The smoke had not yet cleared from the crash site of a Japan Airlines Airbus A350 in Tokyo earlier this month, but video footage of the incident had already been uploaded to social media, causing shock and amazement in the aviation world.
But what surprised aviation professionals was not the emergency in particular, but the response to the potentially deadly situation on January 2, in which all 367 passengers and 12 crew members survived.
In my Fly Guy’s Cabin Crew Lounge on Facebook and Instagram, thousands of the world’s largest community of airline crews commented in amazement at the calm behavior of the passengers while on a plane that was on fire.
I have annotated footage of the crash to highlight how following the examples of the passengers on JAL Flight 516 could save others in future aviation disasters. This video has now been viewed more than 10 million times.
Here I expand on this excerpt and explain in more detail the key lessons from this masterclass example on how to survive a plane crash. Plus, another tip from me, A Fly Guy, an aviation specialist with more than 20 years of commercial aviation experience, including my work as a cabin crew manager for Emirates on board the world’s largest 615-passenger airliner.
Stay calm and don’t panic
The main thing that shocked aviation professionals was how calm the passengers were in the videos taken in the cabin after the widebody Airbus struck a smaller turboprop plane.
The void of panic created the ideal scenario for the flight attendants to fully concentrate on the situation without having to worry about crowd control.
At those times, the crew’s main goal was to properly assess the conditions outside their doors to determine whether to use their exit or send passengers to another station.
Cabin crew are extensively trained in how to handle this situation and what threats to look out for: procedures based on data collected during aviation emergencies over the past century.
Approaching their doors and applying intense pressure while they are undergoing their training can cause the use of a dangerous exit and lead to unnecessary injury.
Former Emirates flight attendant Jay Robert reveals how passengers on Japan Airlines Flight 516 gave a masterclass in how to survive a plane crash. He writes: ‘The void of panic created the ideal scenario for the flight attendants to fully concentrate on the situation without having to worry about crowd control’
Passengers from the JAL incident at Haneda Airport said it took a few minutes for crews to open the doors, a common practice in airline emergency safety procedures.
There are a few reasons why evacuations may be delayed if a fire breaks out outside the aircraft, but the main reason is that the crew is usually waiting for orders from the pilots, who are busy following their procedures to prepare the aircraft on an evacuation.
During this critical period, one of their main tasks is to turn off the motors to facilitate the use of the slides and prevent people from being swallowed.
In 2015, British Airways pilots skipped this step before beginning the evacuation of a Boeing 777 that caught fire on the runway in Las Vegas. If reported in AV Heraldthe supervision resulted in an engine explosion that rendered all but two of the eight slides unusable.
Leave everything behind!
Taking belongings with you is a deadly mistake that has killed passengers and crew during evacuations. Not only does this slow down the entire evacuation process, but a suitcase can damage the slide, causing the loss of a valuable exit. In the Japan Airlines passenger videos, they keep the garbage bins closed and leave their bags behind.
That plane had only three of its eight doors available for evacuation, and passengers were able to move quickly to those doors and down the slides because they had their hands free and didn’t trip over their luggage.
If the cabin is full of smoke, like on Flight 516, you might be forced to crawl and crawl down to survive, and your belongings wouldn’t make that easy.
Stay at the bottom of the slides and help others down
Help for passengers coming down the slide is “critical,” Jay said
Evacuations require teamwork.
Flight attendants and pilots are trained to stay on the plane until all passengers are out, which means passengers have to help at ground level.
At the bottom of the emergency slide of the JAL plane, crash victims could be seen helping fellow passengers to get to the bottom of the slide.
This assistance is critical because many injuries during aircraft evacuation result from using the slides.
In addition, weather conditions can influence the use of the slides. For example, in 2016, an Emirates Boeing 777 crashed while landing in Dubai. Many of the exits were unusable.
The high winds caused some doors to block as the slides blew off the ground.
Passengers can help by holding the slides down to stabilize them for use. Additionally, slides can deflate, and if this happens, passengers must pick up the bottom of the deflated slide and hold the slide straight and away from the aircraft to create what is called a platform slide.
Run away from the plane
This aerial photo shows the burned out remains of Japan Airlines Flight 516
Two common mistakes occur during evacuations: bags and social media that influence when passengers have to run to safety.
We are aware that many passengers take bags with them as so many other passengers take photos and videos as soon as they get off the slide next to what could be ticking time bombs.
As soon as your feet touch the ground, follow the example of the JAL flight passenger: run to a safe distance and gather with others.
From that distance, take all the photos you need to show your followers that you know how to survive safely.
During the Emirates incident, a firefighter standing near the crashed plane lost his life after a fuel tank exploded just minutes after the crew and passengers got to a safe distance.
Prepare for the worst
Jay (above) runs the popular Fly Guy’s Cabin Crew Lounge network
Every flight I take, I hope for the best and prepare for the worst. It may sound morbid to think that your plane will crash every time you fly, as it is one of the safest forms of transportation, but if you prepare your mind and environment, you can increase your chances of escaping safely if you fly it. worst case scenario is faced.
You probably don’t even realize you’ve already taken this step.
In my mind I look at the nearest exit and how many lines there are in front of the door, because smoke often limits visibility in an emergency
Jay Robert, former flight attendant
Every time you take off and land, your flight attendants prepare you and the cabin for a possible crash or emergency.
They put the backrest tables and trays upright and make sure bags are under the chairs or bins so you can get out as quickly as possible.
When I fly, I keep a small shoulder bag with my phone, passport, wallet and essentials in it.
If I have to leave quickly, I have my basic necessities and no connection to the bags I leave behind. Please note: Some airlines require you to stow the small body bag when sitting in an exit row, even if it is attached to your body.
I also ensure that items that can be tripped over, such as trash, blankets and charging cables, are stored away.
Most importantly, I mentally look at my nearest exit and how many lines there are at the door, as smoke often reduces visibility in an emergency.
I look at the safety map to identify all the exits, as the map next to me may not be usable, as it was in the three crashes mentioned earlier.
Your cabin crew will also conduct a mental emergency assessment during landing, so you should not distract them while they are in their jump seats once the captain has informed them to prepare for landing.
I always felt terrible standing in front of passengers in my crew seat.
I had to ignore them because it was against protocol to talk during that critical phase of the flight.
For more information from Jay, visit www.instagram.com/aflyguytravels And www.facebook.com/aflyguyslounge.