How to survive in a plane crash. What to do on the plane if an emergency occurs. Your plane "skids" from a strong wind

Why is it forbidden to use electronics on an airplane during takeoff and landing? Even with your phone in airplane mode? Even the player to listen to?

In October 2014, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued an official approval: electronic devices can remain switched on and online during the entire flight. But it does not apply to passengers, but to airlines.

Carriers themselves determine what is best for their passengers. And the official position of most airlines is that any electronic device creates an electromagnetic field that can directly or indirectly affect the operation of on-board instruments. Therefore, it is better to ban any gadgets than to expect the Boeing to stall during takeoff because someone decides to send an SMS.

Second moment. Have you heard the beeps in the speakers when a mobile phone connects or receives a call? The same interference can drown out the pilots' headphones. important information from the dispatcher.

Ilya, 36 years old, employee of the Ministry of Emergency Situations

Finally, the most prosaic explanation: a passenger listening to a player or talking on the phone will not find out in time about a fire that has started or an unscheduled splashdown. And his neighbor in an evacuation rush will get tangled in the wires from the headphones.

So all the same: do you need to applaud when touching the landing gear of the runway?

There is nothing wrong with this kind of courtesy. But then get in the habit of clapping at the cashier at the supermarket who successfully cleared the check. This is also his job.

Pilots, most likely, will not hear applause: they are separated from the cabin by an armored door and are busy negotiating with controllers, taxiing and cleaning the wing mechanization.

While the plane has not rolled down the taxiway, the danger remains: it may not stop, move off the runway with unpleasant consequences, or brake sharply - and luggage will fall on you from the shelves opened by an impatient neighbor.

Ilya, 36 years old, employee of the Ministry of Emergency Situations

If you absolutely want to applaud the crew, do it after the ship has completely stopped at the terminal.

Why do flight attendants pester me all the time with requests to raise the curtains of the windows? Do they affect anything?

Open window blinds, raised seat backs and subdued interior lights are necessary safety measures when landing.

Alexey, Boeing 777 pilot of Transaero Airlines

Let's let our imagination run wild and imagine that the plane has just made an emergency landing: there is smoke in the cabin and women's screams, there is a fire on the wing. But no one sees him, because the curtains are down. Eventually emergency exit opens just from the side of the fire, passengers do not see the luminescent paths on the floor and go blind from the bright light, leaving the darkness. In general, believe me: all this is necessary for your own safety.

What if a person dies on board? Where is the body taken?

It is not put into the luggage compartment, as irresponsible readers might probably think.

The person remains at the place where the tragedy occurred, but the passengers from him, if possible, sit down. In a pinch, the body can be moved to the back kitchen. In practice, it happened that the passenger lost consciousness or complained of a sharp pain in the region of the heart, but no one, thank God, died suddenly and silently. There was a case when a very large man came to the kitchen to the guides for some water, lost consciousness and lay under artificial ventilation until arriving at Domodedovo, where an ambulance took him. And once I had to make an unscheduled landing at Varna airport because of a suspected heart attack in an elderly woman.

The most difficult thing for the crew in the conditions of an emergency landing is to communicate with passengers who are burning holidays and transfers to other flights.

Where does airplane food? After all, I never found a kitchen on board. Where is it stored, how long does it lie?

Everything that is served to passengers on board is prepared in the in-flight catering workshop, which is usually located on the territory of the airport. By the way, the same workshop prepares for the crew, although the menu may be different. All in-flight meals have a very limited shelf life of a few hours. So, if the flight is short, the food is filled in both directions, but if the flight is delayed, the loaded food is unloaded and disposed of.

Food quality control is very serious: carriers do not want to receive complaints from passengers who have been poisoned on board. As for the seemingly cheap food, American Airlines saved $40,000 in 1987 by removing just one olive from a salad. By the way, the aluminum container for hot dishes, which you constantly burn yourself on board, is called a cassette.

Why can't you smoke during the flight? Just a health issue?

Ashtrays in the armrests of chairs, probably, and today you can still find in the old aircraft on some domestic flights. Yes, and during takeoff and landing in these planes, the lights “Fasten your seat belts”, “Do not smoke” are on. So it was possible before? And who bothered?

The version about a possible fire on board is the most famous. On occasion, you can go into the aircraft toilet and check the container where the used tissues go. It is closed with a spring-loaded hatch that slams shut as soon as you remove your hand. This is done so that oxygen does not enter the potential source of ignition. But the seat upholstery, floor coverings and other interior materials do not support combustion - they can be melted for a long time with a lighter, but they will not give open fire. An important reason for the prohibition of smoking on board is the economic benefit of the carrier. The air in the aircraft constantly circulates, passing through the cleaning filters and even cooling the equipment along the way. Soot and resins quickly make them unusable.

By the way, on some flights Arab countries and, for example, Iran, you can smoke today.

Movies often show how, on advice from the ground, random passengers land the plane. It's all computer controlled!

The bad news: if both pilots are incapacitated, the passengers are doomed. Even if before that they correctly set up the autopilot to perform an automatic landing, then you are still doomed. Not a single electronic system on board can operate autonomously, without crew control. Autoland - automatic landing - also requires human control and constant management. Even a flight attendant hardly knows how to contact the ground to report an emergency on board. He simply will not find the PTT (button) to get in touch. So a random passenger can't handle it.

