Be careful of falling out of the
airplane. The first fatal airplane crash. This 1908 wreck, which
killed one passenger, was piloted by Orville Wright. Aviation
safety has come a long way since then.
Commercial airlines around the world now carry nearly 2.5
billion passengers a year, and despite the inherent dangers of
rocketing through the sky miles above the Earth in a very heavy
piece of metal, these travelers are amazingly safe. In fact, the
odds of dying on a commercial airline flight are as low as 9
million to 1! That said, a lot can go wrong at 33,000 feet above
the ground, and if you're unlucky enough to be aboard when
something does, the decisions you make could mean the difference
between life and death. Keep in mind that about 95% of airplane
crashes have survivors, so even if the worst does happen, your odds
aren't as bad as you might think.
Steps
- Wear long pants, a long-sleeve t-shirt, and sturdy,
comfortable, lace-up shoes. Of course you may want to be
comfortable or professional-looking on a flight, but sandals or
high heels make it hard to move quickly within the wreckage. Loose
or elaborate clothing also poses a risk, as it can get snagged on
obstacles in the close confines of a plane. If you know you're
going to be flying over cold areas, dress appropriately, and
consider keeping a jacket on your lap. You'll need to be able to
stay warm if you survive the crash. Even if that is not a
consideration, the more of your body is covered during impact, the
less likely you are to receive serious injuries or burns. Cotton or
wool clothing is also preferable as it is less flammable. Wool is
preferable to cotton when flying over water, as wool does not loose
its insulative properties to the degree cotton does when wet.
- Book the right seats. Because the initial
impact is most often survivable, the key to living to tell about a
crash is frequently how quickly you can get out. To this end, it's
best to get seats as close as possible to an exit, and aisle seats
are generally preferable. In addition, try to sit in the back of
the plane. Passengers in the tail of the aircraft have 40% higher
survival rates than those in the first few rows.
-
Boring,
yes. But the flight attendant's safety briefing may save your
life--if you pay attention.
- Make a plan. If the plane is going to crash,
you almost always have several minutes to prepare before impact.
Use this time to once again review where the exits are, and try to
count the number of seats between your row and the exit row-t
