Pretty interesting set of responses. The shades open is an FAA requirement. Has nothing to do with you seeing out, has to do with rescuers seeing in.

As to crossed legs, if you want to have any possibility of leaving the ac under your own power, best not to have your legs crossed.... as the likelihood is that one or both would be broken.

If you cannot extract yourself, it’s tough enough pulling a body from a seat with legs uncrossed, depending on way seats are situated after crash, almost impossible with.

It is sad that someone thought the only way to have experience is to have survived a crash. It’s called training.

“The FAA doesn’t know all of it’s own rules”. I think you would be surprised at how much of the FAA regs the average FSDO rep is familiar with. The NTSB people are very knowledgeable. Not to mention the flight crew. To state otherwise is to suggest that a traffic cop doesn’t know the law because you didn’t get pulled over for every infraction.

Ah, now sit back and wait for the mocking by all who will “never be in a crash”. I hope you are right. If you are not, I hope you have trained flight crew who prepare you properly, in spite of yourself.

Check out the videos of UA’s flt 232 arriving in Sioux City Ia. The shades are up.