Boris, aircraft commander, 5 years experience

Fight for a place

Economy class is not the best comfortable place. There is a piggy way to improve it a bit.

On the Internet, you can easily find a gadget called Knee Defender. These are locks that are put on the dining table and do not allow the chair in front to recline.

There are disputes about the ethical side of the device, because comfort is achieved by causing inconvenience to another passenger. At the same time, the Knee Defender does not violate any flight rules: its use on board is not prohibited. True, in August last year, the flight Newark - Denver made emergency landing in Chicago, it was the fault of the gadget: the passengers quarreled and almost got into a fight because of it. If you decide to buy - this thing costs about 1100 rubles.

I looked out the window and saw that the wing on my side was swaying strangely. Is this the end or modern aircraft flap their wings to fly?

Passenger aircraft have one wing. Two - at the "corn" familiar to everyone.

If the wing were rigid, it would break under loads, because it is affected by lift, and the weight of the engines, and the oncoming air flow, and sitting birds. The lower part of the wing is made of a softer material, as it stretches more during flight, while the upper part is made of a more rigid one.

If you're still scared, check out the strength tests of airplane wings on YouTube. There they are bent almost at a right angle.

How does an airplane toilet work? Is it really, like in Soviet trains, that everything is immediately dumped?

For some reason, the myth that the toilets on airplanes are arranged according to the type “you can’t write, we’re still in the city” still exists. It turns out that he has no reasonable sources.

Even in the old models of the aircraft in the toilet, everything was flushed into a special container - there were no hatches for dumping waste. Then the same water was filtered and again went to flush. At the same time, a chemical was added to it to neutralize the smell. In more modern aircraft, flushing occurs with the help of a sharp intake of air.

Herman, aircraft maintenance support engineer

One stupid joke of irresponsible passengers is connected with a vacuum toilet: if you lower the end toilet paper and press the drain, then it will merrily unwind with a kilometer of pulp into nowhere. All waste is again collected in a special tank, which, upon arrival, pumps out a cesspool tank on wheels called "MA-7".

During a transatlantic flight, screens in the cabin show a map with a flight path and a funny airplane. Why do we fly in an arc and not directly? Also faster!

It's very simple: take a globe, an orange, a curled up hedgehog or any spherical object and try to lay a route on it, attaching a thread. Or remember how artists bend the meridians on the world map in order to correctly convey the shape of the planet. And this is not a complete answer. An aircraft generally never flies in a straight line. Moreover, if it were possible to trace the entire path of the aircraft over more accurate map, it would turn out that he flies almost in zigzags.

Blame the program ETOPS (Extended Rules of the Air for Twin Engine Aircraft) - special requirements for flying over non-orientated terrain. According to them, the route of the aircraft must be built so that it is constantly within a certain flight time to the nearest airfield, where it would be possible to make an emergency landing in the event of failure of one of the engines.

Vladimir Afonin, mathematician at the State Air Defense Concern

Agree, it is better to do it even on a poor runway, but not in the mountains or on the ocean surface. Well, they also affect the flight path weather. Of course, the aircraft is not hindered by light rain or snow, but it can, if necessary, correct the course in order not to avoid meeting with especially aggressive weather conditions.

Why in airplanes of the same model, but different airlines economy class can be completely different cramped?

It is logical to assume that the larger the aircraft, the more space inside. It is not always so.

The layout of the seats in the cabin depends on the airline and is made to order in accordance with the requirements of the aircraft manufacturer.

Anastasia, press service of Transaero
12

Is it possible for a pilot to cheat medical control before a flight and board the flight drunk?

In Russia, before the flight, pilots undergo medical control - they measure their pulse and pressure. It is theoretically possible to deceive him by forging the doctor's signature in the flight task. But in order to fly drunk, hardly anyone will go for it: suspension from a flight is often punishable by dismissal.

Boris, aircraft commander, 5 years experience

It is much easier to stay at home, plead ill health and send a reserve crew on a flight.

The cabin of our aircraft was decorated for the New Year with Christmas decorations. Are they special?

It just depends on the airline. Toys are used and ordinary, but preference is given to plastic, unbreakable.

In addition, on the flights of some companies, Santa Claus congratulates passengers: it is safer and cheaper - it is enough for one of the stewards to put on a fur coat and a beard.

Anastasia, press service of Transaero

14

Is it true that during long flights aircraft engines are periodically turned off and the aircraft simply glides for some time?

Not true. In normal mode, this never happens. But engines can be shut down automatically due to a malfunction or fire.

Ilya, 36 years old, employee of the Ministry of Emergency Situations

In general, only the pilot has the right to perform the procedure for starting engines (it is called “run up”): at the signal of the technician, he starts first the right and then the left engine. This order is due to the fact that the brakes in the vast majority of types of foreign equipment are powered from the right engine. During the flight, the engines may be turned off for testing. This is what test pilots are paid for.

Herman, aircraft maintenance support engineer

15

Ok, we seem to be falling. Am I lucky? Which compartment passengers have more chances for survival?

There are a variety of opinions on this matter. The most common is to sit in the tail (you can pee there): fuel tanks located under the middle part of the cabin.

Vladimir Afonin, mathematician at the State Air Defense Concern

16

If the pilot is fenced off by an impenetrable door from the cabin, how does he communicate with the crew?

After September 11, the pilots are really fenced off by an armored door, which has a special code for entering.

