Appendix 3 out of the sight of the passenger. The safety information card should have an eye-catching title or symbol identifying itself as safety or emergency instructions. The mode of presentation should be diagrammatic or pictorial, making written information, to the extent possible, unnecessary.
The information on the safety information card must apply to only the type and model of aircraft on which it is used. The method used to depict equipment and actions can be pictures of people, diagrams, drawings, words, or combinations of these. The use of international symbols is encouraged. All depictions should be easy to understand and not complex. Safety information cards should also be interesting and attractive so passengers will want to read them. For example, a multicolored card that has pictures and drawings will be picked up and read more often than a black and white printed card. Information regarding exit seating should be printed on the safety information card in the languages used by the air carrier (refer to § 135.117(e)).
b. Extraneous Information. Passenger safety information briefing cards should only contain information that is essential for safety. For example, advertising, schedules, or promotional information is not safety-related and should not be on the cards.
c. Content. Safety information briefing cards that provide information to passengers must include:
(1) Passenger Compliance With Safety Information. The instructions on the safety information cards must advise passengers that they must comply with safety instructions including signs, placards, and instructions of crewmembers. The importance of complying with the “Fasten Seat Belt” sign should be emphasized.
(2) Smoking. The passenger safety information briefing cards must inform passengers that smoking, including e-cigarettes, is prohibited in the aircraft lavatory at all times.
(3) Seatbelts (Including Seatbelts, Airbag Seat Belts, and Shoulder Harness Lap Belt Combinations). The cards should have instructions for fastening, tightening, and opening seatbelts. (Refer to § 135.128.)
(4) Seat Backs. The safety information cards must instruct passengers to place the seat backs in the upright position for takeoff and landing. Instructions for the TTL setting must be provided for lie-flat, sleeper seats, and seating with footrests. (Refer to § 135.117(a)(3).)
(5) Floor Proximity Emergency Lighting. If the aircraft is equipped with floor proximity emergency lighting, then the safety information briefing cards should inform passengers that emergency lights are located on or in the vicinity of the floor of the aircraft.
(6) Exit Seating. An exit seat is a seat with direct access to an emergency exit without entering an aisle or passing around an obstruction. The passenger safety briefing must call attention to the existence of special exit seating briefing cards located at exit seats. (Certificate holders may elect to incorporate the additional information required to be included in the exit seating briefing cards into the standard safety information briefing cards required to be provided for the use of all passengers). Exit seat information on safety cards must meet the requirements of §§ 135.117(e) and 135.129(d) and (e). The exit seating briefing cards are part of the approved Exit Seating Program described or referenced in Operations Specification (OpSpec) A022.
Appendix 3
(7) Exit Location. The safety information briefing cards must give the location of every available exit in the cabin. The safety information cards should encourage passengers to familiarize themselves with the location of exits other than the one they entered.
(8) Exit Operations. The safety information briefing cards must contain diagrams depicting the emergency opening of each exit type. Any manual operations necessary to successfully complete an evacuation, such as arming, manual inflation of the evacuation slide, location of life lines, operation of the stairs, or the placement of the hatch type exit on the seat or outside the aircraft, shall also be included. The procedures for the placement of the hatch should be consistent with the procedures in the operator’s manual. Showing more than one method of opening a door could be confusing. Lessons learned from interviews with surviving passengers indicate that confusion is sometimes created by a diagram or pictograph of an exit operation on only one side of the aircraft. If, for instance, all the emergency door handles rotate toward the rear of the aircraft, this shall be explained on the safety information briefing cards. The explanation should show that handles are rotated in the direction of the arrow.
(9) Evacuation Slide/Assist Means. The safety information cards must contain instructions for passengers to use the evacuation slide or other assist means in a manner consistent with the exits on that aircraft. Evacuation instructions for slides, stairs, and window exits depicted on safety information briefing cards shall be in accordance with manufacturers’ specification and type certification.
(10) Overwing Exit Use. The safety information briefing cards must contain instructions illustrating the proper method of egressing through an overwing exit. Safety information briefing cards shall also contain instructions for passengers to walk or run on any ramp that leads from an exit, and the direction and route of escape after leaving all overwing exits should be included.
The procedure for placement of the window exit plug must be consistent with the procedure in the operator’s manual. NTSB Safety Recommendation A-10-081, following US Airways Flight 1549 ditching on the Hudson River, states that passengers should be aware of life lines installed in the window frame. These assist devices are typically designed to assist passengers egressing through an overwing exit during a ditching or unplanned water landing. Where certification for ditching in accordance with 14 CFR part 25, § 25.801 is applicable, there must be provisions to store life lines. Accordingly, safety information briefing cards must identify life line stowage and instructions to enable the occupants to stay on the wing after ditching.
