by L.E. Duncan

Created on: May 21, 2009   Last Updated: June 03, 2009

Flying is one of the safest and most efficient ways to travel. Thousands of flight successfully take-off and land every day. However there is always that chance of disaster and the better prepared you are, the better your chances of surviving an airplane crash or mishap. The chance of you being on a flight that has a fatal mishap is approximately 1 in 4 million. The odds of you being the one killed in that crash are about 1 in 6 million. By having an interest in your own survival and taking responsibility for your preparation and actions, you can greatly increase your already pretty good odds of being one of the survivors.

Before You Travel

Your preparedness begins before you get to the airport. The clothing you wear on the day of your flight may determine your survivability. Consider the flight path of your trip. Will you be flying over mountainous terrain or over the ocean? If you are flying over a desert climate you would want to dress differently than if you were flying overseas.

We all want to be comfortable when we travel. We also want to make the security procedure as painless as possible. Even so, long pants, long sleeve shirts made of natural products, i.e. cotton, will give the best protection. Clothing that is made from flammable materials, such as polyester, should be avoided while flying. You should wear closed toed shoes that have laces or another way to secure them. This may make your trip through security a little more arduous, but your evacuation from a crowded aircraft will be that much easier without the slip-on sandals.

Many unnecessary injuries occur during a mishap because of flying debris in the cabin of the aircraft. Consider stowing your carry-on bags in the overhead compartments. You are now only allowed one carry-on bag with most airlines. This does not typically include purses, diaper bags, laptop bags, etc. You could end up with two or three bags in the aircraft cabin. While you're packing, minimize the amount of carry-on luggage you are bringing and ensure that your bag is small enough to fit in the overhead compartment or under the seat.

Boarding the Aircraft

As you walk onboard the aircraft, mentally note where the exits are. When you find your seat, find the nearest exit to you. Count the number of seats between you and that exit. Ask yourself, how many seat-backs to I need to touch before I get to the exit row? It may be completely dark in the cabin when you have to evacuate. Then, look at the next three or four exits

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