This is done in case everyone in the cockpit loses consciousness - for example, due to depressurization. But this code will only work if the pilot does not take any action within 120 seconds after entering it. Of course, the conductors do not use it every time to access the cockpit, but only check its performance before departure. In regular situations, for entry, the conductor calls the pilots on the tube, that is, using the aircraft intercom, the same one through which he reads information for passengers, only this time he calls the pilots, and not the speakerphone into the cabin. By the way, the conductor is obliged to call the crew every 40 minutes during the day and every 20 minutes at night to make sure they are working.

Boris, aircraft commander, 5 years experience

To communicate with flight attendants, there are special code phrases. Usually they are negotiated before the flight, but there are also permanent ones. For example, "Purser to cockpit, please" means that one of the crew members is unable to perform his duties and the chief conductor should come to the rescue. In the event of a ship being hijacked, of course, there is also a code word.

Is it true that you can learn how to fly an airplane by playing computer simulators like Microsoft Flight Simulator?

You can develop some skills, like orienteering in the cockpit. Know where which device is located. Perhaps the simulation will give an idea of the physical behavior of the machine, its dynamic characteristics, but it is not worth talking about full-fledged control training. For these purposes, aviation uses much more advanced simulation models - MFTD and FFS. And if the MFTD is a bit like what a player can arrange at home, then the FFS is the most complex engineering device, the cost of which exceeds the price of the aircraft itself.

In my opinion, my neighbor on the left is unreliable. Anyway, now he's running naked down the aisle and brandishing a ski pole. Can the flight attendants defuse it?

Alas, today, according to the law, the crew can stop hooliganism on board only with the help of persuasion. But our airline has a special flight support service - these are employees of services air safety in civilian clothes.

Boris, aircraft commander, 5 years experience

Any violent actions can be regarded as hijacking an aircraft. They will be reported to the crew commander, who will decide on the landing.

It scares me a little when people pay extra for overweight luggage. Will the plane take it all away? Does he have a load limit at all?

Weight limit is very important. If it is exceeded, the centering of the vessel is disturbed. The plane will either not take off if the center of gravity is forward, or it will not be controlled in the air if it is rear. But to calculate the weight of passengers, average values \u200b\u200bare used, which have been in force in Russia for more than thirty years.

It should be noted that for Russian and foreign air carriers they are different. As for domestic companies, everything here depends on the seasonality of air transportation and the age of passengers. So, in the autumn-winter period, the basis for calculating the maximum takeoff weight aircraft, the average weight of an adult is taken - 85 kg, taking into account clothing and hand luggage; a child under two years old - 15 kg, children from 2 to 12 years old - 30 kg. During the spring-summer season, it is believed that on average a passenger weighs 5 kg less, since he travels without outerwear.

Elena Monina, Press Service of Moscow Domodedovo Airport

By the way, passenger aircraft carry a lot of commercial cargo. Only large operators like DHL or UPS have their own cargo fleet, the rest use regular flights. When registering, dispatchers report how much free space (weight) is left, and cargo operators load payload: mail, parcels, containers with immigrants.

What happens if I get caught having sex in an airplane bathroom?

There are no specific rules in this regard. The worst thing that can happen is that on arrival you are snitched on by the security service, but usually they just make a remark.

Irina, flight attendant, 3 years experience

But offering money to flight attendants to let them into the crew rest rooms (there are such on transatlantic flights) is a bad idea. Their salaries are decent, and you can be blacklisted as passengers.

Photo: Getty Images; Everett Collection / East News; Shutterstock
Illustration: Olga Gromova

Now there are a lot of articles and interviews with pilots on the Internet, with stories about how planes fly with hundreds of interesting and sensible posts on the topic of aviation. However, this area is still covered with a bunch of myths, conjectures, etc. According to my funny statistics, many passengers do not trust the pilots, despite the fact that they are directly involved in the control of the aircraft.

I would like to talk about what is happening in the aircraft while the cockpit is trying to solve a technical problem. Still, flight attendants are in the cabin with passengers and take part in preparations for landing. We are something between a pilot and a passenger - a link: we know something, but we cannot influence the situation.

In my life, there was exactly one return to the airport of departure due to a technical problem, but the reason was quite serious. There were many other things, but so far there is only one return. The morning began as usual: the crew arrived at the airport, passed the medical control and proceeded to check the aircraft. After completing all the necessary procedures, the commander gave readiness to the aircraft and after a while passengers were brought to us. The plane is serviceable, the food is loaded, the passengers are fastened. Flight attendants take their places, the commander reports readiness for takeoff. Takeoff, takeoff, climb. After a while, the “fasten your seat belts” sign went out, and we started serving the carts.

They say that when you know every sound in an airplane, then even without instruments you can understand that something is wrong. I can’t speak about it with certainty, but I had a feeling of “something wrong” only because I have experience in piloting the aircraft on my own and because I knew the exit routes from this particular airport.

I hesitated a little, not knowing whether to put the carts back. The crew was silent, the display did not light up, but it was obvious to me that offering tea to the crew or going to feed the passengers was a bad idea. Just in case, I removed the insert with prepared drinks and began to wait for the command. They opened the cabin door for me. Failure was on the dashboard, the 2nd pilot read the QRH, the commander turned the course to reverse side. In the cockpit there was a lively radio exchange and negotiations within the crew.

