Survivors of a plane crash. Real stories. Turbulence itself can hardly damage the cabin of an aircraft. A great danger is fraught with things flying around the cabin at this time. Rules of conduct in case of an airplane crash

According to statistics, many accidents happen due to the fault of passengers who ignore the prohibitions. Even if the rules seem ridiculous or overly strict to you, trust the professionals. Their observance is necessary not only for the comfort of you and other passengers, but also for your own safety. Before the flight, go to the airline's website and find out what is allowed and what is prohibited for passengers of the aircraft.

What is prohibited on board?

1 Carry on board

Everyone understands that they will not be allowed on the plane with weapons. But it is not allowed to take with you an imitation, for example, a lighter pistol. All will be taken away piercing objects, including kitchen and penknives, scissors, even manicure - they need to be packed in luggage. It is forbidden to carry on the plane any liquid and jelly-like compounds in containers larger than 100 ml, including cosmetical tools: creams, lotions, deodorants, shaving foam.

2 Alcohol and smoking

You cannot take on board and drink alcoholic drinks in the cabin, except for those offered by flight attendants. And also to smoke in all rooms, including the toilet. In case of violation, the passenger can be dropped off the plane at the nearest airport and recover damages due to forced landing.

3 Technique

During takeoff and landing it is forbidden to use mobile phones, tablets. At the same time, during the flight, many airlines allow the use of gadgets in airplane mode. By the way, the weight of a laptop or camera (and even an umbrella) is now, as a rule, taken into account when weighing hand luggage.

23% of brawls on board aircraft are due to drunken passengers. Most of the incidents in the air happen due to verbal abuse and refusal to comply with the requirements of flight attendants.

What is allowed on board?

Separately from hand luggage in classic companies, you can take a handbag, outerwear, and sometimes a cradle transportation with you into the cabin. Children's food is also allowed, but in a minimal amount. You can bring a sealed bag from Duty Free and medicines necessary for medical reasons.

4 How to transport animals?

Depending on the rules of the airline, there are 2 ways to take your cat or dog with you on the plane. If you are allowed to bring a pet into the cabin, it must be in a container (total weight - no more than 8 kg). Another option - the animal in the container is placed in luggage compartment aircraft. In any case, the airline must be notified about the transportation of a pet 72 hours before the flight and receive confirmation.

5 What food to bring on board?

If you have a long flight, and you are not satisfied with the “heavenly kitchen”, keep in mind that not all products can be brought on board. As a rule, it is allowed to take with you: dried fruits, chocolate, cookies, nuts, fruits (you need to check with the airline - which ones), sandwiches, bars, chips, dryers, gingerbread, waffles, sausages without a strong smell. Since you can’t take a knife into the salon, you need to cut everything in advance and pack it.

6 How to send a child on a flight alone?

Many airlines, for example, Aeroflot, S7 or Pobeda, provide such a service as escorting a child on an airplane. If you need to send your child to rest with his grandmother, and there is no way to fly with him, this is the way out. The service is provided for children 5-12 years old, optionally up to 18 years old. The child is escorted through all control lines to a seat on the plane. And on board, he is under the supervision of flight attendants.

7 Why can't you smoke on board?

Denis PETRIKOV, Aircraft Commander, Pobeda Airlines

« The ban on smoking on board was not introduced by chance. In the wing of the aircraft - approx. 20 tons of highly combustible fuel, around - flammable plastic, paper. The risk of fire even from cigarette ashes is very high. Unfortunately, "daredevils" are. The toilets are equipped with detectors that work after 8 seconds. after the appearance of smoke. And then the commander decides on an emergency landing.

A huge number of people are afraid to fly for fear of dying. They read about how to survive a plane crash, knowing full well that the likelihood of being in such a situation is quite small. And although the chance of getting into a car accident is much higher, height and helplessness scare. However, the answer to the question of whether people survived in plane crashes is yes. And this is already encouraging. Moreover, some of them managed to escape in conditions where all the rest died. And not least because of their sensible actions.

