Emergency situations "in the air": what to do and what not to do. Commercial airliners can even fly on a single engine. Is it possible to survive in a plane crash

Guys, we put our soul into the site. Thanks for that
for discovering this beauty. Thanks for the inspiration and goosebumps.
Join us at Facebook And In contact with

It is easier to believe in magic than to understand how a person manages to lift a multi-ton iron bird into the sky. Ignorance breeds fear of the unknown. Therefore, many pilots and other airline employees are happy to tell what is really worth fearing and why airplanes are wonderful!

website chose 16 understandable answers to the most exciting and difficult questions that interest everyone who has seen an airplane at least once in their life.

16. How to get to the pilots if their door is locked from the inside?

There is a special code that the flight attendant dials to get into the cockpit. This is necessary for cases when, for example, both pilots have lost consciousness. The commander before the flight learns the code and informs the crew of it. After entering the code, the door will open within a minute, but only if the pilots take no action. If the pilot sees through a video camera that a non-crew member is standing at the door, then he completely blocks the door, and the attacker cannot get inside.

15. Are pilots allowed to wear bushy mustaches or piercings?

The beard, bushy mustache, piercings, and any other decorations and "growths" on the face prevent the pilot from using an oxygen mask, which must fit snugly over the face. Therefore, the pilot's face is always clean, sometimes slightly unshaven is allowed. Otherwise, a situation is created that endangers the lives of passengers.

14. What happens if all engines fail?

During each flight, the aircraft switches to a mode in which . If in a car with a manual transmission to shift the lever to neutral, going down the hill, it will be the same. Complete engine failure is extremely rare, and in this case there is a special instruction for restarting them.

But also without engines, the plane can land on a gliding descent. Most famous case happened to a Boeing 747 over Java in 1982, when the plane was caught in a cloud of dust from an erupting volcano and all 4 engines failed. The crew managed to land the plane at the nearest airport, and none of the 263 people was injured.

13. How long do oxygen masks last?

The oxygen level and pressure inside the aircraft are maintained artificially. If the cabin depressurizes at high altitude, a person develops hypoxia: he loses consciousness and may die without an oxygen mask.

Oxygen. This time is enough for the pilot to lower the plane to a height where you can breathe normally. The pilot has his own stationary oxygen mask, designed for more time- to lower and even land the plane without losing concentration. Before each flight, pilots check the performance of their masks.

12. Do pilots sleep at the controls?

Approximately 56% of pilots accidentally fall asleep during the flight, although it is better to say they can doze off. Fortunately, modern aircraft almost all the time they work in autopilot mode, and controllers require constant feedback from pilots.

On long-haul flights, two crews or three pilots can work at once, replacing each other with a break for rest. The pilot, having worked his shift, sleeps in a special cabin. It is important that the crew is constantly in touch with the controllers and that at least one pilot controls the flight.

11. Why does the plane go around?

This . An aircraft may go-around for various reasons, such as runway some object or animal, a strong side wind is blowing, or the airport is temporarily closed for an urgent landing of a special aircraft.

Passengers are worried because the plane suddenly gains altitude before the long-awaited landing, but in fact everything is under control - this is the standard way of go-around.

10. What nationality does a child born on an airplane get?

Exists . This will be the passport.

  • the country where the airline of the aircraft on which the birth took place is registered;
  • the country over which he was born;
  • country where the aircraft landed.

In most cases, in practice, the first option is obtained, but the decision is made by the airline, taking into account the current legislation. Some airlines give kids a bonus as a gift: the opportunity to fly free of charge on their planes anywhere in the world for life.

9. Can an airplane land on autopilot?

In modern aircraft, control systems guide the aircraft along the route from a height of 300 meters and almost to a full landing on runway. During landing, auto landing can be used, but the pilot needs to activate this mode and monitor it by setting certain landing configurations.

Already before a direct landing on the runway, the aircraft is directed by the course-glide path system: the airport radio beacon guides the aircraft, correcting its path. This system works even if the aircraft is completely de-energized.

8. Hard landing on water or on land - which is safer?

7. How do pilots eat during the flight?

For pilots, a separate menu is prepared with several dishes to choose from: if the commander wants chicken, then the co-pilot will get fish or meat for lunch. This The best way avoid poisoning with the same products. Pilots take turns eating, some right behind the wheel at special tables.

But there are airlines where this rule is not respected and pilots can get the same portion of food as passengers.

6. Why do pilots sometimes fly in the cabin with passengers?

Sometimes, as part of their work, pilots fly with passengers from one airport to another. If they are on board in uniform, then with passengers they will sleep, eat or watch movies with headphones. The sight of a pilot in uniform during such activities can be misleading and lead to panic among passengers. But more often, uniformed pilots fly in spare seats in the cockpit or in first class.

5. What is more terrible - crashing into a bird, getting hit by hail or getting struck by lightning?

Lightning often hits the plane, but the passengers do not even notice it. In extremely rare cases, this can lead to a blackout of the aircraft. In this case, the pilots have several instructions that literally reset the electronics on board, and the flight continues as usual.