The commander threw a quick glance at me:

Are we returning?

Tell passengers?

No, I'll tell you myself, get ready for landing, now let's turn on the belts, everything is normal.

They began to remove the carts and everything that was already prepared for service. The fasten seat belt sign lit up: “Dear ladies and gentlemen, unfortunately, due to technical reasons, we cannot continue our flight to our destination. To ensure your safety, I have decided to return to the airport of departure. Please take your seats and fasten your seat belts, and don’t worry, the boarding will take place as usual.”

The fun begins not only for the milking of the pilots, but also for the flight attendants. It is necessary to quickly fasten the passengers, answer their questions as briefly as possible and reassure the worried ones. The task is not easy, because, "What happened?" almost everyone asks, but there is nothing to answer, and moreover, there is no time. Some of the passengers began to panic, although for the most part we were lucky with them. My colleague from another airline had a return with running out of fuel over the airport, and the passengers were children with their parents who flew to Anapa and the plane was full.

She said that the panic on board was terrible, the children were sick and generally it was difficult to defuse the situation.

We safely returned to the airport of departure, then the airline resolved the issue of replacing the aircraft and repairing the returned one, etc., etc.

Was it scary? No, but it was annoying. To be honest, I realized that something was not right just because I have little experience in piloting aircraft. The passengers did not understand anything until the commander reported the breakdown.

What is happening in the cockpit at this moment? Work and nothing more.

What is the moral of this fable?

1. If there is similar situation, as I described above, do not ask the conductors what happened, but simply follow their requests. With a high degree of probability, you still will not be able to influence the situation and even assess how serious this failure is. Moreover, most likely the crew did not have time to explain what happened.

2. No, this is not a bad plane and not an airline: there are things that cannot be checked on the ground. For example, it is difficult to check the landing gear retraction on the ground, but in the air you can understand that the wheels do not go away. Yes, planes sometimes break down. Like any equipment, they require repair and maintenance. And they break not only here in Russia. Checked personally. We do have service issues though.

3. Not all failures end in disaster. Not all, but rather a few.

4. Pilots also want to live, they have families, children and relatives, so it is unlikely that someone will fly on a faulty plane “at random”.

All safe flights, friends!

While on the plane, have a container filled with water and preferably the entire survival kit on duty, adjusted for the season and flight conditions. If the flight will take place over water, take something buoyant enough with you, for example, just tie hand baggage in a rubberized bag, and disguise it in a bag.

In the event of an emergency landing, the middle of the cabin is the safest. Move there without waiting for an accident if there are empty seats, because when an emergency is declared, the middle will be in short supply. Specify where the emergency exit is located, what methods of evacuation from the cabin are provided, whether there are oxygen masks and how to put oxygen into them, what means of rescue are available on the water. Mask containers are usually attached to the ceiling or to the back of the front seat.

As a lifeboat, lower seat cushions, inflatable vests that are under the seats, inflatable ladders, and inflatable rafts are usually used. Sit closer to the exit from the passenger compartment or to the emergency exit. There may be an emergency exit to the wing. They can be used in case of fire on the ground and when landing on water. Adjust the harness to fit your body, practice quick fastening and unfastening. There shouldn't be any slack. Do not unfasten during the entire flight, otherwise, in case of a sudden maneuver or getting into air pocket you might end up on the ceiling. For the same reason, walking around the cabin is dangerous. Buckle up your neighbor, otherwise he may fall on you from the ceiling.

Aircraft takeoff and landing accidents.

During takeoff and landing, put on a coat - if it is made of a slow-burning material (wool, leather). In the event of a fire, it will provide you with some protection. Do not wear shoes with thin heels, they can pierce the emergency inflatable ladder. If there is a risk of an emergency landing, make sure that there is nothing hard and heavy on the shelf above you. Keep your luggage under a seat or on your lap. In an emergency landing, wrap your head with some clothes, cover your face with your hands and bend down to your knees. This will protect against splinters.

If the space between the seats is too tight, put your hands on the front seat and rest your head on your hands. After an emergency landing, task number one is to get out of the plane before the fuel explodes. If there is a hint of panic, help the crew clean up. For example, declare loudly: “Whoever yells, I will bruise his head!” Commander's voice must be set in advance. If there is no leader in a critical situation, take the initiative on yourself. Your means: calmness, order, fist.

Airplane decompression.

In an accident at high altitude, decompression can occur - a drop in air pressure in the cabin. Signs of decompression: whistling, ear pain, intestinal pain, warming and tingling of the skin. put on oxygen mask and move less. With fast decompression at high altitude, you will only have 15 seconds to put on your oxygen mask. If you are late, you will lose consciousness. First, put on a mask yourself, and only then help others. Oxygen will not begin to flow until you turn it on. Usually you need to pull the cord that runs from the mask to the fuse.

If a compartment with oxygen masks suddenly opens in front of you or above you, put on your mask immediately. Don't look at others and don't ask questions. The fact is that when the pressure drops, this compartment opens automatically. It is difficult to tell by feeling whether oxygen is being supplied or not, since it has no smell. Fasten the mask on your head, because there is still a danger of losing consciousness. The stewardess will not help you, as she will be busy with others.

Airplane fire.

