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The world’s most experienced Boeing 747 pilot, Nick Eades, has shed light on the real reason passengers are asked to adopt the brace position during an emergency.
In an emergency, flight attendants typically shout “brace!” instructing passengers to bend forward, place their hands over their heads, and brace for impact.
This familiar scene, often depicted in several disaster movies, has raised some unsettling theories.
Rumors have circulated suggesting that the brace position is not meant to protect lives, but to make deaths quicker and more painless while aiding in body identification. Thankfully, this is not the case.
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The Real Purpose of the Brace Position
Eades, who has spent over 40 years in the aviation industry, explained that the real aim of the brace position is to prevent neck injuries in the event of a crash.
“What you’re trying to do is to stop people breaking their necks in a big impact,” Eades told LadBible. “You’re just trying to get the body into a position that’s going to suffer the least damage."
"It’s like whiplash-you’re trying to avoid that sudden movement of the head, which can result in serious injury or even death," he added.
Changes in Instructions for Better Understanding
The position helps reduce the whiplash effect during a crash. However, Eades pointed out that the instructions to brace may be confusing, especially since many passengers on international flights don’t speak English as their first language.
He also revealed that flight crews will no longer use the word “brace” during emergencies. Instead, they’ll give clearer instructions, such as “Head down, hands over your head.”
He recalled an experience where the crew had shouted “brace!” during a problem with the landing gear, only to realize that many passengers didn’t understand the term.
"I would say at least half - probably three-quarters - of passengers on the aeroplane don't speak English as a first language. And if you think about it, what does ‘brace’ mean?” he explained.
This shift in instruction aims to provide passengers with more comprehensible guidance in high-stress situations, giving them something to focus on as they prepare for an emergency landing.
The Safety of Air Travel
While it’s easy to get caught up in worries about plane crashes, the reality is that flying remains one of the safest ways to travel.
The odds of dying in a plane crash are incredibly low, with the likelihood standing at about one in 11 million.
Even in the unlikely event of a crash, the survival rate can depend significantly on factors such as seating choice, with aisle seats in the middle of a plane presenting a higher risk compared to rear seats.
Eades also pointed out that your chances of survival are better if you’re seated within five rows of the emergency exit.
Furthermore, despite the terrifying nature of airplane crashes depicted in films, the reality is that the chances of surviving a crash are higher than many may think.
According to The Mirror, the EU Flight Compensation said: "If you survived the crash, your biggest focus should be getting away from the wreckage, which is likely to become engulfed in flames. The bigger the plane, the better your odds, and consider sitting within five rows of the emergency exit to maximize your chances."
"Put on your oxygen mask and brace for impact. The first three minutes after take-off are said to be the most dangerous, so if you’ve made it past that, you’re almost out of the woods," they added.