to be flying over cold areas, dress appropriately, and consider keeping a jacket on your lap. You’ll need to be able to stay warm if you survive the crash. Even if that is not a consideration, the more of your body is covered during impact, the less likely you are to receive serious injuries or burns. Cotton or wool clothing is also preferable as it is less flammable. Wool is preferable to cotton when flying over water, as wool does not lose its insulating properties to the degree cotton does when wet.


STEP 2

Book the right seats.
Because the initial impact is most often survivable, the key to living to tell about a crash is frequently how quickly you can get out. To this end, it’s best to get seats as close as possible to an exit, and aisle seats are generally preferable. In addition, try to sit in the back of the plane. Passengers in the tail of the aircraft have 40% higher survival rates than those in the first few rows.


STEP 3

Read the safety information card and pay attention to the pre-flight safety speech.
Yes, you’ve heard it all before, and you’ll probably never need it, but if you keep your headphones on during the pre-flight instructions or ignore the safety card, you’ll be missing out on information that could be vital in the event of a crash. Don’t assume you know it all already, either. Every type of airplane has different safety instructions. If you're sitting in an exit row, study the door and make sure you know how to open it if you need to. In normal circumstances the flight attendant will open the door, but if they are dead or injured, you'll need to do it.


STEP 4

Make a plan.
If the plane is going to crash, you almost always have several minutes to prepare before impact. Use this time to once again review where the exits are, and try to count the number of seats between your row and the exit row—that way you’ll know when you’ve reached the exit even if you can’t see it. Assess the situation as well as possible. Try to determine what surface the plane will land on so you can customize your preparations. If you’re going to be landing in water, for example, you’ll want to put your life vest on—don’t inflate it until you’re out of the plane—and if you’re going to be landing in cold weather, you should try to get a blanket or jacket to keep you warm once outside.

Ok, try it with dana

STEP 5

Keep your seat belt securely fastened at all times.
If the plane crashes while you’re sleeping, you’ll be glad you kept your seat belt on. In any case, make sure it is placed around you snugly before impact. Every centimeter of slack in your seat belt triples the G-Force you'll experience in the crash, so keep it snug! Also, push that snug seat belt down as low over your pelvis as possible. You should be able to feel the upper ridge of the pelvis above the upper edge of the belt. Why? The pelvis is a very strong structure that handles force well. However, if your belt slides up into your stomach, you have a greater chance of sustaining dangerous internal injuries. (Note: this also applies to car seat belts.)


STEP 6

Brace yourself for impact.
If you know you’re going to crash, brace yourself. Return your seat back to its full upright position and assume one of two "brace positions."
•If the seat or bulkhead in front of you is close enough to easily reach, place one hand palm-down on the back of that seat, cross the other hand palm-down over the first hand, and rest your forehead against your hands (don’t lace your fingers). It is also sometimes recommended to put your head directly against the seat in front of you and lace your fingers behind your head, tucking your upper arms against the sides of your head.
•If you don’t have a seat close in front of you, bend forward and put your chest on your thighs and your head between your knees. Cross your wrists in front of your lower calves, and grab your ankles. In either position, your feet should be flat on the floor and further back than your knees to reduce injuries to your feet and legs, which you will need in order to successfully exit the craft after impact. Place your legs as far under the seat as possible to avoid breaking your shin bones.


STEP 7

Remain calm.
It can be easy to get swept up in the pandemonium immediately preceding and following a crash. Keep a cool head, though, and you’re more likely to get out alive. Remember that even in the worst wrecks, you do have a chance of survival. You’ll need to be able to think methodically and rationally to maximize that chance.

Good information, God bless U Op!

Just when I was gonna give in on Nairaland, thinking evritin is about stella oduah, Iyanya's erotic cake & Davido's skelewu video!

Nice info especially for these turbulent times.

STEP 8

Put your oxygen mask on before assisting others.
You’ve probably heard this on every commercial flight you’ve been on, but it’s worth repeating. If the integrity of the cabin is compromised, you have only about 15 seconds (often less if you’re a smoker or have circulatory or respiratory problems) to start breathing through your oxygen mask before you are rendered unconscious.


STEP 9

Protect yourself from smoke.
Fire and, more commonly, smoke is responsible for a large percentage of crash fatalities. The smoke in an airplane fire can be very thick and highly toxic, so cover your nose and mouth with a cloth to avoid breathing it in. If possible, moisten the cloth to provide extra protection.


STEP 10

Get out of the airplane as quickly as possible.
It’s critical to get out of the aircraft without delay—if fire or smoke is present, you will generally have less than two minutes to safely exit the plane.