It is advisable to have a folding knife of not criminal size with you. At least such a tool should be at hand. Experience shows that a small knife can be easily passed through the test device. In the event of a fire on the ground, fate has given you 5 minutes to evacuate. The closer to the floor, the less smoke. Crawl on all fours. If you have time, cover your skin better: put on gloves, a hat, and so on. After getting out of the plane, quickly move away from it at a distance of at least 1.5 kilometers.

Landing on an airplane.

A prematurely inflated life jacket can prevent you from getting out of the cabin if you have to dive. If you are directly in the water, you will be 10 times less likely to survive than if you are on a life raft. Mainly due to . Going on a flight, dress in bright colors. You are more likely to be found on the water.

Based on the book "Tips for Air Passengers".
YES. Johnson. 1989

Today it is difficult to find a person who has never flown on an airplane. But do we all know about what happens on board during the flight?!

1. In case of danger, never cross your arms over your head to protect your head from a heavy object falling from above.

You can get a serious injury to your hands, which will deprive you of the elementary opportunity to get out of the cabin on your own.

2. Before departure, count the number of rows to the emergency exit, so that in case of an unforeseen situation, you can easily navigate the interior of the aircraft.

3. In the cargo compartment of passenger aircraft, the bodies of dead people are very often transported.

And this is considered absolutely normal practice. But be prepared for the fact that the body may “leak”, soiling your suitcase. True, such cases are extremely rare. Much worse than this is the transport of fish, the smell of which is not so easy to remove. Therefore, always wrap your luggage with foil to protect yourself from the unpleasant consequences of the flight.

4. Most flight delays due to technical reasons occur due to the fault of the passengers themselves: attacks of fear, delays, conflict situations with company representatives and other things.

5. Flight attendants have a concept of "miracle passenger".

They refer to the category of such passengers those who get on the plane in a wheelchair among the first. And, having landed, such passengers leave the cabin on their own. Isn't it a miracle? Healing that happened at an altitude of several thousand meters!

6. Turbulence itself can hardly damage the cabin of an aircraft. A great danger is fraught with things flying around the cabin at this time.

7. Commercial airliners can even fly with one engine.

8. Most of the accidents do not occur during the flight, but a few minutes after takeoff or during the landing of the aircraft.

9. Alcohol during the flight has a much stronger effect on the human body.

Therefore, many flight attendants say that one drink in the air is equal to two drinks on the ground.

10. Passengers with children, disregarding the rules of decency, can very often change diapers right on the tables in front of the seats.

11. Airline personnel may work 6 days a week with minimal rest, including pilots.

12. In many airlines, flight attendants are paid only for the period of time from the closing of the aircraft door to its opening.

Thus, your delay can cause a storm of negative emotions on the faces of the flight attendants, but they will try to keep a smile on their faces.

13. Airport employees among themselves call the luggage compartment employees a very derogatory nickname - “ramp rats”.

14. Some models of modern aircraft have special compartments for people who die right during the flight.

15. Remember the rule: do not be rude, rude, speak negatively and in every possible way irritate flight attendants in the cabin.

They can complain to the pilot about you, and he, having the appropriate authority, can drop you off or isolate you.

16. If during the flight the engine of the aircraft catches fire, then there is a high probability of extinguishing it right in motion.

But even in the case emergency, the engine will burn out and fall off without affecting the body of the aircraft.

17. Most often, something is always broken on an airplane.

But this is only what does not threaten your safety and life. Critical breakdowns are eliminated immediately, while minor flaws are postponed for “later”.

18. Don't take off your shoes on the plane.

More precisely, do not put bare feet on the floor, since, most likely, someone vomited there, and more than once.

19. Loads marked fragile are handled just as carelessly as those not marked.

20. On short flights, the staff usually has a little more than an hour to put the plane in order. Therefore, there is no time for thorough cleaning.

21. If you've never seen people bang their heads against the ceiling, and hand luggage falls on their heads, then you've never experienced real turbulence.

22. If the cabin pressure drops, then you have only a few seconds to put on an oxygen mask. Don't think for a minute.

23. If you are flying with several transfers, then try to take a shower at the airport.

This will relieve general fatigue and give you strength for the next flight. If this is not possible, then at least try to change clothes. This helps a lot too!

24. Before a long flight, try to stay up as long as possible.

This will help you make your flight much easier, especially if you are afraid of flying. Most way you just oversleep.

25. As we said, the plane is one of the safest modes of transport.

In the US alone, more than 30,000 people die each year in car accidents. Flight statistics show that the percentage of deaths on board an aircraft is practically zero.

In the special literature, there is the concept of a "competent passenger" - a person who makes the most of his chances of salvation in an emergency.

In 1974, during the crash of the B-707 aircraft in Pago Dago in Samoa, out of a hundred and one passengers, only five survived, who later said that they carefully read the memo and listened to the instructions of the stewardess.

Therefore, to save them, they took advantage of the emergency exits to the wing, while other passengers staged a stampede, rushing to the traditional entrance-exit. The commission stated that most passengers would have been saved if they simply knew where the emergency hatches were and how to use them.

Today, the aircraft is one of the most safe species transport. This is true, but only within the framework of statistics. It should be added that while it is still possible to escape from a car accident or a train crash, a plane crash usually means the death of all passengers on board.

