- Airlines require window shades to be kept open during takeoffs and landings
- Take offs and landings are considered critical times in aviation
- Aviation experts share the reasons why
Are you a frequent flyer? Have you ever wondered why you are told to open window shades during takeoffs and landings?
For some, opening the window shades is necessary to have a view of the ground or to simply appreciate what they see outside.
However, in the Quora.com, an aviation safety officer in the person of Saran Udayakumar answers the question, “Why do airlines require window shades to be kept open during takeoff and landing?”
Apparently, takeoffs and landings are considered as the critical times in aviation because this is the time most accidents occur.
Furthermore, the open window shades help in sizing up possible situations that might occur during the flights’ take off or landing and allows crews and passengers to be prepared themselves. This is because flight crews are only given 90 seconds to be able to easily evacuate passengers should accidents happen.
Udayakumar also gave the importance of open window shades and the passengers’ important participation in times of possible accidents.
Reasons
- Passengers can be a perfect extra eyes if something is happening outside. Being curious, they usually report what they see right away.
- Should there really be an emergency, every second is important, and seeing the outside condition can help crew in planning the evacuation and deciding which door should be used when disembarking.
- The open window shades help in preparing people on what status they will be in at daytime and night time specially when it comes to vision.
- People from the outside, such as ground personnel, can see what is happening inside the cabin.
Such reasons were validated by persons who are in the aviation industry, too.
A report written by Tal Fox and published by Independent said that an Aeronautical Industry Professional in the person of David Robinson, explained further some information regarding the matter.
According to him, “If you’ve somewhat acclimatized to low light conditions before an unfortunate incident occurs, you’ll have a visual capacity which initially may exceed 1,000 times better compared to if you were suddenly plunged into the darkness and had 90 seconds to disembark from the aircraft.”
Kare Lohse, an airline pilot shared, “There have been cases where passengers have noted technical problems by looking out on the wing or engines for instance. Of course, it happens very rarely.”
Now you know, so next time you are asked to open window shades, gladly oblige. It’s a safety precaution.
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