When must life vests be inflated during ditching?

• A. Outside aircraft
• B. Inside cabin
• C. Before leaving the aircraft
• D. During impact

Answer: (A)

When ditching, you wear the life vest but keep it uninflated while you evacuate. Inflate the vest only after you are outside the aircraft and in the water. This timing keeps the buoyant device from hindering your movement through the cabin, snagging on seats or other evacuees, or getting in the way during the exit. Inflating inside the cabin would make it harder to move and could block exits; inflating during the impact wouldn’t provide a practical safety benefit and could complicate your escape. If the vest is automatic, it will inflate when it’s in water; if it’s manual, you inflate it once you’re clear of the aircraft.