When on January 26, 1972, a bomb exploded on board a JAT DC-9 aircraft, and the wreckage of the liner collapsed from a height of more than 10 km, it was clear to everyone that none of the passengers escaped. However, the flight attendant Vesna Vulovich survived. How could this happen? Some believe that Vesna Vulovich was saved by the fact that she had low blood pressure - she quickly lost consciousness, and this saved her from a heart attack. Others simply believe that a miracle happened. As a result of the disaster, Vulovich herself developed amnesia - she does not remember either the explosion itself, or even what happened an hour before it. Therefore, it is unlikely that we will ever know the truth about this unusual case. Unusual because it has never happened before that someone survived the crash of a plane flying so high.

Most often, a plane crash in which someone survived is an unsuccessful takeoff of an airplane or an emergency landing. The forces acting in such cases are not as destructive as, for example, when two planes collide, tanks full of fuel explode, or fall from a great height. However, there is always a chance to survive, and it depends on many factors.

If you look at pictures of air crashes, then they often show how the tail of the aircraft sticks out of the wreckage, sometimes even intact. It is the tail that touches the ground last of all during the fall, so the passenger sitting in the back has greatest chance stay alive. The dimensions of the aircraft also matter: the larger the car, the safer it is.

In passenger aircraft, there is no catapult for the pilot, as, for example, in fighters; also, you can not escape from a falling plane by parachute. Everything that is in passenger airliners, serves solely to avoid bodily injury, which can be received in the cabin during the flight.

Unlike a car, an airplane, flying into a stationary structure or any vehicle, usually does not stop, but rushes on. Therefore, passengers are not subjected to sudden impacts. An exception to this would be when the plane collides with a mountain. In this case, the chances of salvation are minimal.

In other cases, in the event of an in-flight emergency, the crew may decide to forced landing, which is quite likely in a deserted area. At the same time, if conditions allow and the aircraft is controllable, they try to land on a relatively flat area without obstacles, and in extreme cases, on a forest. At the same time, injuries and the number of victims increase, but if the plane does not fall apart immediately and does not burn, then the chances of salvation increase.

There are several basic types of emergencies. In the air, in order to act correctly in them, one must not only know how to behave, but also mentally make a path to salvation in advance. This gives you more chances that in a dangerous moment your memory will not fail you.

Takeoff and landing accidents

It is unlikely that you will be warned about an accident of this kind in advance. Therefore, the most reasonable tactic is preliminary personal safety measures before each takeoff and landing. For example, be in outerwear: a coat or jacket (not synthetics!) Can protect you from burns if you have to get out of a fire. Stay in your shoes, even if they are high heels, in case you have to walk over debris, burning plastic, etc.

A woman should take off her high-heeled shoes only in front of the inflatable ladder, without blocking the path to evacuation for other passengers and not letting go of her shoes in order to immediately put on shoes on the ground. Of course, you need to take off your tie, scarf, glasses, hairpins, etc. - V extreme situation even a fountain pen in the side pocket of a jacket is dangerous. Before each takeoff and landing, carefully adjust the seat belt. It should be firmly fixed as low as possible at your hips. Check if you have heavy suitcases over your head.

Just before an accident, it is usually possible to assume a safe, fixed position. It is usually recommended to bend over and clasp your hands tightly under your knees (or grab your ankles). The head should be laid on your knees, and if this does not work, tilt it as low as possible. The legs should be rested on the floor, extending them as far as possible (but not under the front seat, which can jam in an accident).

The US Federal Aviation Administration recommends using the seat in front of you for another fixed position. On the back of the chair, you should put your hands in a crossed state and press your head to your hands. Also stretch your legs and rest. And, of course, both poses can only be taken with a fastened belt. At the moment of impact, you should strain as much as possible and prepare for a significant overload. Its direction in most accidents is forward and maybe down.

As a rule, emergency exits are located on the left and right sides of the fuselage. All exits for passengers, approaches to them and means of opening are clearly marked from a distance, which facilitates their detection. About the location of all exits from the salon tells in brief instructions stewardess. Leaving all the pre-landing worries, listen to her carefully. Be sure to mentally imagine your way to the nearest exit. And if you're sitting next to escape hatch, then you have an additional responsibility: the life of many people depends on whether you can open it. However, it is not always possible to open the nearest exit (flame outside, deformation of the fuselage in this place, etc.), so you need to remember all the ways to escape.

Takeoff and landing accidents are usually sudden, and you may not wait for the crew to warn you, so be aware of all the events overboard (smoke, sudden descent, engine shutdown, etc.) in order to take a fixed position. However, under no circumstances leave your seat until the plane comes to a complete stop, do not panic. Only a professional can judge with certainty about the danger of what is happening.

One of the most frequent accidents on board an aircraft is bruises and other injuries sustained during turbulence.

Turbulence- these are various eddies and air currents, randomly moving inside the atmosphere in various directions. Over half of the cases of turbulence occur with an aircraft at an altitude of over 6 thousand meters, 30% - at an altitude of up to 3 thousand meters and 5-10% - in the range from 3 to 6 thousand meters. Most often this happens on sunny days over houses or over an area with a strong temperature contrast (sand, forest, lake, road) - the earth's surface warms up unevenly, and heated air masses rise up from different speed, which can cause the aircraft to take off in updrafts or fall into air pockets.

