Anybody teaching lightplane evacuation?

[flyboy2]

Although airlines have been teaching evacuation procedures for a long time, is anyone actively teaching them in light aircraft?
Please comment.

[Dash8driver1312]

I always briefed my passengers how to get out if the Spamcan came down. That is the responsibility of the pilot and I would not have been happy to go up in a Cessna with a guy acting as pilot commanding if he didn't make at least some comment.

[CISTRS]

I have always briefed pax on how to undo the harness straps and open the canopy of whatever A/C I was flying, power or glider.
The briefing included the importance of not releasing any parachute harness whilst airborne

[+TSRA]

I always used to make my students give me a thorough emergency briefing (legal and good practice). But I never made them practice it like we do in the airline world. In saying that, I'm not sure I would make them practice an evacuation...too much paperwork if they trip over the strut and face plant it onto the tarmac...

[Piltdown Man]

Yes, both in bug smashers and gliders. Fortunately, I've only had to bale out once but the briefing and rehearsal helped.

[Pilot DAR]

I took a course in Canada, which can be found by searching "dunkyou". It was entirely worthwhile. It has a "ground school" element, which is web based, and very worthwhile in its own right.

I brief all of my pax, and actually go through the motions in the Teal, 'cause it's a little unususal, and they might be swimming while they're exiting. I have the door handle of the 150 boldly labled "EXIT" with a glow in the dark background, and after briefing every pax, I'm always amazed how many cannot remember how to open the door at the end of the flight. I guess my flights must just be overwhelming!

Brief your passengers before the flight, on that very miniscule chance that they can exit, and you cannot....

[piperboy84]

I read somewhere that a high percentage of ditching fatalities are due to passengers breaking of the door handle by forcing it the wrong way while inverted. I seem to remember the big thing about getting out while in the drink is not to remove your seat belt until you have figured out an egress route.

[Pilot DAR]

I seem to remember the big thing about getting out while in the drink is not to remove your seat belt until you have figured out an egress route.

Very correct. This was a prime element of the training I received. Do not loose your reference. I have swum inside inverted floatplanes during recovery, and it is amazingly disorienting, even though I swam into it from the outside with lots of time, rather than flipping in it in an emergency.

Training is important, thinking about the possibilities is vital.

[xrayalpha]

It is a legal requirement to give a pre-flight briefing before every flight under the UK Air Navigation Order.

As to the contents of that brief, the is as Safety Sense leaflet on the CAA.co.uk web site that makes good reading.

Appreciate OP in SA based, but if trained in the UK, should have had this taught to you and coveted in exam.

Now, as to dunking courses etc, t hat is a different matter. Not been on one yet, but been good feedback from others. BA also do a course where you asctuyalky get to open the emergency exit and slide down the chute. As regards smoke etc, it is a very very useful experience that has GA implications too.

[ChickenHouse]

Yes, I do an emergency briefing for every flight carrying pax, sometimes even myself if solo. I had the not-so-nice experience of an outside landing when I was young and we had none - so the Cessna ditched and the doors were jammed (as they quite often seem to do, why the emergency briefing says unlock the doors before impact).

[piperboy84]

My passenger brief is aimed more towards self preservation. I tell them to keep there feet flat on the floor for TO and landing.

[Jonzarno]

I did a dunker course with Andark in Southampton. I found it very helpful: it's surprising how hard it is to right and get into a liferaft when you're soaking wet!

Underwater Escape Training

[Above The Clouds]

1001, 1002, 1003 check canopy.

[XLC]

Indeed, I do as well. Although I was initially told to tell this to passengers who never flew in that specific plane yet, but for those who did I ask if they remember. Showing is indeed one thing, but I often wondered how many really remember what was told/shown - unless you ask your pax to repeat.

[Jan Olieslagers]

I tell them to keep their feet flat on the floor for TO and landing.

That's one I will remember - thank you!

[Wander00]

Clearly one of the air racers who collided over Grand Harbour, in Malta 7 or 8 years back had practiced as he was out and on a developed chute very quickly. Sadly the other guy did not get out

[englishal]

Yea I'll teach it. You can pay me 750 quid for a full 4 hr day and I'll even provide the aeroplane on the ground that you can get in and out of as many times as you like during those 4 hrs. The course will cover unclipping the seatbelt and opening the door. Sorry I can't cover the underwater escape training in this session.

As an added extra for only 500 quid for a two hour session I'll even include practical car escape too, in YOUR VERY OWN CAR !!! In this session you will have the opportunity to escape from YOUR car with and without blindfold on, and you will have practical use of seatbelts (clipping as well as unclipping).

Sound good?

[Gertrude the Wombat]

can get in and out of as many times as you like

My first floatplane lesson started with getting in and out.

Time after time after time, until I could do it in a couple of seconds, as necessary both after pushing off from the dock - got to get in and start the engine before it drifts into something expensive (worry about seat belts later) - and when arriving at the dock - got to get out, jump onto dock, grabbing ropes as necessary, and fend off again before an expensive collision.

Part of getting out in a hurry is not to tangle yourself up in the headset leads - has anyone mentioned this yet?

[Pilot DAR]

The course will cover unclipping the seatbelt and opening the door.

Though important, these are only a fraction of the skills taught during egress courses, there are many more considerations.

The course I took filled in some gaps for me, as I have received and given elements of this training for years. However two university researchers who accompanied me on the course were required to have the training before being permitted to fly in a research aircraft in the arctic. I trained them the cold water immersion suit portion of the requirement, as that training is few and far between in Canada right now. The rest of the land and underwater egress training was done by another instructor who was truly inspiring. He has developed his training over decades, following his own near death experience in a plane crash. His course seems to be the standard in Canada, as many professional piloting organizations send their pilots to his course every year.

Once you have taken a course, even just the internet "ground school" portion I mentioned earlier, you'll never think of egress the same way again. There's a lot more to it than unlatching the belt and opening the door, and there's a right and wrong way for that too!

[India Four Two]

Besides the briefings mentioned above, I always show my passengers how to turn off the fuel, the ignition and the master switch. Also how to turn on the ELT.


Feet flat on the floor? Here's what happens if your passenger uses the brake pedals to lift himself up for a better view of the landing: