why do they put flotation devices under plane seats instead of parachutes?

Answer 1

Here is an answer!

Hey, Matt:

I think I've come up with an idea that might potentially save hundreds of lives (and make me rich). However, my friends claim it would never work. Since none of us are physics experts, we decided to defer to your almighty expertise. If airlines can provide oxygen masks and seat cushions that double as flotation devices, why can't they provide emergency parachutes for every passenger? They could drop from the overhead bin alongside the oxygen or be conveniently tucked away under the floating seat cushions. Granted, they wouldn't do much good if the plane were to explode or suddenly drop into the ocean, but on those flights when you know you're going to crash and have time to prepare, couldn't they help?

-- Jeanne, the net

Oh, the humanity! Businessmen dropping out of the sky all over the place. Actually, the idea has some perverse charm. And we here at the Matthew Alice Institute for Brainstorms and Sure-Fire Schemes always encourage screwball thinking. But this plan is so full of bugs we may have to call in pest control and have the place tented. In the meantime, we dialed up Dave at Air Adventures Skydiving to get his take on your revolution in flight.

Where to begin... For raw recruits who haven't a clue what they're doing, Dave recommends the big circular chutes that don't let you get yourself into as much trouble as the rectangular ones. They weigh about 15 pounds, so we'd better not have them dropping out of the overhead bin. An experienced hand can strap on a chute pack in about ten seconds. A hysterical honeymoon couple convinced they're about to die might require, oh, two, three, four minutes, so I hope this is a slow-motion disaster.

Let's see, what else... The doors on jetliners are in front of the wings. Ouch! A behind-the-wing leap would put you in the jet blast. Ouch! And sport jumpers bail out of a plane that's traveling about 80 knots. At air shows, professional divers sometimes show off by throwing themselves out of the cargo hold of a 727 slowed to about 170 knots. Your ill-fated jet will probably be going faster than that, and we can assume the pilot will be busy with more pressing problems than making your jump comfortable. And if you're at cruising altitude, 30,000 feet or so, you'll need oxygen tanks and some idea of how far you have to freefall before opening your chute. If everybody bails out like a pile of puppies, you'll get all tangled up and drop like one big stone.

Sport jumpers, before making a solo leap, need four to six hours of training. Imagine the poor flight attendant at the front of the cabin before takeoff -- gesturing toward the emergency exits, displaying the in-flight magazine and barf bags, demonstrating the oxygen masks, teaching you how to skydive.... Well, I suppose it would help while away the hours we spend in line on the taxiway waiting for clearance.

Convincing a bunch of drunk Vegas junketeers to leap out of a plane is one thing, controlling where they land is another. No use jumping out of a jet if you're going to fall on power lines or a freeway or the ocean. And anyway, most commercial air crashes occur on takeoff or landing, when a chute wouldn't do anybody much good.

Dave and I have hit only the highlights. Haven't even touched things like airline liability or chute maintenance or waivers and special equipment for parachuting kids. But just to raise your spirits a little, Jeanne, if these kinks can be worked out, you may have finally solved one of San Diego's oldest problems. We don't need no stinkin' airport. Turn Lindbergh into a drop zone, then just fly in low and slow and kick everybody out the cargo hold. Your luggage, of course, would be spread out all over Point Loma.

Answer 2

A parachute is not gonna be real useful in the middle of the ocean. When flying over land, a pilot can usually find a place to land if there is a "controlled" emergency. So a parachute is more of a problem than a help. If a large passenger plane is forced to land in water, an individual flotation device is what you need.

Answer 3

I don't know why for sure, but if I were to venture a guess I would say that the planet as a whole is covered more by oceans, seas, lakes and rivers than it is covered by land. For example if you where to fly from New York, New York to London, England which would you rather have under your seat in case of an emergency landing, a parachute or a flotation device?

Answer 4

I guess they think that 200 people who never had a parachute on can't really get out of those little doors and open their parachutes in the few minutes it takes before the plane hits the ground. Plus they probably would have passengers requesting extra parachutes for their carry-on luggage.

Answer 5

i guess if the plane crashes in the water the people then can float instead of drowning with a parachute. On the other hand you might need that parachute if you fall over land.

Answer 6

bc they don't plan to have a an ejection seat to assure anyone has the proper air time with a parachute...they are commercial airplanes...too big...and too many people wouldn't listen anyway...theyd cause more damagae then a single person or 2 who can calm down and focus...people are stupid, a person can be smart...
Plus the probabilty of a plane carashing into or by water is alot more then a plane exploding in midair ...whish would be the only way a parachute would work.

Answer 7

If the plane is so badly damaged that the pilot would be unable to gracefully ditch it is unlikely that you would be in any condition to don and use a parachute, and even if you did, making it to the water alive is only half the battle. You'd have to tread water for a heck of a long time before help arrived.

Answer 8

Why would you want a parachute? It won't do you any good, if a plane is shooting toward the ground, you aren't going to have time to get yourself and your children harnessed in then jump. Besides what if you landed with your parachute in the water?

Answer 9

theres no way that in a plane crash people will jump off the plane with parachutes in an orderly fashion, that **** would be a panic, however, if the plane crashes in water, theres a chance theyll live... people jumping out of a 747 with the engine right behind the exit is not a good idea

Answer 10

Probably becuase the chance of crashing into water vs. land is pretty darn good. So, if you have a parachute - great what's going to keep you afloat after you've hit the water? In fact, a parachute would probably be more cumbersome that anything......Think about it.