(11) Carry-On Baggage. The safety information briefing cards should inform passengers not to bring carry-on baggage to the exit in the event of an emergency. Evidence from evacuations of airplanes since 2013 has shown that significant numbers of passengers attempt to take time to retrieve carry-on baggage with them when evacuating an aircraft. Such passenger behavior can present a significant hindrance to egress, injury to other passengers, and damage to evacuation slides.
(12) Brace Position. To prepare for an accident, one action that an occupant can take to contribute to their survival is to assume an appropriate brace-for-impact position. The safety information cards shall contain information about protective brace positions to be assumed by passengers, including children, in all seat orientations (i.e., forward-, aft-, oblique-, and side-facing) and all seat spacing for that aircraft. To reduce detrimental interaction between the Page 8
Appendix 3 occupant’s arms and the seat back, the brace position for forward-facing passenger seats has been modified by placing the hands down by the lower legs instead of on the seat back. This alternate position was successful in significantly reducing head and neck injury risk for all of the seat back types evaluated in a 2015 Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI) research study.
The current positions recommended in Appendix 4, Brace-for-Impact Positions, have been revised to provide an equivalent level of safety for all passenger seat back types.
(13) Location of Survival Equipment. The safety information briefing cards must provide information about the location of survival equipment. This is best done by using diagrams.
(14) Location and Use of Fire Extinguishers. The safety information briefing cards must depict the location of fire extinguishers. In addition, they must provide information regarding the use of fire extinguishers.
(15) Individual Flotation Devices.
(a) The safety information briefing cards must depict their stowage location and contain instructions concerning removal of the devices from the stowage locations, extraction from the stowage pouches or packages, manual and oral inflation backup systems, its use in the water, and the manual operation of survivor locator lights and accessories, as appropriate. The safety information briefing cards should depict the method of fitting adult life preservers on small children. If the operator supplies child flotation devices, the donning and method of inflation of these devices should be depicted on the cards.
(b) When a passenger is informed about more than one type of flotation cushion or life preserver, it can be confusing. One method for informing passengers is to give each passenger information about the piece of individual flotation equipment that is located at that individual passenger’s seat. In some cases, this may mean different safety information cards at different seats and individual briefings at certain seats. When two sections on the same aircraft are equipped differently, each section would need a different passenger safety briefing. Another method for informing passengers is to advise them during the oral safety briefing that there are different types of flotation devices on the airplane, therefore, it is important that they study the safety information card carefully and be aware of the differences in the flotation equipment.
The different methods of donning and/or operating the individual flotation device must be depicted on the safety information card and given in the oral safety briefing or demonstration (refer to § 135.117). Air carriers should not invent or create their own unique method of using a flotation device with an adult and holding a lap child or infant. Operators should verify that the safety information card illustrations reflect the design specifications for the individual flotation cushion or life preserver (refer to TSO-C72c).
(16) Oxygen Mask. The safety information briefing cards must contain the following instructions:
(a) The location of oxygen masks (including lavatories where applicable);
Appendix 3
(b) The donning of oxygen masks, including removing the protective cover or extending the pull tab to extend the mask tubing (where installed); and
(c) The method of adjusting an oxygen mask to the face.
NOTE: The safety briefing card should illustrate any design features that indicate the flow of oxygen; and instructions to passengers to don their own oxygen masks before assisting children or a passenger who may need assistance with their mask.
(17) PEDs. The safety information briefing cards should inform passengers of permissible times, conditions, and limitations when various PEDs may be used (refer to the report from the Portable Electronic Devices Aviation Rulemaking Committee (PED ARC) to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Recommendations on Expanding the Use of Portable Electronic Devices During Flight).
(18) Supplemental Information. Passengers shall be briefed regarding passenger safety information briefing cards and additional safety actions. Critical information includes the following:
(a) The location of the safety information briefing cards and the fact that they contain additional safety information, which the passengers should read.
(b) The briefing should also contain instructions regarding passenger compliance with the following pretakeoff requirements: proper stowage of each passenger’s carry-on baggage, including large PEDs; securing each passenger’s food and beverage tray in its stowed position; and stowing any food, beverage, or tableware.
