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By Rob L
#1906187
I decided to post this in Help & Advice because it is essentially a vehicle-ditching video, but certain points explained therein also apply to aircraft ditching.

(For the avoidance of doubt: I've never done one of those "aircraft ditching courses" that are recommended...they seem to be aimed towards oil-rig helicopter crew & passengers).

I've had one of these little tools on my car keyring for quite a while now* and I know it would not be of any use for breaking aircraft plastic windows. They cost a very few pounds, and I've tried mine on a scrap car...it works!

My car key goes into its starting slot (not a key-less system) so hopefully muscle memory will remember where to locate it if the worst were to happen.



*If some driver offends me, I can punch his window out
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By Dave W
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1906244
There's a quite a bit misleading in that video so far as worst-case aircraft ditchings are concerned, IMO.

I suspect that the most important statement was probably at 5:58: "The point is, everybody knew what they were supposed to do".

It certainly doesn't highlight what is taught in the aviation safety courses I've experienced that are specifically designed to consider aircraft ditchings - e.g. don't panic; brace yourself for impact; orient yourself to an exit; ensure that orientation will aid you even if (due to aircraft motion and attitude) you become unsure of your position in relation to that exit; ensure that you know where your harness release is - it may well have moved relative to your body during the ditching; wait for all violent motion to cease; plan actions following release from harness etc etc.
Rob L wrote:(For the avoidance of doubt: I've never done one of those "aircraft ditching courses" that are recommended...they seem to be aimed towards oil-rig helicopter crew & passengers).

Those courses are typically funded by those industries (or defence), certainly, but they are very relevant to anybody who may find themselves unexpectedly underwater and restrained by a harness in a vehicle.

For a period of 10+ years or so I used to undertake this training (with the RN, who know about this stuff) at least once a year and (for reasons of organisation policy) sometimes more often. I paid attention not just beacuse it was sensible to do so (Duh!), but because I found it interesting, so a lot of the teaching stuck.

I also had cause to consider professionally underwater escape through aircraft 'plexiglass' - don't for a second think that the advice in that video for car window glass is remotely relevant to an aircraft canopy. They will not shatter like toughened glass when hit.

I don't like that video if considered as a teaching aid for GA - I think that in many places it is misleading at best.