Causes of plane crashes

The chance of dying during a flight is much less than the chance of winning the lottery. Nevertheless, several times a year, tragedies occur, claiming the lives of hundreds of people at a time. Naturally, this is scary, even if there are survivors of plane crashes. Photos from the accident scene are so impressive that many subsequently refuse to fly if there are other options. But if you think about it, after all, the plane is one of the safest modes of transport. Yes, as in any other case, there is a risk here. In fact, there are not too many reasons why something can go wrong.

First, it is the human factor. This is the most likely reason, since equipment failures without human intervention are quite rare. All safety systems are duplicated and tested before each flight, while human capabilities, including reaction time, attention, speed and quality of decision making, are imperfect. In 70% of cases when certain incidents occur, both with and without victims, it is precisely that people did something wrong.

The remaining 30% are to blame for technical failures that are not related to human errors, as well as complex causes. Incidents that remain a mystery are usually included in this category.

Aircraft designs are constantly being improved, engineers, electricians and other specialists are working to minimize the participation of people in the flight process. The Interstate Aviation Committee, governments of countries, aircraft manufacturers - enough is interested in investigating the causes of each incident a large number of parties, and therefore it is given serious attention. And since quite rarely all passengers, without exception, become victims, according to their stories, it becomes clear how to survive in a plane crash. In fact, this is quite possible, even if the accident occurred at a great height. And even more so there were people who survived in plane crashes that happened on the ground. So what does it take to be saved?

The biggest plane crashes

most terrible tragedy, in which the planes were involved, is considered the terrorist attack that occurred on September 11, 2001. Nearly 3,000 people died that day. However, strictly speaking, these catastrophes do not fall under the definition, which means that the championship is still not theirs.

• The most numerous in terms of the number of victims to this day is the tragedy on the island of Tenerife, which occurred in March 1977, when runway two aircraft collided. In total, almost 600 people died. The stories of the survivors of the plane crash are terrifying to the core - of the 12 passengers who survived, they simply lost their minds.
• In 1985, the world was struck major accident in Japan. The plane lost control, which resulted in 520 casualties.
• Another collision, but this time in the air, occurred in November 1996 in India. Nearly 350 dead.
• In March 1974, an airplane crashed as a result of an explosive decompression near Paris. Turkish Airlines. 346 people became victims.
• As a result of a terrorist attack that occurred in June 1985, an airliner with 329 people on board was killed 70 kilometers from Cork, Ireland.
• In August 1980, a fire on board in the Riyadh area killed 301 people.

Only 30 of the 100 largest accidents in aviation history have occurred in the 21st century. Did people survive plane crashes? Of course, though not in everyone. Of course, after any, even the most insignificant incident, a thorough investigation is carried out, as a result of which decisions can be made to strengthen security measures at the airport, improve the work of dispatchers and other ground services, as well as the design of aircraft and the introduction of new control systems. So every year the chance of surviving a plane crash, if it happens, is getting higher. And the very probability of its occurrence is less and less.

Can you survive in a plane crash?

Many people think that this is completely impossible. At an altitude of 10 thousand meters it is very cold, there is little oxygen, and the landing is unlikely to be soft. However, the facts, as well as the stories of survivors of plane crashes, suggest that the possibility of a successful outcome is almost always there.

In the previous paragraph, the most numerous accident victims were listed, but there are a huge number of incidents in which the number of victims was minimal or even equal to zero. Naturally, first of all, everything depends on the actions of the pilots and the crew in general, but the passengers themselves, if they do not create panic and keep calm, can be saved in a critical situation.

So how do you survive a plane crash? There is no single instruction on how to act, but you can simply know and follow some recommendations at the stage of gathering and boarding the plane. Well, if it does arise, then, most likely, instincts will come into play, although it will be better to keep your head cool.

