·Why are there flotation devices under plane seats instead of parachutes?

Answer 1

A lot of people do not know how to parachute and they would be in too much of a panick state to get out successfully.

Answer 2

Aircraft typically do not just break up in flight. If something were to happen in flight, the aircraft would typically be in one piece until it hit the water, which would be the time you would need a flotation device. If an aircraft broke up in flight, you usually wouldn't have a chance to grab and put on a parachute, anyway, even if you did know how to use it, as there would usually be no forewarning. You couldn't typically get out if you had to at altitude, because the aircraft is pressurized, causing an enormous amount of pressure on the doors (8-9psi), therefore not allowing them to be opened during flight. At a lower "unpressurized" altitude, there usually would not be enough altitude for the parachute to open. Also, if the crew had this much time, they would most likely just find a safe landing site, and land the aircraft safely. Theoretically, if the aircraft depressurized at altitude, you would either get hypoxia or pass out while trying to put on your parachute without an oxygen mask, depending on altitude. If you could get out, you would most likely get hypoxia or pass out from oxygen deprevation before you could deploy the parachute. Aircraft are designed to get all passengers safely back to earth, and in one piece, even in a crash landing situation. This is way more common than an in-flight break up, which is extremely uncommon, and usually a catastrophic event, therefore not allowing time to react. Overall, aircraft have the most vulnerability at low altitude during take-off and landing. At cruise altitude, there are less stresses on the airframe and engines, and far more recovery time if anything was to go awry.

Answer 3

In larger aircraft, flotation devices are installed because most aircraft are meant to fly over water such as trans-atlantic or trans-pacific and have been proven to be a great lifesaving device where aircraft go down in the ocean. Parachutes would cause more injuries and death to it user because,other then Military acraft, planes are not desighed to bail out of due to pressurazation and design. Also there is a certain skill level that comes with jumping from an aircraft. Hope that this helps!

Answer 4

several reasons 1 a parachute is too large to fit under a seat. 2 you can't jump out of a plane going 500+ mph without ending up dead. 3 How do you get 100+ people to line up in a row and jump from a plane without it being total chaos. 4 Time to explain how to put on and actually putting on the chute which has to be sized to fit everyone is going to be comical at best with a dozen straps needed to fit everyone. 5 Once a person got out of the plane he has to dodge the tail and engines on rear mounted planes. Then they have to know when to employ the chute too soon and the wind speed will shred the chute. The other big problem flying that high a speed and having a door open is a good way to rip the plane apart in a short time.

Answer 5

Good grief imagine the pandemonium and panic of a plane load of novice sky divers trying to all get to the exits at once, It would make a great short film. Er what if the plane landed in the sea what use your parachutes then? Sensibly the best chance of survival is to trust the pilot to do the best he or she can to get the plane down and then the flotation devices can come into their own, Frisbees, comic fake breasts etc

Answer 6

for one thing, you'd have to strap on a parachute-- not easy to do, especially in a crisis situation-- and for another you'd need to be able to exit the plane before it crashed. People would get trampled in the aisles. So really, even if there were parachutes, the it's unlikely any would be able to use them successfully.

A flotation device, however, you just grab and hang onto, and presumably pray a lot.

Answer 7

The Pre-flight "training" for the simple floatation devices is already more complicated than most people can handle. The plane would already land at your destination before the Parachute "training" was even finished. Imagine showing up 4 hours before your departure time just so you can sit through parachute training.

Answer 8

Weight for one.

Also it is a misdirection. It has an "air" of safety attached to it.
How many planes in history have actually survived a water landing and passengers picked out of the water?

It "can" be used a a flotation device.

Answer 9

if plane is going down, people are going to be panicking way too much to put a parachute on and jump out. also some could tamper with it a ruin it. so they would all have to be checked after each and every flight. parachutes are expensive compared to a $30 floatation device.

Answer 10

Interesting answers. Here's what an old fighter pilot can tell you. If the aircraft is still structurally capable of flight, you're safer riding it down to an emergency landing, even if off-airport. If there's a structural failure, then the aircraft is probably in all sorts of unusual attitudes, and that means g-forces you wouldn't believe. Get down the aisle, open the door? You'd be lucky if you had enough strength to lift your arm off the arm rest. That's why military aircraft have ejection seats and systems.