•Don’t try to rescue your belongings. It’s common sense, but still some people don’t seem to get it. Leave everything behind. It will only slow you down.

STEP 11

Get at least 500 feet upwind from the wreckage.

If you’re stranded in a remote area, the best thing to do usually is to stay close to the aircraft to await rescuers. You don’t want to be too close, though. Fire or explosion can happen at any time after a crash, so put some distance between you and the plane. If the crash is in open-water, swim as far away from the plane wreckage as possible.


WARNING!

•When landing in water, do not inflate your life vest until you are outside of the aircraft. If you do, you run the risk of becoming trapped when the aircraft fills with water.
•Never hold your infant or toddler on your lap. While it may be cheaper than buying a seat, your child is almost guaranteed not to survive if you are holding him or her. Get a seat for your child and use an approved child restraint system.
•Avoid wearing synthetic fabrics while traveling by plane. If a fire breaks out in the cabin, these materials will melt to your skin.
•Don’t push other passengers. An orderly exit increases everybody’s chance of survival, and if you panic and start shoving, you may be faced with retaliation.
•Avoid excessive alcohol consumption before or during a flight. Alcohol impairs your ability to quickly and methodically react to the crash and evacuate the plane.
•Don’t get down on the floor of the plane. If there is smoke in the cabin, try to stay low, but do not crawl. You will likely be trampled or injured by other passengers attempting to escape in the low-visibility conditions.

santuse: Ok, try it with dana

FYI, whether you board a local or international airline, these life-saving tips are applicable.

Nice one!

nice writeup

Thanks Op.
Nice one.

I have watched every single episode of Mayday Aircrash Investigation and as far as am concerned, there is only one life-saving tip. Sit as far back as you can.

The farther you are from the nose of the airplane, the more likely you are to survive. The reason is simply because almost every plane crashes nose first, and the shock sent through the body of the plane attenuates as it travels along the hull to the tail. This is why the tail section is often the only section left intact after a plane crash. If a plane stalls though, and drops down on its belly, everyone is left with pretty much equal chances of success. If there is an explosion on board, almost everyone will lose their lives as well.

Great info!! Thank you.

[img]http://2.bp..com/_ZelggTu08hA/TTyOLLGD0gI/AAAAAAAAHJc/v1iFT-HFi9w/s1600/anna-vaulina-plane-crash-pic-collect-293443757.jpg[/img]

The tail again!

Hm!
1st Bullet:
Person go book seat for the tail of the plane, wear shoe, wear wool dress, carry life jacket if the plane go drop for water. Wetin?
Second Bullet:
The tension wey go catch body for that hour no go allow most people remember any of the listed safety tips.
So, Op forgot one vital tip which is:
Try to be focused, don't panic.
If you are focused & without panic, you ll be able to quickly plan your escape.
Last Bullet:
Op, buy me N500 suya from Mallam Audu. Make I soak small
l garri.

ok,I don ryt am 4 my diary

interesting but risky

The best part i love is stayed calm it is fifty fifty, life or death... So don't panic. But i expect him to make mention of parachutte or is it not in vogue anymore. Or better still tell pilot say u wan drop for next bus-stop.....sori plane-stop.

coming back to .......

story story, with the fear wey go hold you as the plane dey fall u no go even remember your name, na shit u go just dey shit for pant

Na God dey save pesin.

Story, but was disapionted d first day I enta plane say no parachute, jst life jacket.

Lolz, dis is funny, so tey e don reach time wey we need to dey learn how to survive plane crash!!! Naija I hail thee....

What about the man sleeeping in his house jeje when Dana plane crash came to meet him there?

How does he plan to survive?

Any tips?

For Naija, after the captain make announcement of impending crash. The pandemonium no go let u think sef. Na words like " aye mi o" , "bi mo se ku re" , "olorun gba mi" . "Temi baje " u go dey hear

God no go let us encounter such grisly mishap.

Ok ooh after all this you come go land for Atlantic oceanic nko ? Oga die well.

d only way to escape completely is to never board a plane the Same way d only way to escape death is to never get born!!!

I recall when i was flying from Abuja to Sokoto for a case. One young military chap was reading a book, the back cover says ' How to succeed and survive a military coup'. Unknown to us, the elderly man sitting in between us was a retired Brigadier General. He looked at the boy and told him, 'the only way to survive a coup is by neither planning one nor engaging in its execution' and he added, take my advise son, and you may retire a full General, I did as a Brigadier General'

The point here for as applied to the extant post is simple, the only way to survive a plane crash is to go by road.

Flights on international routes hardly ever crashes, so i am applying this to domestic routes.

Please be guided.

As if the tension go make you remember any of the survival guides

.

Mhen,everybody will start struggling for back seat now who wan die??