Brenna Cooper
A flight attendant has explained the reason why cabin crew will conduct a 'silent review' in the moments before take-off and landing.
Flying as a passenger and as a member of cabin crew are two completely different experiences. For us, going abroad involves a mad dash through the airport, checking that your passport hasn't moved from the place you left it several times and hobbling through the cabin to your seat with an overfilled bag.
For flight attendants, the process is more of a well oiled machine. However cabin crew don't get to switch off the second their seatbelt is fastened, as their job involves keeping their passengers satisfied — and also safe.
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You'll likely be more-than familiar with the safety demonstration which takes place before every take-off which reminds us of what to do in an emergency, however one TikToker explained that cabin crew will also do a review to re-familiarise themselves each flight.
Explaining the process in a 2022 video, user Henny Lim explained that crew are trained to conduct a silent review once they're seated.
Explaining what the review is, Lim said in a voice over: "[Cabin crew] will be going through the 'silent review' which prepares them for an emergency situation.
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"This includes being aware of the emergency equipment in the location, door operation, commands given and any visual clues outside the aircraft."
The idea of a 'silent review' may come as a surprise to most of us, however it's actually a pretty common part of cabin crew training.
Aviation professional outlines a number of different silent reviews used by flight attendants, with one example being known as OLDABC.
This stands for:
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O- Operation of exits
L- Location of emergency equipment
D- Drills (brace for impact)
A- Able-bodied passengers and disabled passengers
B- Brace position
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C- Commands
Another version is known as ALERT, which stands for:
A - Aircraft type
L- Location
E - Equipment
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R- Responsibility
T- Threat
Of course, procedures will vary amongst airlines, however all reviews follow include the main components: Brace Position, Verbal Commands, Door Operation and Evacuation Procedures.
The video also saw Lim reveal that cabin crew will sit with their feet planted firmly on the ground and hands tucked underneath legs during take off and landing, which is another form of the 'bracing position'.
Explaining why flight attendants do this, she added: "If there was any impact from an unplanned emergency, the body is less damaged."