NationStates Jolt Archive

Mt friend was a flight attendant for Jetblue, now he recently quit and joined a airline based in Ireland, forgot the name airlingus something like that. anyways me and him, went to see United 93 and he got scared, and rightly so, I got kinda creeped out as well, sad movie. Well anyways, I was telling him how maybe having parachutes would of helped, joking around but now thinking about it, maybe commercial airlines should carry persona chutes, on each seat for each passenger if possible, why not? In case a emergency happens. One a side note he still gona keep flying its a well paid job etc etc, and he loves it, better than what Im doing heh.

unfortunately there aren't enough exits for everyone to be able to jump out in the event that parachutes were needed.

If I'm flying and I look over to see the flight attendant grinding away at her armrest, then that's gonna make me a wee bit frightened.

That would be quite rough seening that planes are usually flying very fast and at very high altitudes. That, and the fact that the chances of your airline going to hell alone are very rare, let alone having the perfect conditions to parachute from it hardly justify the expense of not only the parachutes but inspectors to constantly maintain them all.

Regarding passenger parachutes:

Parachuting is not that easy. A bad landing can:
1) Kill you
2) Paralyze you permanently
3) Break legs
4) Break arms
5) Break everything. I mean pretty well everything; arms, back, legs, and that's if you're lucky with a landing that bad.
6) Kill you. Again.

If you're parachuting, you need a good DZ. You can't come falling out of the sky into a forest. That kind of shit kills Special Forces, SERE-qualified Military pilots, Airborne troops, the world over. What if you land in a fucking rock-field? Then you're boned.

Parachuting also takes balls that many passengers would not have. The plane would be recognized as "safe," even though it'd be going down. In order to ensure that these guys didn't fuck themselves all over (One chute over another chute), then you would need a Static Line system in addition to proper doors at the rear of the aircraft, so that they weren't jumping out into slipstream, into the tailfin assembly.

The "Jumpmasters" - flight attendants, Flightcrew, etc, would have to man the hatches and FORCE the passengers to maintain proper interval. In addition to this, the aircraft would have to know that it is over a proper DZ; Western Canada's fields would be best, but then you're out there in the middle of Steppe Country, and it's *fucking cold out there* some times of the year, unbearably hot other times. What if you're on a coast?

There's also a proceedure that I do not think would be followed and would just add to the fatalities:

"Rig up!" - Parachute harness attached and appropriately tightened, chute already checked.
"Lines!" - Check the static line to ensure it's stable. This is a jumpmaster thing, but hey. The jumpers make sure they've got the rip-lines in their hands and not wrapped around anything.
"Hook up!" - Now, assuming that they don't have the patience to file out from the three-side-by-side seats (Which has been my experiance on most large aircraft), you're going to have a huge clusterfuck here. Aisles are pretty damned small.
"First man in the door!" - And if you've got some frightened fatass in there, you're all fucked.
"Jump!" - Hurl yourselves out at *one second intervals,* but you're fucked anyways.

Parachutes really just aren't feasible. I've given this a whole shitload of thought, because it is really one thing I've considered for a long, long time. Unfortunately, I just don't see it happening.

A parachute for the plane would be a better option, but it would have to be very heavy and complex for an airliner. The Cirrus SR-20 and SR-22 have done well with a parachute, but they're much smaller and lighter than your regular airliner.

Could you maybe do it by having every seat an ejector seat? I have no idea of the practicalities involved(cost would obviously be enormous)

Could you maybe do it by having every seat an ejector seat? I have no idea of the practicalities involved(cost would obviously be enormous)

that sounds good, although some one said it might be impossible cause of the altitude 30,000 feet to high up? Also the cost might be too high, oh well just a thought.

Americans are a big bunch of pussies. Thats all that needs to be said.

height shouldn't be a problem in a crashing airliner just wait a sec and you'll be thousands of feet lower.

height shouldn't be a problem in a crashing airliner just wait a sec and you'll be thousands of feet lower.
You mean 'altitude' ;)

You mean 'altitude' ;)

I like your attitude. yes that was the word my fumbling fingers were grasping for.