The safest seats in the cabin

It is believed that in an airplane, some areas during the flight are more favorable for survival than others (in case of unforeseen circumstances). In general, this is true. Research based on crashes over the last 30 years confirms this, as do plane crash survivors. Photos of the destroyed liners also suggest certain thoughts. But first things first.

Firstly, the closer to the exit, the better - that's right. Proximity to emergency or regular doors in some situations can save lives, but only if you do not panic and do everything right. In theory, the opening of emergency exits is the task of the crew, but the passenger can also do this if necessary.

Second, the back of an aircraft is usually safer than the front. In head-on collisions, runway derailments, fires, etc., the cockpit and its surrounding areas are usually the first to suffer. If the liner loses control, the tail also lands after the nose. Thus, in some cases, not the most convenient places can save lives - here the chance of a more or less successful completion of the flight reaches 66%. The stories of survivors of plane crashes often confirm this, however, with one caveat - you need to behave correctly.

Procedure

Survivors of plane crashes in Russia or abroad can talk about some of the nuances that are already known to everyone, but for some reason are constantly forgotten. It is worth repeating them again.

Firstly, you can start preparing even at home - put on comfortable clothes on the plane that do not restrict movement, and have something warm in your hand luggage. Preference should be given to cotton and wool, as they burn worse. You should also pay attention to the comfort of shoes.

Secondly, you need to listen to the crew during the briefing. Yes, of course, for those who fly several times a year, these rules seem boring and understandable without any repetition. But it is worth at least once thinking about the fact that these instructions can come in handy. Even those who have heard them many times, at a critical moment, may become confused and panic instead of behaving correctly, while the crew is regularly training. Air crash survivors testify to the importance of listening to flight attendants.

Thirdly, when sitting down in your seat, you should do two things: do not put heavy bags in the upper compartment, count the number of rows of seats between the exit and yourself, and also remember this number. In smoke conditions, visibility will be at zero, and this knowledge can save a life.

Fourthly, as soon as the command to fasten the seat belts has arrived, it is necessary to do this. Even when the board turns off, it is better to leave them in the same position. Even if the airliner just enters, it’s not worth risking your health - hitting your head is also not the most pleasant thing when traveling by plane.

This is what you need to know and do, just taking your seat in modern liner. Well, if we will talk about how you can survive in a plane crash, it is worth considering individual situations, although they have a lot in common. Of course, it is very difficult to act consciously if the danger comes suddenly - an explosion, a collision, etc. But if there is a chance, you should use it 100 percent.

Control failure and hard landing

Breakdowns electronic systems and other equipment - a rather rare thing. And if just small problems still happen and may even go unnoticed by passengers, then more serious problems often lead to an emergency landing at the nearest airport. This, however, does not mean that everything is in order - in the event of breakdowns, everyone on board must follow the instructions of the crew. In this situation, first of all, everything depends on whether anyone can not succumb to panic. There may be unexpected and abrupt maneuvers, altitude drop, in general, the most important thing to do is fasten and tighten the belt, remove scarves, ties, chains, etc. from the neck, think again how to get to the emergency exit and keep calm.

If the landing is expected to be hard, it is worth remembering a special posture that will protect the body and head from unnecessary injuries. The chair should be in an upright position, the passenger sits with his hands strongly resting on the back in front and rests his head on them. Another option is to bend as much as possible, wrapping your arms around your hips and resting your head on your knees. It was this knowledge that saved the 9-year-old Dutchman when more than a hundred people died during landing in Tripoli, including the boy's family. As soon as it becomes clear that something is wrong, even if it is just a zone of turbulence, it is worth taking out of your pockets any sharp objects that can cause wounds.

Decompression

Cabin depressurization is also not a very frequent, but occurring phenomenon. If it's not as a result of which the plane literally falls apart, then the chance of surviving a plane crash is pretty good. The main problem in this case is hypoxia. In this case, there are oxygen masks in the cabin, which are located above the passengers' heads and, if necessary, fall out automatically. As soon as they appear, you should immediately put them on, and not just press them to your face. Those who accompany children should suppress parental instincts and take care of themselves first. Yes, in this case it is better to show healthy egoism, because if an adult loses consciousness, then there will be no one to help the children. You should immediately prepare for a sudden loss of altitude - according to their instructions, the pilots will descend as quickly as possible. Otherwise, again, you should remain calm and follow all the instructions of the flight attendants.

