Originally Posted by
gulliBell
For those who have done helicopter underwater escape training would understand how unlikely it is that an untrained passenger would be able to self-extricate themselves from a submerged helicopter.
Is there a common protocol for helicopter ditchings? What I mean is -- when there is enough time to know the ditching is inevitable during an auto, is it common practice to tell pax to unlatch seatbelts and brace? Maybe even open the doors (if possible)?
In my former life as a commercial photographer, I've only flown with doors off and either belted in the seat or (rarely) on a harness with quick release. And I know how to swim, which helped in one actual fixed-wing ditching many years ago. So I was always pretty sure I could escape even if the helo quickly inverted, as long as I wasn't injured otherwise. But tourists won't be thinking like that, and it might be a closed doors flight.