Also, what's the slowest airspeed a jetliner can maintain without dropping like a rock at some reasonable altitude (say, 5/10/20k feet)? I know they must achieve something like 125+ just to take off, and that's where the air's thick. So say the slowest speed you can muster is 200 knots. Don't paratroopers usually jump from prop-driven planes in the first place? So that's really fast. And what if the damage to the plane or other circumstances (like hijackers) mandate the plane go even faster, say 300-400kts? Unpleasant given where you're jumping from and what you might wind up hitting (tail, rudder, engines if they're mounted back there, etc.). Yikes. Give me the hopefully quick death of a 500kt plunge or let me wager on my pilot's training to crash land as safely as possible (remember Sioux City back in the 80s).

In most airline crashes, parachutes would have been totally useless. You wouldn't have the time to use them if you had them.

Why are flight attendants scared to fly?
For reasons like this, I'd assume:
http://sperone.free.fr/images/extraz/PICS8/charter.jpg

http://sperone.free.fr/images/extraz/PICS3/avionboum.jpg

http://sperone.free.fr/images/extraz/PICS11/tresbas.jpg

My favourite:
http://sperone.free.fr/images/extraz/PICS4/REACTEUR.jpg

Why are flight attendants scared top fly?
For reasons like this, I'd assume:
http://sperone.free.fr/images/extraz/PICS8/charter.jpg

http://sperone.free.fr/images/extraz/PICS3/avionboum.jpg

http://sperone.free.fr/images/extraz/PICS11/tresbas.jpg

My favourite:
http://sperone.free.fr/images/extraz/PICS4/REACTEUR.jpg
SWEET JEEBUS! Those first three were likely walked away from. That last one got me, though.

SWEET JEEBUS! Those first three were likely walked away from. That last one got me, though.
Reminds one of the 'Twilight Zone' movie, don't it?

btw, re: '1st 3 likely walked away from'. If you look closely at the first one, there's only half a plane.

SWEET JEEBUS! Those first three were likely walked away from. That last one got me, though.

The last one doesn't inspire one about the engineers employed by the airline does it?

The last one doesn't inspire one about the engineers employed by the airline does it?
Maybe not, but what about those that built the plane? Blown engine and still flies!

Maybe not, but what about those that built the plane? Blown engine and still flies!

If it was a four engine plane, I think they designed them so those planes could get away with using two engines. If it was a two engine plane, then I'd be rather worried.

If it was a four engine plane, I think they designed them so those planes could get away with using two engines. If it was a two engine plane, then I'd be rather worried.
Actually, even two engine planes can fly with one engine off. But it's one thing to have the engine go off, and another to have it blow up, like this one seems to have done.

Actually, even two engine planes can fly with one engine off. But it's one thing to have the engine go off, and another to have it blow up, like this one seems to have done.

At least it wasn't on fire. That would be very unpleasant :p
Aviation fuel isn't nice stuff.

A parachute for the plane would be a better option, but it would have to be very heavy and complex for an airliner. The Cirrus SR-20 and SR-22 have done well with a parachute, but they're much smaller and lighter than your regular airliner.

You do know why they put a parachute on that plane right? It was the only way they could certify it was to have that parachute installed. The major problem with the Cirrus is that you cannot recover it from a spin. So, plane goes into a spin, you fire the parachute and total the airframe from parachute deployment. While a spin is very easy to avoid, I still do not like that you immediately scrap a aircraft if some situation led you into one.


As far as the parachute idea goes. Giving everyone on the aircraft a parachute isn't a great idea. As far as a terrorist action goes, the procedues are simple. I will layout the appropriate procedures.

1. Capture the terrorists. (Not hard consitering everyone on that plane is going to jump them)

2. While the passengers are beatting the tar out of the terrorists begin a decent from cruise to 10000 ft.

3. Durring this time, begin depressurizing the cabin to 10,000ft cabin altitude
Ensure all loose items are removed from back galley/lavatory areas.

4. Upon reaching 10000 ft, ensure that cabin is depressurized. Slow aircraft to a speed between 150-200kts (Do you see where I am going with this yet?)

5. Take terrorists to rear of the aircraft, open the back door and in one smooth motion, throw them out of the aircraft. Note: Ensure that you are in a sparsely populated area to reduce damage to persons or property on ground (slight modification of the aft door might be needed for this)

6. Resecure door

7. Begin repressurizing aircraft to cruise altitude and begin climb back to altitude.

8. Continue flight to destination.

See, no need for parachutes! :D