In this and the previous case, during a hard landing, you should also be wary of fire and smoke. If this happens, firstly, you need to go down as low as possible and protect your respiratory organs, secondly, cover yourself with a blanket or thick clothing to escape from open fire, and thirdly, make your way to any emergency exit, trying to avoid crowds and crush . The stories of the survivors of the 1974 Pago Pago plane crash illustrate this easily. 97 passengers were unable to quickly get out of the ignited liner, trying to leave it through the front door, while the four surviving lucky ones got out through the spare.

Aircraft hijacking

Thanks to the efforts of all countries to combat terrorism, this situation can be called extremely unlikely. But it's better to know what to do in this case. By and large, you should behave in much the same way as with any other hostage-taking - the plane is fundamentally no different. As in any other of the described emergencies, you need to try to remain as calm as possible. If during the hijacking of an aircraft someone was injured, it is necessary to help him without endangering himself. Do not provoke terrorists to excessive aggression by being indignant, shouting or crying loudly. No sudden movements and resistance, especially if there are no necessary skills. When hostages are taken, negotiations begin almost immediately aimed at their release. If they fail, at some point the assault begins. And here is the smartest thing to do - fall to the floor, closing your eyes and ears, while staying away from the hijackers. Specially trained people cope with the neutralization of terrorists much better than ordinary people, and in some cases it was possible to get by with a minimum of victims who were later able to tell how to survive in a plane crash. Ultrasound Scanner, an X-ray machine, special programs that help select especially suspicious passengers for special checks - new technologies also help fight terrorism.

Splashdown

In addition to what has already been said about a hard landing, in this situation it is also necessary to remember the special vests that are stored under each seat. At the command of the crew or without it, if it became clear that the landing took place on the water, you need to get it and put it on. After that, you must leave the aircraft cabin through emergency exits located on the wings. Don't jump if emergency ladder not deployed - the height will be about 3 meters. You need to put the vest into action and slide on your stomach feet first into the water. Next, you should wait for help and try to move. The vest will save you from drowning, but it cannot save you from hypothermia. In 2009, it was this tool that helped a 13-year-old passenger wait for rescuers, who took almost 14 hours to arrive.

About survivors

Man is a creature of incredible possibilities. IN extreme situations many people show miracles of strength, endurance, quick wits. Someone is just incredibly lucky, and someone is saved thanks to the fact that they did everything right. There have already been several examples of how people who survived plane crashes behaved. But there are a few more worth mentioning.

It’s hard not to remember the famous Vesna Vulovich, who could tell how to survive in a plane crash when falling from a height of 10 thousand meters. We can say that she was just lucky: at the time of the disaster, the girl lost consciousness, being in the tail of the plane, the fall was softened by the trees and the bodies of other passengers, and she was also found very quickly, so that despite serious injuries and a long rehabilitation, she was able to return to full life 1.5 years after the tragedy. However, it is impossible to deny her will to live and courage.

Of course, there were also survivors of plane crashes in Russia and the USSR, who showed themselves to be real heroes. Such an example is Larisa Savitskaya, who held the record before Vulovich. Her story about how people survive plane crashes is also worth reading. In the summer of 1981, she and her husband were just returning from honeymoon trip, When passenger liner collided with a military aircraft. Crew members died almost instantly, the aircraft fell apart, and the wreckage began to fall down. At the time of the disaster, Larisa woke up from a blow and a temperature drop. It took 8 minutes for the fall of the wreckage on which she was, until he landed on a birch grove, softening the landing. For several hours the girl remained unconscious, and when she woke up, she found her husband's body next to her. She was found 2 days later, when the rescuers no longer hoped to find the living. By the way, as Larisa admitted, at some point she remembered an episode of the film "Miracles Still Happen", in which the girl was saved by the fact that she clung to the chair, not even being fastened to it.

