Why do airlines dim the lights upon landing? Why is it so important to put your own oxygen mask on before helping others? What is it like to jump on an inflatable emergency slide? If you’ve ever flown, you may be curious, or even worried, about why airlines take the safety measures that they do, but thanks to British Airways’ Flight Safety Awareness Course, you won’t ever have to wonder again.
The BA Flight Safety Awareness course is a modified version of the same training that flight crews go through every year, and can help you feel more secure about family wellness the next time you fly, or can just be a great day out. You get to see what it’s like to pull the inflation cord on your life vest (you know you’ve always been tempted) and jump down the emergency slide. The course also includes a smoke-filled cabin evacuation, as well as learning the finer points of the ‘brace’ position, and why seemingly unnecessary measures are there to ensure your wellbeing.
One thing you might be interested to know, though it may not do wonders for your mental wellness, is that people often take the under-seat life jackets as souvenirs from the plane. This is a punishable offence, and though airlines do check every day that the proper safety equipment is in place, it’s always wise to have a little look-see yourself when you take your seat, just in case.
The course also explains that you need to put on your own oxygen mask before helping those around you because you might only have 15 or 20 seconds to do so in the event of a cabin decompression, before all oxygen would be sucked out of the plane (and your lungs), and you’d experience confusion and a euphoric state. Another 10 or 15 seconds and you’d probably pass out. Either way, you’d be good to nobody. Likewise, the course explains that the brace position requires you to put one hand on top of the other behind your head, because it protects at least one hand if something falls on you, and you’ll need it to unbuckle your seat belt when it’s safe to do so.
The truth is, you’re more likely to do something, or remember it in an emergency, if you understand why you have to, and a course like this could help you to feel better about the thought that has gone into airline safety over the years, and safer next time your family flies. Look online for more information.
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