Brace position

[Keygrip]

Question came up today about the best "brace position" when travelling as the front seat passenger in a light aircraft.

Standard PA28, C172 stuff.

What are you recommending for the brace position that will not end up with either teeth marks on the control column or a mouth full of instrument coaming?

[TheOddOne]

Well!

To try and brace the whole of your upper body weight x whatever 'G' you experience during the stop is nigh on impossible. Try doing a pressup with another adult sitting on your back!

I think the 'brace' position in airliners, with no upper body restraint, is inappropriate for front seat light aircraft use. That control column probably won't break away like a car steering wheel is designed to.

When I do my front passenger briefing I tell them to rack the seat as far back as it will go and to then cross their hands over their chest, gripping their opposite lapels (or grab a handful of wooly pully etc) then tuck their chin down, to ttry and keep debris out of teir face. They might wind up with a broken arm but hopefully their arms might provide additional protection for the chest cavity. Both the C172 & PA28 offer upper torso restraint so that should help, too. Rear seat pax are in a poorer position, not having any upper restraint. I do advise them to do the cross-arm against the front seat deal, but I don't think it's ideal.

We had a PA28 write-off 2 years ago and both occupants had bruising where the diaganol strap went so I guess it did its job well. Incidentally, the left seat occupant had quite bad cuts all round his face when the windscreen broke. Fortunately he is a spectacle wearer and although his specs were damaged, his eyes weren't. NEVER, NEVER fly in a light aircraft without eye protection!

Both occupants were able to leave the wreckage unaided, but another indication of the force of the impact was that the right seat occupant had a retina detatch from the back of one eye, easily re-attached by LASER treatment.

If you're gonna have a prang, I reckon you're safer in a PA28!

Cheers,
The Odd One

[kookabat]

If you're gonna have a prang, I reckon you're safer in a PA28!
...except that there's only one way out...:bored:

Adam

[DFC]

For passengers in airliners or the back seats of a Cessna or similar, the recomended brace position is to lean forward and either rest on the seat in front or on one's own legs.

The reason for this is that there is no upper restraint provided and thus the idea is to be solidly against the object that you would impact if sitting upright.

When in a seat with an upper restraint - car seat, front seat of a C172 or whatever, the brace position is with your body pressed back into the seat, the harness as tight as possible and most importantly with one's chin resting on one's sternum.....because if it is not then it is going to hit it during the sudden stop!

I don't know of anyone who can rest against the pannel on a C172 in the brace position and not obstruct the controls........remember that the brace position is taken before impact when in many cases the controls are still in use.

When delaing with the brace position remember not to get passengers into position too early because then then will look up just at the point of impact!

Regards,

DFC

[Matron]

I'm guessing we need a briefing from a Mile High Club veteren about the best positions. Maybe a kind of aviation karmasutra is required? Does BALPA do any kind of research?