By the way, the mentioned film was filmed based on the story of another girl who could tell how to survive in a plane crash and get to people through the jungle. 17-year-old Juliana Koepke flew with her mother to visit her father for the Christmas holidays, but the flight was not destined to end safely. From a height of 3 kilometers, the plane fell into the depths of the jungle after being hit by lightning and a fire in its wing. Over the next 9 days, the girl, relying on knowledge of tropical forests, received from her father, tried to go out to people, and she succeeded. She was the only survivor.

So, as already mentioned, the answer to the question of whether it is possible to survive in a plane crash is yes. There are many examples of how miraculous rescues and successful outcomes due to conscious correct actions. So do not neglect boring instructions - someone's life is behind them.

Many people who have panic attacks hate flying. By the way, although I don’t have panic attacks, I still can’t stand airplanes.

So, this article will be useful to a lot of people. Well, except for the pilots themselves or the stewardesses, who are specially trained on how to behave in emergency situations. We read and remember.

The aircraft is considered one of the most safe view transport, however, and in it passengers are in danger. What are they and what to do in order to minimize the damage.

Fight on board

Fights on board the aircraft have become a common occurrence, both among our compatriots and among foreign tourists. This is explained, as a rule, by the fact that many people get drunk at the airport in order to allay the fear of flying or simply reduce the waiting time. Once in a confined space, someone just falls asleep, while someone begins to look for reasons for conflict.

The most dangerous thing on board is a group of fans who strive to get the maximum adrenaline and, along with fights, arrange a “pitching”, that is, they rush from one side to another. If there are less than 30 people, it is not dangerous, otherwise the balance of the aircraft may be disturbed.

• Having witnessed a fight on board, first of all, you need to remain calm.
• All foreign airlines have so-called "marshals" in their crews - large stewards who are much better at pacifying violent passengers than serving sandwiches.
• But in domestic companies there is no such position, so men should be ready to help the flight attendant if necessary.

Turbulence zone and air pockets

Turbulence is understood as the mixing of several air flows with different temperatures and densities, as a result of which the aircraft can instantly descend or rise several tens of meters.

Most often, this happens at an altitude of more than six thousand meters, during a flight over the city, sandy beach or a lake, the surface of which is heated unevenly.

When an aircraft falls into a large air pocket, all objects in the cabin and not properly fixed, soar up sharply and then fall on those sitting. In addition, if you do not buckle up, you can get bruised or even fractured by hitting during the shaking that usually happens when passing through a turbulence zone.

• When boarding a plane, make sure that there are no heavy or sharp objects, loose luggage nearby.
• Even a pen in a jacket pocket can become dangerous, so it's best to pack it in a bag.
• In addition, be sure to buckle up, and if you get into a turbulence zone, group yourself as indicated in the passenger memo.

Airplane fire

It is not uncommon for passengers themselves to be responsible for a fire on an airplane, carelessly handling fire or smoking on board. True, a fire can occur during takeoff or landing, and then the passenger has no more than three minutes to get out of the plane.

• First of all, remember that the plane is a huge flying fuel truck, and it is strictly forbidden to use lighters or smoke on board.
• If a fire while on runway has already begun, try to leave the cabin as soon as possible.
• To do this, when landing, remember where the emergency exits are located, count how many rows of seats there are from you to the exit, in order to orient yourself even by touch.
• Don't inhale the smoke, walk bent over or on all fours, put on a coat or jacket, and get rid of synthetics in your clothes (including tights), because when melted, they cause the most severe burns.
• You should not take off your shoes, except for stilettos when entering the inflatable ladder, and even those should be held in your hands so that you can immediately put on shoes on the ground and not step on broken glass or plastic.

