What must always be pulled when opening an emergency exit?

• A. Emergency Exit Lever
• B. Flight Attendant Jumpseat Release
• C. Manual Inflation Handle
• D. Door Latch

Answer: (C)

Opening an emergency exit isn’t just about releasing the door—it’s about ensuring there is a usable escape route. The inflatable escape slide is what you rely on to evacuate quickly, and it must be inflated before you step onto it. The manual inflation handle is the device designed to trigger that inflation if the automatic system doesn’t do so or if the procedure requires a manual confirmation. Pulling this handle actively arms and inflates the slide, making the exit safe to use.

The other components serve different roles: the release lever/handle opens the door mechanism, the jumpseat release is unrelated to the exit’s inflation, and the door latch keeps the door secured when not in use. None of those actions guarantees the slide will inflate and be ready for evac the way pulling the manual inflation handle does.