7 November 2014

AIRCRAFT STORIES - Smoke-filled cabin, passengers' screams and an emergency evacuation: Video reveals how to survive a plane crash





Smoke-filled cabin, passengers' screams and an emergency evacuation: Video reveals how to survive a plane crash


  • Flight Safety Awareness Course in London costs £135
  • During crash simulation cabin fills with smoke and passengers evacuated 
  • Instructor reveals everybody's highlight is jumping down emergency slide 


The fear of being involved in an incident at 30,000ft is the reason some people won't step foot on a plane.

And for frequent flyers, knowing what to do if there's an on board emergency is vital.

With that in mind, British Airways has released a video of its course which allows passengers to experience what a plane crash would feel like.


Brace! Brace! A new video shows what goes on in British Airways' simulated plane evacuations
Brace! Brace! A new video shows what goes on in British Airways' simulated plane evacuations


The footage shows what happens on the Flight Safety Awareness Course in London - taking place inside a Boeing 737 cabin simulator.

As well as a smoke-filled cabin and passengers' screams, the crew can be heard shouting the emergency 'brace! Brace!' as participants adopt the position.

They then experience an evacuation - and jump down the emergency slide.

Andy Clubb, safety instructor for British Airways, said: 'All simulated, all safe, and it's quite a lot of fun, but it's very thought-provoking.'


'Everybody loves a bouncy castle': Jumping down the evacuation slide is most people's highlight
'Everybody loves a bouncy castle': Jumping down the evacuation slide is most people's highlight


The half-day course costs £135 and takes place at BA's Cranebank training centre near Heathrow. 

'Here we train our 17,000 cabin crew and 4,000 pilots in all their emergency and evacuation training, Clubb said.

'We do exactly what we train the cabin crew to do.

'Jumping down the evacuation slide is probably most people's highlight on the course. No matter how old you are, everbody loves a bouncy castle. Although it's great fun, we're doing it so that we can train people to do it the correct way and the safe way. 


Entertaining and educational: Safety Instructor Andy Clubb says the course is 'fun, but very thought provoking'
Entertaining and educational: Safety Instructor Andy Clubb says the course is 'fun, but very thought provoking'


Instructors, all former cabin crew or flight engineers, teach participants how to open real aircraft doors and over-wing exits, fit life jackets, and go through a smoke chamber.  

'One of the most frequently asked questions is about the brace position, and certainly the brace position for us is the most important thing,' Clubb said. 'Everyone has their version of it.'

The instructors observe how each person performs the brace position, and advise on whether they are doing it safely and correctly.

'Customers will learn what they should and should not do in just about any emergency situation that could happen on an aircraft, any airline’s aircraft,' Clubb told MailOnline.


Heads down: Instructors observe each person's brace position and advice on doing it correctly
Heads down: Instructors observe each person's brace position and advice on doing it correctly


In the video, one participant agrees: 'Next time I fly I will be putting my hand under the seat to check [the life jacket] is where they say it is. It's just made think a little bit more next time I travel.'

Since its inception in 2003, more than 15,000 people have taken the course. While most participants are employees of corporate companies, individuals are able to participate in classes with spare places available.

The recent air disasters have not resulted in an increase in bookings for the course so far, Clubb says. 'Most courses are booked by people who have heard about the course from previous delegates who have recommended it to colleagues and friends,' he says.


Popular: Since its inception in 2003, more than 15,000 people have taken the course
Popular: Since its inception in 2003, more than 15,000 people have taken the course


'It ultimately demonstrates just how safe flying is.'

The Flight Safety Awareness Course was originally designed for the petrochemical industry who fly their staff to wherever oil and gas is located in the world.

'This can be in some very remote and unusual places that are not always served by national airlines,' Clubb said. 'They request the course as part of their Corporate and Social Responsibility towards their staff.'


Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/




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