(c) Passengers must be instructed to leave carry-on baggage behind during an emergency evacuation. Carry-on baggage during an emergency egress can put other passengers at risk by delaying passenger egress, injuring passengers, obstructing the exit, or potentially damaging the evacuation slide (when installed).
(19) Extended Overwater Operations. When liferafts are required to be carried in extended overwater operations, the safety information briefing cards must depict liferaft and slide/raft stowage, launching, and securing locations. The safety information briefing cards also must contain instructions for passengers concerning preparation for use, inflation methods, and the means for securing rafts to the aircraft. Safety information briefing cards shall not commingle extended overwater and non-extended-overwater equipment on the same card (refer to § 135.117(a)(6) and (e)(1)).
Appendix 4 APPENDIX 4. BRACE-FOR-IMPACT POSITIONS
1. INTRODUCTION. A brace position is designed to minimize injury to occupants in the cabin by positioning the head and extremities in a protective position. A protective position or brace position increases survivability by reducing the severity of injury during severe turbulence, rapid deceleration, or a sudden impact. Research indicates that passengers who assume a brace position prior to impact significantly reduce the likelihood and severity of injury to the head, arms, and legs. Cabin occupants that are uninjured are more likely to expeditiously evacuate the aircraft, thereby increasing survivability. An optimum brace position would be dependent on so many factors that it is impossible to describe a single position that would be best for every occupant in every case. Instead, the positions described in this advisory circular (AC) are based on general crash safety principles applicable to most occupants.
2. REASONS FOR BRACING FOR IMPACT.
a. There are two primary reasons for bracing for impact. One is to reduce flailing1 and the other is to reduce secondary impact. Flailing can be reduced by having the occupants of forward-facing seats bend forward over their legs in some manner. Secondary impact can be reduced by prepositioning the body (particularly the head) against the surface it would strike during impact.
b. Today’s aircraft may have seating arrangements that result in very small seat pitches (the space between seats) known as high-density seating, or a combination of small and large seat pitch spacing (i.e., an aircraft with a first-class/coach seating arrangement), where large seat pitch spacing is known as low-density seating.
3. PASSENGER POSITIONS. In all brace-for-impact positions, passengers should wear their seatbelts as tightly and as low on the torso as possible.
a. Forward-Facing Passenger Seat With Lap Belt.
(1) If there is sufficient room, passengers should bend over forward as far as possible with their heads face down, place their feet back as far as possible, and wrap their arms under their legs behind their knees, as shown in Figure 1, Forward-Facing Seat With Lap Belt.
(2) If there is not enough room to bend over completely, then passengers should place their head against the surfaces in front of them, their feet as far back as possible, and grasp their lower legs, as shown in Figure 2, Forward-Facing Seat (High-Density Seating).
b. Forward-Facing Passenger Seats With a Shoulder Belt. Several air carriers have installed oblique seats (over an 18-degree angle and up to a 28-degree angle from the aircraft centerline) in their premium class cabins. Passengers should sit upright, place their chins on their sternums, their hands in their laps, and their feet flat on the floor with their knees bent at about 90 degrees, as shown in Figure 3, Forward-Facing Jump Seat.
1 Flailing is defined as limbs that wave or swing or cause to wave or swing wildly.
Appendix 4
c. Aft-Facing Passenger Seat With a Lap Belt or Shoulder Belt. Passengers should sit upright, place their heads against the headrests, their hands in their laps, and their feet flat on the floor with their knees bent at about 90 degrees, as shown in Figure 4, Aft-Facing Jump Seat.
d. Pillows and Blankets. Passengers should not use pillows or blankets between their bodies and the objects against which they are bracing (either a seat back, a bulkhead, or their own body). Pillows and blankets provide little, if any, energy absorption and increase the possibility of secondary impact injury. Also, pillows and blankets could create additional clutter in the aisles which could be a detriment in an emergency evacuation. Refer to National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Safety Recommendations A-79-076, A-79-077, and A-79-078.
e. Children. A child who occupies an approved child restraint system (CRS) should be braced in accordance with its manufacturer’s instructions. Children in passenger seats should utilize the same brace-for-impact positions as adults. Adults holding infants should provide as uniform support as possible to the infant’s head, neck, and body, and lean over the infant to minimize the possibility of injury due to flailing.
f. Pregnant or Handicapped Passengers. Pregnant or handicapped passengers may need the assistance of another person in taking a brace-for-impact position but should, in general, attempt to take the same brace position as the other passengers. If aft-facing passenger seats are available, these passengers may benefit from being located in those seats.
