Free SEAL Survival Guide by Cade Courtley

dead or injured, you’ll need to do it.
    Be ready. Whenever the plane is below ten thousand feet, which is normally the first five and last ten minutes of the flight (although this time could be longer if the plane is kept in an extended midair holding pattern near the destination airport), you should be in full alert mode. This is when pilot error, mechanical failures, and varying environmental factors, from wind shear to birds, cause crashes. During takeoff and landing, be fully prepared to respond quickly to any emergency condition.
    Impact: Brace Yourself!
    Let’s face it: There’s not much that you can do here but be alert. Throughout the flight, but especially during takeoff and landing, keep your seat belt securely fastened. The seat belt should be placed as low as possible, at the upper part of your pelvis, and not across your stomach.
    The slightest slack in the seat belt—even a centimeter too loose—will increase the G-force your body will be subjected to during a crash. This is a lesson every new SEAL has to learn the hard way when doing a “map of the earth” low-level approach for insertion on a target. Since “map of the earth” basically means you are riding a roller coaster at treetop level, believe me, you don’t want any slack in that belt.
    If the crew has issued a crash alert, or you just know your plane is going down, brace yourself. The primary function of a proper brace position is simply to place yourself firmly against whatever is in front of you, such that when the sudden deceleration causes you to be thrown forward, you’re already in contact with whatever it is you would hit. In a plane, you want to brace against the seat in front of you. If the plane has a video screen, don’t brace against that surface. Rather, position your head above or below it. (Lower is generally better.)
    The secondary function of a brace position is to stop your limbs and head from flailing about and hitting things during the violentmotion of the crash. You want to wrap your head in your arms, tightly clasping your hands and fingers together. If you have a pillow, blanket, or other potential padding handy, use it as a cushion between you and any nearby hard surfaces that you may strike during impact.
    The reason you always see flight attendants making sure that all seats are in an upright position during landing and takeoff is to limit casualties and additional injury upon impact. There are two ways to practice and prepare to brace yourself properly.

    THE CROSS-ARM BRACE POSITION
    Grab the back of the seat in front of you with one hand. Then cross the other hand over the first hand to also grab the back of the seat. Place your head in the compacted triangle that you have created with crossed hands. This method is better than lacing your fingers and covering your head, but this is only effective if the seat in front of you is close enough to reach without loosening your seat belt.
    THE BEND-AND-TUCK BRACE POSITION
    If the seat in front of you is out of reach or you have a bulkhead before you, then lean forward. Place your chest to your thighs, and putyour head between your knees. Reach down with your hands and grab each opposite ankle, or place your hands behind your head to protect the back of your neck.
    For both bracing methods, make sure your feet remain flat on the floor and farther back than your knees. You’ll need your feet to be intact and be the least likely body part to sustain injury in order to aid in your swift evacuation.
    Postimpact
    Congratulations! You survived the impact . . . but it ain’t over until it’s over. Remember: If the plane has crash-landed and is somewhat intact, more die from the aftermath, primarily from fire and smoke inhalation, than from the impact.
    PULL THE TRIGGER—GET OUT!
    Time is now of the utmost essence. If there is fire or smoke, you will probably have no more than two minutes to save your life. You must now draw on the situational awareness you practiced