When must crewmembers wear their shoulder harness?

• A. Pilots: During takeoff & landing
• B. Pilots: During cruise
• C. Flight attendants: During takeoff & landing
• D. Flight attendants: During cruise

Answer: (A)

The shoulder harness adds an upper-body restraint that’s most critical during phases when the aircraft experiences the strongest forward and downward forces—takeoff and landing. In those moments, sudden accelerations and decelerations can throw a pilot against the controls or the cockpit structure. Wearing the shoulder harness helps keep the pilot firmly in the seat, reducing the risk of injury and helping maintain control.

During cruise, the flight path is generally smoother, and the primary need is the lap belt for basic restraint. Because crews may be moving around and turbulence, while less severe, is less predictable, the higher-benefit moment to have the harness on is during takeoff and landing. That’s why pilots are the ones specified for wearing the shoulder harness in this context.