Lifeboats
On passenger aircraft without life slides/life rafts, the primary water-floating equipment is inflatable lifeboats. Lifeboats are available in various sizes, including 6-person, 10-person, 25-person, and 42-person models. They have a high-speed inflation system, allowing passengers to board within 15 seconds of inflation.
Normally, lifeboats are tightly packed and stored in a compartment above the aircraft cabin exit, marked "Lifeboat" on the compartment cover. In an emergency, the lifeboat is retrieved and dropped into the water through the opened emergency exit door. The moment the lifeboat hits the water, pull the D-ring sharply to activate the high-pressure gas cylinder, inflating and deploying the lifeboat (avoid pulling the inflation ring from inside the cabin, which could cause the lifeboat to deploy inside the aircraft). Once inflated and floating on the water, the lifeboat can be pulled back to the emergency exit using a cable for passenger boarding. After boarding, cut the cable, and the lifeboat will detach from the aircraft. The items and equipment on lifeboats are largely the same as those on slide-life rafts.
Life Jackets
Life jackets, also known as life vests, are life-saving garments designed similarly to vests. They are made of nylon or neoprene fabric, buoyancy materials, inflatable materials, and reflective materials. The bright colors or fluorescent components in life jackets stimulate our optic nerves. This is related to the wavelength of these colors; the human eye easily perceives them and is not easily confused by other colors. Wearing such brightly colored life jackets makes one easily visible, facilitating a quick rescue. Generally, life jackets have a lifespan of 5-7 years and provide sufficient buoyancy to keep the head above water. Marine life jackets and marine children's life jackets are suitable for rescue operations on ocean-going, coastal, and inland waterways. Life jackets are manufactured under strict requirements; they are made of polyethylene foam and, after being submerged in water for 24 hours, the buoyancy loss should be less than 5%. There are also marine work life jackets suitable for use on coastal and inland waterways.