4. FLIGHT ATTENDANT (F/A) POSITIONS. The brace-for-impact positions for F/As will depend on the direction their jump seats face and type of restraint systems with which those seats are equipped. In all brace-for-impact positions, F/As should wear their seatbelts as tightly and as low on the torso as possible.
a. Forward-Facing F/A Jump Seats.
(1) For seats with an inertial reel-type shoulder harness, the F/As should sit upright, place their chins on their sternums, their hands in their laps, and their feet flat on the floor with their knees bent at about 90 degrees, as shown in Figure 3.
(2) For seats with a manually adjustable shoulder harness, the F/As should tighten their lap and shoulder harnesses as tight as possible, lean against them, place their chins on their sternums, their hands in their laps, and their feet flat on the floor with their knees bent at about 90 degrees, as shown in Figure 3.
b. Aft-Facing F/A Jump Seats. The F/As should sit upright, place their heads against the headrests, their hands in their laps, and their feet flat on the floor with their knees bent at about 90 degrees, as shown in Figure 4.
5. OTHER SITUATIONS.
a. Helicopter Passenger and F/A Seats. Helicopter passengers and F/As should adopt the same positions as recommended for aircraft seats of similar orientations and restraint system Page 2
Appendix 4 configuration; however, if possible, the occupants of all seat types should grip the edge of the seat pan, to help maintain orientation in the event of a rollover.
b. Briefing Passengers on Brace-for-Impact Positions During Planned and Unplanned Emergency Landings. When preparing the cabin for a planned emergency landing, the passengers shall be briefed on the above information. In the case of an unplanned emergency landing, the F/As may only have enough time to give a short command, such as “brace for impact,” or “grab your ankles,” or “heads down stay down.” Post incident interviews with F/As and passengers have shown that, in an attempt to take a brace position of some sort, passengers have ended up in a position postlanding that resulted in less injury than when no attempt was made at all.
FIGURE 1. FORWARD-FACING SEAT WITH LAP BELT
F IGURE 2. FORWARD-FACING SEAT (HIGH-DENSITY SEATING)
F IGURE 3. FORWARD-FACING JUMP SEAT
N OTE: Figure 3 is applicable is applicable to forward-, side-, or oblique-facing passenger seats with shoulder harness.
Appendix 4 FIGURE 4. AFT-FACING JUMP SEAT
N OTE: Figure 4 is applicable to aft-facing passenger seats with or without shoulder harness.
Appendix 5 APPENDIX 5. SAFETY INFORMATION BRIEFING CARD CONTENT QUICK CHECKLIST: 14 CFR PART 121, § 121.5711 Passenger Safety Information Briefing Cards (General):
Card must be aircraft specific to the type and model of aircraft.
Depict diagram of the common method to operate emergency exits in the emergency mode.
Instruction on use of emergency equipment used in emergency egress.
Card Design and Location:
Visually accessible and designed so passengers can visually locate and identify the card when seated.
Suggest a combination of good pictorial or drawing presentation combined with specific written details such as specific CFRs pertaining to exit seating and carry-on baggage.
Cards should be interesting and attractive to passengers.
Extraneous Information:
Cards should only contain information essential for safety (e.g., no advertisements, route maps, or promotional information).
Content of Cards: (NOTE: all the below should be consistent with current written crew procedures and training.)
Advise passengers that they MUST comply with safety instructions including signs, placards, and instructions of the flight attendants.
Importance of complying with the seatbelt sign MUST be emphasized.
Instructions on fastening, tightening, and opening of seatbelts.
Cards should inform passengers that smoking is prohibited in lavatories at any time, unless specifically informed by the crew on specific supplemental flights.
Inform passengers about the specifics of the floor proximity emergency lighting.
1 The safety information briefing card checklist may also assist in the development of 14 CFR part 125 or 135 safety cards with some minor modifications (refer to part 125, § 125.357 and part 135, § 135.117).
Appendix 5 Exiting seats are required to have Passenger Instruction Cards, but we encourage each passenger’s seat to have a card accessible.
Exit seating specific information MUST be printed on the cards and in the languages in which the oral briefings and commands are given by the crew.
Criteria and information on function of exits by passengers MUST be listed on the cards.
Cards MUST contain a request in the language used by the aircraft operator that a passenger identify himself or herself to allow for reseating if they cannot meet the selection criteria needed to operate an emergency exit.