This is exactly what happened to the Boeing 747 of American Airlines, which flew over Pacific Ocean December 28, 1997. Once in the turbulent zone, the huge machine instantly lost several tens of meters in height. All loose objects on board immediately took off, hit the ceiling and fell on the heads of the passengers sitting in the chairs. The most severely injured were those of the people who, although they were sitting in their seats, were not wearing seat belts. The plane itself was not injured and continued to fly, but one woman died as a result of her injuries, and the remaining 100 wounded required medical attention.

Since airplanes fly at altitudes where the air is highly discharged and its pressure is much lower than usual, the cabin of the airliner must be airtight - as soon as the slightest crack appears, all the air will escape from the aircraft through it, and this is very dangerous. Therefore, most modern aircraft are equipped with oxygen masks that automatically hover over each passenger seat in the event of a cabin depressurization, and the pilots immediately begin to lower the flight altitude.

Information about an impending disaster, nervousness of the crew, smoke or fire escaping from the engines - all this can cause panic. First, never lose your head. It is advisable to get acquainted with all the emergency systems that are on the plane even before the start. It is worth considering your own evacuation plan - find out where the emergency exit is, and figure out what can be done in the event of a disaster.

If there is a threat of an emergency landing, you need to get rid of sharp objects (pencils, pens, etc.); it would be nice to have something soft (like a pillow) to protect your head.

Decompression(rarefied air in an airplane). Rapid decompression usually begins with a deafening roar (air escapes). The salon is filled with dust and fog. Visibility drops sharply. Air quickly leaves the lungs of a person and cannot be retained. At the same time, ringing in the ears and pain in the intestines (gases expand) are likely.

Don your oxygen mask immediately without waiting for a command or assistance from the crew. The flight attendant will tell you where it is located and how to use it at the beginning of the flight. The mask must be put on, and not just pressed against the nose and mouth - even with the incoming oxygen, you can lose consciousness and drop the mask. For the same reason, you should not help someone before you put on a mask yourself, even if it is your child: if you do not have time to help yourself, both of you will be without oxygen.

Decompression is an emergency that the crew immediately begins to correct by lowering the flight altitude. Below three thousand meters, the oxygen content can already be considered normal. Therefore, if there are signs of decompression, immediately after putting on the mask, fasten your seat belts and prepare for sharp decline or "hard" landing.

Fire on board the aircraft. Most passengers estimate that during a fire overboard they will have about five minutes after landing to leave the aircraft. However, experience shows that it is better to count on one or two minutes. Approximately 20% of aircraft accidents are accompanied by fires; over 70% of people involved in air crashes with fires remain alive.

It is very important to remember the location of the exits. In case of fire, this is also necessary because the smoke interferes not only with breathing, but also with seeing signs. And most importantly, in case of fire, immediately after the plane stops, go to the nearest exit. Wherein:

protect your skin - you should be wearing a coat, hat, blanket;

do not breathe smoke, protect yourself with clothing, crouch or even make your way to the exit on all fours - there should be less smoke at the bottom; remember - smoke, not fire - the first danger;

remove nylon tights and stockings, when melted they can cause severe burns;

do not stand in the crowd at the exit, if the queue does not move, remember that if other exits; if the passage is littered, make your way through the chairs, lowering their backs;

before takeoff, count and remember the number of seats next to you in front of and behind you on the way to the emergency exit, then you will be able to get to it even by touch in impenetrable smoke;

do not take hand luggage with you, it can cost you your life;

do not open emergency hatches in the place where there is fire and smoke outside;

be decisive and disciplined, fight panic on board by any means, provide maximum assistance to the stewardess;

do not become the cause of the fire yourself: on board the aircraft, you must treat fire in the same way as in a fuel truck.

Water landing

The passenger, who has every chance of being rescued from a water landing, should have some idea of the position in which the aircraft is buoyant even before it lands on the water. Some aircraft float horizontally, others with their tails submerged, and some with their noses submerged.

Knowing this, you will not rush in a panic to the emergency exit at the rear of the aircraft if this exit is under water. You should also know in advance which water rescue equipment (vests, rafts, etc.) are on board, where they are located and how to use them. Before sinking, the aircraft can be afloat from 10 to 40 minutes. However, if the fuselage is damaged, this time may be significantly shorter.

After splashing down, life rafts should be launched, which inflate automatically when dropped. If this does not happen, then you need to pull the halyard with a strong jerk, which leads to the cylinder of the gas filling system. The time to bring the raft into working condition takes about one minute in summer and three minutes in winter.

Aircraft crashes show two dangerous types of passenger behavior - panic and apathy. Oddly enough, torpor is much more common. This must be remembered in order to prevent such a reaction in oneself and under no circumstances stop the struggle for one's salvation.

How to survive a plane crash on the ground. Ed Galea, a professor from Australia who survived a plane crash, thought about how you can improve your own chances of survival. The most important thing is to never forget that the plane can get into an accident. Naturally, we are not talking about a plane crash from high altitude- it is almost impossible to survive in a car falling from a height of 10 thousand meters, however, the number of incidents already occurring on the ground is much higher, and do not forget that people also die in them. At the same time, according to statistics, in the period from 1983 to 2000 in aviation accidents in the US, 95% of the passengers survived. For example, in 2005 on board the liner Air France, caught fire during landing at the Toronto airport, there were 309 people, and all survived. This incident was called the Miracle in Toronto.

