What is the purpose of life rafts in a ditching scenario?

• A. To provide extra seating in the cabin.
• B. To keep passengers afloat and provide survival equipment after water landing.
• C. To serve as a spare floor for cargo.
• D. To inflate automatically when cabin pressure drops.

Answer: (B)

The main idea is that life rafts in a ditching scenario exist to keep people afloat and supply essential survival gear after the aircraft lands on water. In a water emergency, the priority is to stay buoyant and protected from the elements while waiting for rescue. Life rafts provide a stable, floating platform, protection from waves and hypothermia, and carry survival items such as signaling devices, water, rations, first aid kits, thermal blankets, paddles, and sometimes mirrors or whistles to attract attention. They’re designed to deploy from the aircraft and remain buoyant even if partially submerged, helping organize passengers and reduce the risk of cabin occupants drifting away.

These rafts aren’t intended as extra seating inside the cabin or as a spare cargo floor. They also don’t inflate simply because cabin pressure drops; inflation is triggered by the ditching event—typically when a door or hatch is opened or a hydrostatic release mechanism activates—so the raft inflates as a separate safety device, ready for immediate use.