Floatation devices found in seats of airplanes are to be used to help surviving plane crash passengers stay above water. The devices also provide help to passengers who are not strong swimmers stay afloat in the case of an emergency landing in water. Strong swimmers will also benefit from the floatation devices as a means to rest and not tire out while in the water.
Floatation devices have straps that can be attached to a person and used similarly to a life vest. The device will provide support for an unconscious or injured person and keep his head above water. The device will also allow other passengers to easily pull the unconscious person in the water to safety, away from the plane. Strap the device to the lower back of an unconscious person and secure around the waist, then lie him on his back.
The Federal Aviation Administration, commonly referred to as the FAA, is the government agency that is in charge of setting airline safety and enforcing safety regulations. The FAA requires that all floatation devices found under the seats in airplanes are made large enough to provide proper support for a person in the water. The floatation device needs to be both lightweight and easy to carry, so passengers can make a quick exit from the plane. Planes are required by the FAA to have enough seat floatation devices for each passenger and all should be instantly available in an emergency.
Though each airline may have a different design for its seat floatation devices, all are required by the FAA to have the same basic elements. The FAA requires that the seat be made out of a cushion with a slip cover and have straps that can be used to attach the device to the passenger. Though there are different ways to use the floatation devices in the seats of planes, you should fasten the device to your body before entering the water. The way you use the device depends on which way is more comfortable for you in the water. When in the water you can sit on it, strap it to your back, lay on it with it at your belly or hold it at your chest to lie forward or backward.