Ed Galea in 1985 was on board a plane that, as it happens, went off the runway and caught fire. This accident killed 55 passengers flying with him. Since then, he has been dealing with the rules of survival on board. During his work, he interviewed more than 2,000 survivors of 105 aviation accidents. Based on their experience, he deduced a number of simple rules:

When traveling with family, stick together

Half of all air passengers travel in a group - most often with family members. Naturally, in an extreme situation, people try to find their loved ones in order to escape together. If the family is divided in the cabin, then in the event of an accident, people will not be saved, but will look for each other. If a fire is raging in the cabin, then every extra minute in the smoke reduces the chances of survival many times over.

Therefore, a family, especially with children, must be together and at the same time be prepared in advance to be divided. If this is a family of two adults and two children, then Galea advises to proceed as follows: “For example, one adult will be responsible for one child, and another for another. Thus, you already have two groups of two people. If necessary, these groups should be prepared to evacuate separately.”

Another actionable tip: "Every child should know which parent will be looking for him in an emergency." Of course, explaining to a child before a flight how to behave in an accident is extremely unpleasant, but it can save his life.

Know how to unfasten your seat belt

It may seem like overkill, but the passenger should understand and rehearse how to unfasten the seat belt before flying. Surprisingly, in an emergency, even the crew of the ship can not always quickly get rid of the belts. Do not forget that aviation seat belts do not unfasten in the same way as car seat belts. Extra seconds in the cabin, spent in the fight against the belt, can cost lives.

Sit closer to the aisle and count the seats to the exit

In fact, the plane has absolutely no safe places. Seats in the tail of the liner can be fatal if the fire breaks out there, so general rules when choosing seats does not exist. However, there are some tips.

First, taking your place, you should count and remember firmly the number of rows of seats that must be overcome to the next two emergency exits. This information will help you quickly find your way out in the dark. Moreover, you should remember the location of at least two exits, since the nearest one may be blocked or unavailable.

Secondly, the chances of survival will increase somewhat if the passenger sits closer to the aisle. The faster a person starts to move and the fewer obstacles in his way, the higher his chances of survival.

In this case, it would be safest to sit against the course of the aircraft, but this is not possible on passenger aircraft, although this rule has long been applied on military transports. The problem is that most people prefer to sit on the move, besides, the refurbishment of the cabins of the liners will require huge investments and a complete refurbishment of the cabin.

However, this rule can be applied to rail travel. It is always better to sit against the train, and at the same time it is desirable so that there are no people or objects opposite that, during sudden braking, could cause injury to a person.

Get a smoke hood

“The smoke contains harmful and narcotic gases, irritants. It is enough to inhale a certain dose, and you will die,” says Galea. Therefore, he takes a portable smoke hood with him on any trip. However, do not forget that you also need to be able to use it, and it should lie as close as possible. The extra time spent searching and trying to open and put it on may not save, but, on the contrary, kill.

Grouping and preparation

It is very important not to neglect the information that flight attendants provide before the flight. Careful study of the card, which communicates the rules of evacuation, can really save a life.

The grouping - a position that is recommended to be taken in an emergency - may seem ridiculous or stupid, but it is designed to save the passenger from the worst thing in an accident on the ground and a fire - from losing consciousness. In the event of sudden braking or a collision with a ground obstacle, an ungrouped person is likely to receive a head injury, which with a high degree of probability will lead to loss of consciousness. In a panic in a fire, no one will save an unconscious person, therefore, if you do not take care of yourself, the chances of survival will be minimal.

US National Transportation Safety Board(National Transportation Safety Board) offers the following recommendations:

Choose flights without intermediate stops. Such flights are less likely to become victims of hijackers.

Choose big planes. Statistics show that in the event of a crash, passengers are more likely to survive.

Do not overload luggage boxes on your head. If the plane gets into a turbulence zone or crashes, heavy things can crush the skull.

Do not bring any hazardous materials onto the aircraft.

Exercise caution. Every year, a huge number of cases are recorded when passengers are burned by tea or coffee. Passengers receive the maximum number of injuries in the toilet.

You shouldn't drink too much.

Do not unfasten seat belts during flight. This precaution can be useful not only if the plane starts to fall, but also when it enters the turbulence zone.

You should listen carefully to what the aircraft crew members have to say about the safety measures taken on board. Five minutes of attention can save a life.

You must read the written instructions that are on each seat. Find out where the nearest emergency exit is. If the aircraft is punctured, the passenger will have no more than 15 seconds to put on an oxygen mask. If a fire starts on the plane, you should try not to swallow the smoke - breathe through a rag. If the plane has landed, leave it immediately.

The basic rule for using cell phones is that when the aircraft doors are closed, it is not recommended to use them.

How to avoid becoming a victim of car thieves

Watch the people around you. Pay attention to other passengers who behave inappropriately. If someone makes you suspicious, inform the airport security service or the flight attendant.

Don't trust stereotypes. Any person can be an aircraft hijacker, regardless of gender, age, nationality, clothing style, etc.

If you find yourself on a plane with hijackers, don't take too much initiative. Your main task is to stay alive and unharmed. Remember that you won't be able to roll the hijacker alone. This is doubly dangerous, because his accomplices may be on board.

Know where to call in an emergency. It is useful to drive into the phone's memory the number of the special services line. It may turn out that your phone will be the only means of communication with the outside world.

Try to keep other passengers. If the plane is hijacked, you must team up with other passengers and crew members. Do not try to increase your credibility by flattering with hijackers.