Decompression

Decompression, unlike most air accidents, happens very quickly and, although it seems frightening, is not a cause for panic. The loud noise that accompanies the release of air from the cabin can scare, but this is not the most dangerous. The plane quickly fills with fog and dust, it becomes difficult to breathe, there is ringing in the ears. At this point, the most important thing is not to panic, but to put on oxygen mask and securely fasten it so that it does not fall off, even with a possible pitching or loss of consciousness. Know that the crew will immediately begin to correct the situation, and the aircraft will descend sharply until the pressure in the cabin and outside equalize, and then an emergency landing will be made at the nearest airport.

• At the first sign of decompression, put on your oxygen mask and then help those around you.
• Even if there is a child nearby, take care of yourself first, otherwise you may pass out and leave him without help.

Takeoff and landing accidents

It is not for nothing that flight attendants ask passengers to fasten their seat belts and raise their seat backs during takeoff and landing. The most unexpected accidents occur during these periods of flight.

• First of all, you should not rely only on the instructions of the crew.
• If you notice that the flight is going wrong (the plane is descending sharply, one of the engines has died down, or there is smoke in the cabin), buckle up, group up and get ready for emergency landing, during which strong overloads are inevitable.
• As soon as the plane stops, passengers will be evacuated. At this point, you should not succumb to panic, but you need to do everything as quickly as possible.

Hijacking

Cases of aircraft hijacking are extremely rare, however, they quickly become known to the whole world. And although the chance that the Moscow-Antalya flight will be hijacked is negligible, it is still better to know the basic rules of behavior and survival in such situations.

• Do not stand out among other passengers, fulfill all the requirements of the criminals, and then the release groups.
• Perform any action (going to the toilet, opening luggage) only after receiving permission.
• During the assault, try to sit or lie down on the floor or hide behind the back of a chair, do not express your attitude towards the invaders and do not try to deal with them yourself.
• After your release, be prepared for the fact that for the next few hours you will have to continuously answer questions from the police and law enforcement agencies.

Water landing

IN emergency cases the plane can land on the water, but this does not mean that the victims are inevitable, since this is all aircraft prepared. The ship can stay afloat for up to 40 minutes, and during this time everyone has time to leave it. Besides, modern aircraft equipped with life jackets and life rafts that self-inflate in one minute.

• Before departure, find out in what position the aircraft is kept afloat - horizontally, with the tail lowered into the water or the bow. Based on this, plan which exit you will need to move to.
• After landing, start with the help of the stewards to launch self-inflating rafts. If the raft does not start to inflate by itself, pull the handle of the air supply system located on the side of the raft.

P.S. And so that you don’t feel completely scared, let me defuse the situation a little:

Crew, prepare to land! Flight mechanic, report the situation!
— No left landing gear!
- Emergency landing! Stewardess! Is there still a supply of alcohol on board?
- Yes!
- Give it to the passengers, so as not to worry!
- You already issued it once after takeoff, they are now rolling some kind of wheel along the aisle ...

An airplane is the safest means of transport. However, unforeseen incidents do happen. A clear sequence of actions for each emergency will help minimize damage or avoid it altogether.

The captain of the aircraft monitors all events that occur on board the aircraft and is responsible for them. The 2nd pilot helps him manage the transport, and the flight attendants (led by the senior flight attendant) work in the cabin. If you have any questions, then you can safely ask them to the stewards. Our website will help you choose cheap tickets to any destination.

Basic Rules

First of all, you need to be vigilant at the beginning and at the end of the flight. Most accidents happen at this time. Keep calm and keep an eye on what's going on. If you are planning a long flight, then in no case do not take off your shoes on the plane. This will prevent rapid collection and hasty exit of the aircraft in case of accidents or fires.

Practice unbuckling your seat belt beforehand. During an emergency, it can be easy to panic and forget how to do it. It is best to think over the evacuation plan in advance and land as close to the exits as possible. Carefully study the memo to the passenger and the mechanism for opening emergency hatches.