Cards must state that if the passenger has a non-discernible condition that will prevent them from performing the functions listed above, and if they may suffer bodily harm as the result of performing one or more of those functions, or if they do not wish to perform those functions, they can be reseated.
Cards MUST give the location of every available exit in the cabin.
Cards should encourage passengers to familiarize themselves with the location of the exits other than the one from which they entered the aircraft.
Cards MUST contain diagrams depicting the emergency opening of each exit type.
Any manual exit operations necessary to complete an evacuation (e.g., manual inflation of the evacuation slides, or operation of the stairs, or recommended placement of the overwing exit hatch).
Cards should depict all emergency door handle types’ direction arrow placard rotation.
Cards MUST contain instructions to passengers on how to exit the aircraft.
Cards MUST contain instructions to passengers on how to use the emergency slide or other means consistent with the exits on the aircraft type.
Cards MUST contain instructions illustrating the proper methods of egressing through the overwing exit.
Cards should contain instructions for passengers to walk or run on any ramp that leads from an exit. This should include placement of the window exit hatch/plug.
Cards should inform passengers not to bring carry-on baggage to the exits.
Cards should contain passenger protective brace positions to include, children, in all seat orientations whether forward- or aft-facing.
Cards MUST depict individual flotation equipment: location, stowage, and instructions for removal from packaging. When the aircraft is equipped with seat cushion the card must provide instructions for removal of and use of straps. When infant/child life vests are provided the card must depict the location and instructions for donning the vest.
Appendix 5 Cards should depict manual and oral inflation backup system use in water.
Cards should depict operation of survivor locator lights and other accessories, such as life vest whistles as an example.
It is suggested that if the air operator supplies child flotation devices, the cards should depict the method of donning and inflation.
Cards should contain instructions on: the oxygen mask location (including lavatories), donning, and means for adjusting the oxygen mask; starting the flow of the oxygen; and donning his or her own mask before assisting children with their masks.
Cards should inform passengers of permissible times, conditions, and limitations for use of portable electronic devices (PED).
Cards MUST contain supplemental information, such as instructions for stowage of carry-on baggage specific to takeoff and landing.
Cards MUST address tray table, galley service items stowage, and that all passenger seats MUST be placed in their fully upright position for aircraft ground movement, takeoff, and landing.
When liferafts are required the cards should depict liferaft and slide/raft stowage, launching, and securing locations.
Cards should contain instructions regarding slide/raft instructions for passengers concerning preparation for use, inflation methods, and the means for securing rafts to the aircraft.
Title 14 CFR requires passenger compliance with lighted passenger information signs, posted placards, areas designated for safety purposes as no smoking areas (including e-cigarettes), and crewmember instructions with regard to these items.
Title 14 CFR requires passenger compliance with lighted passenger information signs and crewmember instructions concerning the use of seatbelts.
Location of survival equipment.
Location of fire extinguishers (14 CFR part 135, § 135.117).
Cards must state2 “Final assembly of this airplane was completed in [INSERT NAME OF COUNTRY].”
2 Part 121, § 121.571 and § 135.117 state, “No later than June 12, 2005, for Domestic and Flag scheduled passenger-carrying flights, the sentence, ‘Final assembly of this airplane was completed in [INSERT NAME OF COUNTRY].’” Page 3
Appendix 6 APPENDIX 6. SAMPLE POSTFLIGHT PASSENGER SAFETY BRIEFING
COMPREHENSION SURVEY FOR AIR CARRIER DATA ANALYSIS Survey to determine passenger comprehension of required safety information.
1. The safety information video/live briefing increases passenger awareness of emergency procedures and safety features.
A. Strongly Agree B. Agree C. Neither Agree nor Disagree D. Disagree E. Strongly Disagree
2. The safety briefing format increases passenger awareness of nearest exit and alternate exit.
A. Strongly Agree B. Agree C. Neither Agree nor Disagree D. Disagree E. Strongly Disagree
3. The safety briefing format clearly explains the operation of the seatbelt.
A. Strongly Agree B. Agree C. Neither Agree nor Disagree D. Disagree E. Strongly Disagree
4. The safety briefing explains the importance of seatbelt compliance, when the seatbelt sign is illuminated, to prevent turbulence injuries.
A. Strongly Agree B. Agree C. Neither Agree nor Disagree D. Disagree E. Strongly Disagree
5. The safety briefing explains the location and operation of supplemental oxygen masks.
A. Strongly Agree B. Agree C. Neither Agree nor Disagree D. Disagree E. Strongly Disagree Page 1