Birds represent great danger than it seems. Entry into a fan or turbine can result in engine destruction, failure, and even fire. Not every windshield will survive

In the specialized literature, there is the concept of a "competent passenger" - a person who makes the most of his chances for salvation in 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 during the fall, so the passenger sitting in the back has the greatest chance of surviving. 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 aircraft, 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 make an emergency 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 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 in 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 the 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, 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;
  • don't take it with you hand luggage, it could 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 look for him, in 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.
  • Flying has long been a habit. Many people perceive it as an opportunity to sleep or watch a movie without thinking about the thousands of meters of emptiness under their feet. However, after learning about the situations that can periodically arise on board the aircraft, even the most resistant to aerophobia will panic. It is for this reason that the aircraft personnel do not tell us anything to the last.

    1. The pilot lost consciousness

    This situation is quite rare, but anything can happen. One pilot with ten years of experience once admitted that flying over Atlantic Ocean they fell into a zone of strong turbulence. By an unfortunate coincidence, at the moment when his partner was trying to sit in a chair, the plane shook violently, and he hit him with his elbow. The pilot lost consciousness for a while, but due to the fact that there are two people in the cockpit, the plane continued its flight calmly. Naturally, only the service personnel of the liner knew about what had happened at that moment, and the passengers were in happy ignorance.

    2. Danger of collision with another liner

    We, as passengers of an aircraft, are firmly convinced that collisions of aircraft in the air are impossible, thanks to the flight control center. But in fact, this danger occurs much more often than we think. One of the pilots, who preferred to remain anonymous, said that many times in his experience the planes approached each other very close. And twice he had to make a dangerous abrupt maneuver to avoid a collision. At this time, passengers thought they were in a zone of severe turbulence. However, according to the pilot, there are always several people in the cabin who suspect something is wrong and begin to ask the flight attendants what is happening.

    3. Cabin in smoke

    At this terrible moment, the pilots of the aircraft are in special oxygen masks, so as not to lose consciousness from poisoning and almost always require permission to emergency landing. Meanwhile, in the cabin, no one has any idea about the dangerous situation on board. One of the pilots of a British airline said that during this incident they also began to run out of fuel, and the instrument panel was not visible due to the smoke. Fortunately, everything worked out, but along the route, just in case, they asked emergency landing which was not needed.

    4. Breakdowns

    An airplane is a huge complex mechanism. And it is perfectly normal when something breaks in the mechanism. It is clear that failures are different. But in any case, passengers are not informed about this in order to avoid panic on board. One of the anonymous pilots said that once during the flight, just before landing, part of the aileron on the wing came off. It was an absolutely harmless breakdown, but the passengers were alarmed. After all, out of ignorance, you can think anything, and a dangling piece of iron on the wing can scare you very much.

    5. Lightning

    Everyone knows that modern aircraft are resistant to lightning strikes, and therefore there is no need to be afraid. In addition, it seems that the probability of lightning striking an aircraft is extremely low, but this is not the case. Every aircraft faces this situation at least once a year. Despite the safety during the flight, passengers are often very frightened, and there are noticeable traces of a lightning strike on the plane. In addition, there are often situations when, when flying through a cloud, the plane itself provokes the appearance of lightning, although without it they might not have happened. Much more dangerous is not lightning itself, but a bright flash from it, which can blind pilots for a long time, which turns into a serious obstacle to a safe flight. After all, pilots who have temporarily lost their sight may not be able to replace the vortex or vertical air flow, which is a real danger.

    6. Side wind when landing

    A strong side wind can become a real obstacle when landing an airplane. And, although pilots are trained to land the liner under such conditions, this does not guarantee a good outcome. At this moment, it is scary not only for passengers, who feel all the swaying and turning of the aircraft during resistance, but also for pilots, for whom it is important to keep the aircraft stable. Pilots assure that if the danger is too great, they will not land the plane in such conditions.

    7. Birds

    The photo looks very beautiful when the plane is shrouded in a flock of birds. But in fact, this situation is extremely dangerous. The plane flies at such great speed that even a small stone will smash the windshield and half the skull of the pilot, not to mention the bird. Most often, there is a risk of collision when the aircraft is landing and taking off at an altitude of up to 100 meters, especially if during this period the birds migrate and move in large flocks. However, catastrophes and accidents involving birds that threaten the lives of passengers are very rare.

    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, worked for 27 years as a civil aviation pilot for 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 crews, fortunately, quickly got their bearings and Landells' plane was given priority to land at one of the airports in the 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.


    01

    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. You may have heard the beeps in the speakers when mobile phone catches a call 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.


    02

    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.


    03

    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.

    Alexei, Boeing pilot 777 airlines "Transaero"

    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. As a result, the emergency exit opens just from the side of the fire, the 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.


    04

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

    It is not removed from luggage compartment, as the uninformed reader might 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.



    05

    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.


    06

    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.


    07

    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. none electronic system on board cannot act 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 Newark-Denver flight made an emergency landing in Chicago precisely because 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.

    08

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

    At passenger aircraft 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.


    09

    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".


    10

    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 forced landing in case 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.



    11

    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.



    13

    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 are more likely to survive?

    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 to enter, 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 loudspeaker, 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.


    17

    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.


    19

    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 scheduled flights. When registering, dispatchers report how much free space (weight) is left, and cargo operators load payload: mail, parcels, containers with immigrants.


    20

    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