what's the protocol when a plane crashes? (airplane, France, transatlantic)

[sandycat]

I've been obsessing over plane crashes since the Air France flight went down and now the Yemeni one. I have to ask, what is the protocol? What does the pilot say to the passengers? I'm a seasoned traveler, but if I never get on a plane again, it would be fine with me. I have major anxieties about it. I just want to know what happens when a plane goes down?? Any pilots out there? Anything anyone can say to ease my fears of flying?

[J Arp]

What does he say after the crash?

Ta-Da!

[South Range Family]

In the Air France, and Yemeni crashes, the pilots said nothing to the passengers. They were busy trying to prevent the crash.

Aviate........navigate.............communicate. The first order of business is to fly the airplane. If you have time, do the other two.

[j_k_k]

"This is the captain speaking. The good news is that you can all stop worrying about Social Security and Medicare..."

[bluebeard]

Scream. Jump. Repeat.
Seriously, you're more likely to die a million other ways. Your car is waaaaay more dangerous.

[sandycat]

I'm sure all those passengers thought the same thing. I feel safe and in control in my car. I don't feel at all in control in a plane, when it crashes, it crashes, slim chance of survival.

[T-310]

Originally Posted by sandycat

I've been obsessing over plane crashes since the Air France flight went down and now the Yemeni one. I have to ask, what is the protocol? What does the pilot say to the passengers? I'm a seasoned traveler, but if I never get on a plane again, it would be fine with me. I have major anxieties about it. I just want to know what happens when a plane goes down?? Any pilots out there? Anything anyone can say to ease my fears of flying?

As a commercially licensed pilot, aircraft breakup inflight is rare. It occurs when flying into extreme adverse weather conditions such as thunderstorms. Aircraft structures are designed to withstand G forces beyond what would be encountered in normal flight. So todays aircraft are very durable. Aircraft generally do not fall out of the sky, if power is lost, they glide so there is ample time to prepare for emergency landings. Years ago, a 747 flew through the ash plume of an erupting volcano and all four engines slost power, it lost 25,000 feet of altitude before they were able to restart the engines. And more recently an Airbus out of Canada on a transatlantic crossing had a fuel leak which resulted in all their fuel being exhausted. They glided to a safe landing in the Azores. Flying is safe.

[wheelsup]

Originally Posted by bluebeard

Scream. Jump. Repeat.
Seriously, you're more likely to die a million other ways. Your car is waaaaay more dangerous.

That's not far off the F/O on the Continental Connection flight that crashed in Feb 2009 screamed just before impact.

Flying is safe but when something goes wrong you generally end up dead.

[country pride]

Actually I question when they make the announcement that in the event of a possible crash, please remove all sharp objects from your pockets. But do you think that hitting a mountain at 500mph, a pencil in your pocket is going to be the primary focus of survival???

[Dane_in_LA]

Originally Posted by Livewire

Actually I question when they make the announcement that in the event of a possible crash, please remove all sharp objects from your pockets. But do you think that hitting a mountain at 500mph, a pencil in your pocket is going to be the primary focus of survival???

If you're going to use the evacuation slides, having passenger #3 rip it open has little to recommend itself.