Originally Posted by
emma69
the whole 'inflate your jacket as you leave the aircraft thing aids mobility exiting the aircraft, but is a dumb move from a life preservation stance, as you may well hit the water with an uninflated jacket which will then do you no good if you are knocked unconscious as you exit
Well, technically it's not dumb. The rule of no inflation until after egress comes from historical tragedy. I'll have to search for the exact reference but basically the water landed plane rapidly filled with water. The passengers, who put on their life vests and
inflated them prior to egress, were
trapped and drowned in the plane as the water floated and pinned their bodies into the cabin's ceiling.
Now that the annoying terrorists have made it illegal to carry utility knives and other useful tools, there's no way to quickly cut things anymore.
Lately I was shopping for a whistle for my SCUBA BC, and wondered what kind of whistle was on the UA-issued life vest. The UA mechanic sitting next to me advised me not to check out the life vest under my seat. I couldn't remember why.