why dont they have parachutes on airliners?

Answer 1

can you imagine 400 people jumping from a plane at once? women kids men never jumped before?
would be funny though!

Answer 2

Most airliner accidents happen on landing or takeoff, when it would be impossible to use a parachute. If there were time for passengers to bail out of an airliner, and with 100 to 500 people on airliners it would take some time, the odds are still rather good that people would be injured or killed through improper use of parachutes.

A parachute harness has to be properly fitted. That means adjusting about six straps that you have to know about. Many passengers don't even bother to find out where the emergency exits are on an airliner.

Then there is the additional possibility that someone might just open one inside the airplane accidentally, and that would be a proper mess.

The main reason is they simply aren't needed.

Answer 3

Parachutes on airliners would not save a single life. Aside from the fact that there is no need -- air travel is the safest mode of travel. You're 10,000 times more likely to be killed by a drunk driver on your way to the airport.

1. At altitude, you'd freeze to death instantly upon exiting the aircraft. The temp is typically -40F to -70F. At normal cruise of 500 - 650 MPH, every bone in your body would be shattered when you hit the slipstream; most people's arms and legs would be ripped off by flailing injuries. Think of all of the crushed and frozen arms, legs, and bodies with unopened parachutes attached hitting the ground at terminal velocity -- about 125 MPH.

2. Most accidents happen during the transition period of takeoff and landing. You're too close to the ground for parachutes to be effective and there isn't enough time to get everyone out anyway.

3. There are no doors on an airliner that can be opened in flight, so there is no way to get out anyway.

4. Parachutes need to be donned before getting on the airplane. You'd need to show up 5 hours before departure to get everyone suited up. Connections would be 5 - 7 hours.

5. The bulk of the parachutes would require the airlines to remove half of the seats to make room. Add the cost of parachute riggers and staff to help passengers put them on, and airfares would quadruple at least.

6. The typical airline passenger isn't trained in the use of a parachute; it would be akin to handing a 5-year-old a loaded AK-47.

Answer 4

I vote Boston as aeronautical genius of the week.

-- If you want to see exactly what he's talking about, search for a documentary done by NOVA at your local library. They followed an NTSB team to south america on a 737 that broke up in flight. There were random body parts and naked torso's strung up in the trees of the jungle. The forces of air at those speeds ripped clothes right off all the people-and thier arms & legs. The local people involved in the recovery were scared S*&Tless walking through the jungle seeing the horor and watching animals in the trees eating people.

What is a better question is, "Why don't airlines provide breathing aparatus to prevent smoke inhalation? As 90% of fatalities in aviation is from asphixiation"

Answer 5

Boston has the right of it. All of that is a valid argument for not having parachutes.

Especially the donning prior to flight. I am military and when we flew in hostile areas we had the chute on from takeoff to landing, and if you think it is hard to keep people in their seat belts try flying with a parachute on for hours....not comfy at all. People would complain and they would come off before anyone ever used one. (not that they would help any).

Answer 6

For very valid reasons. Most of the commercial fights fly at altitudes of around 30000'( say 10000m). The air here is very very cold (can be minus 40F, same as minus 40C) and the atmosphere very rare, that is, very less air to breathe.You just cannot think of opening a door at this level. The air in the plane will simply rush out. So the plane has to come to low levels before any attempt is made to open a door. All this is impractical.

Answer 7

By the time you got the people organized there chutes on,In line in front of the door to jump out of the plane the crash would be over. It's just not practical and ejection seats are too heavy and the necessary escape hatches in the roof would weaken the airframe too much. So your stuck with the plane for now.

Answer 8

there woudl be no point to a parachute i mean u would be dead by the time your half way down because it is so cold.

Answer 9

Maybe it doesnt matter. If the plane crashes, it crashes

Answer 10

They do have parachutes!!!