An emergency situation can throw even an experienced aircraft crew into confusion. In this case, do not expect help and instructions. Try not to panic and get out of the plane as quickly as possible. In the event of a fire, smoke must also not be inhaled. Never try to take your things. The most valuable thing you have is your life.

If the captain of the aircraft is forced to emergency landing, assume a safe posture. The seat must be set in a vertical position, put your head and chest on your legs and clasp your knees. The feet should be located further under the seat than the knees and firmly pressed to the floor. Always wear comfortable clothing in which you will feel comfortable moving around the cabin.

Other emergencies

Significant discomfort during flight can cause entry into turbulence and air pockets. air currents different temperatures move and the aircraft may rise or fall abruptly. During turbulence, things on board fly up and fall on passengers. The following rules will help you avoid injury:

• do not sit next to sharp or heavy objects and luggage that has not been secured;
• always buckle up;
• follow the instructions in the memo to the passenger;
• do not take small items with you, it is better to pack them in suitcases (a pen in your pocket can also hurt).

Decompression often frightens passengers, although this is not a cause for serious panic. It is accompanied by noise, air escaping from the aircraft cabin and dustiness. In this case, you need:

• do not panic;
• immediately put on an oxygen mask;
• wait for the crew to eliminate the consequences of decompression;
• calmly endure an emergency landing.

In unforeseen situations, the aircraft can be landed on the water. It can stay afloat for approximately 40 minutes. All planes are prepared for such a situation, so absolutely all passengers will have time to leave it. Stewarts will help launch inflatable rafts and evacuate people.

The main thing in all emergency situations is to keep calm. If you are subject to a panic state and do not have time to perform the necessary actions, then even a minor nuisance will cause great harm and injury.

From glancing nervously at the fuel gauge in an emergency to breaking a crew member's arm during turbulence, an experienced pilot has shared the things that scared him the most when flying. He also told what it is worth and what passengers should not be afraid of and how they should behave during an emergency.

Steve Landells, now 50, has been a pilot for 27 years civil aviation in 17 companies, including british airways. He now works as a safety officer for the British Airline Pilots Association.

In an interview with The Independent, he explained why controlling the amount of fuel left is so important. “Once we flew from Cairo to Heathrow, in control computers air traffic there was a failure on the ground,” says Landells.

“It turned out that not a single plane that was preparing to take off could take to the skies. Because of this, there was no place for landing arriving aircraft. Flights had to be diverted to other UK airports and even to Amsterdam. We were asked to stay in the air for four hours. We reported that there was not enough fuel, ”the pilot says.

When preparing for a flight, pilots calculate how much fuel they need in case of emergencies. The amount of fuel that is enough for the last half hour of the flight is called the last reserve, he says.

On that ill-fated day, ground services, fortunately, quickly orientated themselves and Landells' plane was given priority to land at one of the airports on British Isles. In his entire career, he never had to empty the tanks of an aircraft to a critical level.

But a pilot's biggest enemy, he says, is the weather. As cautionary tale for those who blatantly ignore the flight attendants' demand to fasten their seat belts, Landells recalls how a colleague broke his arm during severe turbulence while the plane was flying from Heathrow to Bogotá, the capital of Colombia. The shaking lasted only five seconds, but the injured crew member was not wearing his seatbelt.

“We can adjust the decision on departures based on the weather forecast, but turbulence cannot be predicted. You can learn about it only when you get into it, ”the pilot complains. Turbulence may not lead to a plane crash, he notes, but the risk of injury is very real.

But when lightning strikes a plane, people on board can see a strong flash, but this natural phenomenon, for all its spectacularity, is not dangerous for a flying plane.

The strange buzzing sounds on approach that cause some impressionable passengers to dig their white fingers into the armrests are usually just flaps extending.

Landells, who now flies as a passenger, says he listens carefully to the safety message before every flight: “If something happens, I want to know where the exit is right away, not look for it. I also always have credit card and a phone in your pocket - these things may be necessary if you have to urgently evacuate.