Flight secrets reveal THIS hidden handle used for emergencies - do you know where it is?
PLANES have a secret handle that is used to make evacuations quicker in an emergency - have you ever spotted it?
- Some small planes have a small handle on the tray table in front
- This is normally on the seats in an evacuation row
- It is to prevent the tables from being knocked down during an emergency
Planes must always evacuate in an emergency within 90 seconds.
This is dictated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), who only allow an airline to fly if they pass this timing.
Airlines must have procedures in place to allow this to happen, with training courses constantly reevaluating evacuation times.
There is also a secret handle many may not realise exists that also helps this.
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The hidden feature can be found in the tray table in certain seat
The hidden feature can be found in the tray table in certain seats.
These are often the seats near the exit, which, not only have the most leg-room, but are used for people to exit during an emergency.
Quora user Vimal, a frequent flier, revealed this hidden handle that many may not realise exists.
He wrote: “If you notice a small knob near the lever of your tray table, then congratulations, you are sitting in the Overwing Emergency Exit Row,” which he explains is often on smaller planes such as the A320.”
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He continues: “The knob helps to keep the tray table lever from moving into the open position as passengers squeeze between these seats to get to the Overwing Emergency Exit during evacuation.
“It prevents the tray table from opening and blocking the way to the exit. It also serves as a good visual identification and physical identification (when your cabin is dark and filled with thick smoke) for the exit rows.”
Not all seats have this function as they are at less risk of being knocked if passengers are not walking through them.
It has been revealed why flights always dim the lights during take off and landing, which is also a safety precaution.
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Flights do this so that the eyes have time to adjust to the dark, which can take up to 30 minutes for full adjustment.
Take off and landing are the two most dangerous times of a flight, which is called the Plus Three Minus Eight rule.
If an emergency does take place during this time, and the lights go out, the eyes will be more adjusted to the darkness and be able to escape easier.
This can help the 90 second evacuation time as well.
