Who actually thinks its possible for a plane to land on water?

Question

Does anyone else think its funny/ridiculous during the air hostess demonstrations that they say in case the plane lands on water the seat can be used as a float. Who has ever heard of a commercial jet land successfully on water. Please someone explain if its possible to do this and why the gov allows airlines to give this false sense of security.

Answer 1

It's not impossible -- during a controlled descent, the pilot would treat it just like landing on the ground. There's enough oxygen inside the cabin to keep the plane floating long enough for folks to escape (it won't sink right away).

Now -- if the plane is falling in an uncontrollable manner (lost a wing or portion of fuselage, etc.), then yeah, you're screwed.

Answer 2

First off, you can only land a plane, by definition, on LAND. Seaplanes can touch down on water, and settle down comfortably, but it's not landing. BTW, the old Pan Am China Clippers did successfully touch down on water several times on each trip from California to the Far East.

When Airlines talk about water landings, they mean a controlled crash. Which is usually safer on water than on land because there are fewer obstacles to rip the plane apart or strike sparks that can set it on fire. Planes do float, at least for a while. So that seat cushion could be a help.

But it is a false sense of security because the FAA doesn't require commercial airliners to carry sufficient life rafts for more than a fraction of the passengers. If you are going to be in the water for a prolonged period, in most places anyway, you need to be able to get out of it. It's the hypothermia that usually kills people, and a flotation device doesn't really help with that.

Answer 3

It's not funny or ridiculous. It happened. Sorry I can't find the link but we learned about in Flight Attendant training. I think it was a very long time ago in Scandinavia somewhere. All the passengers exvacuated and the aircraft was still sitting on the water. It only sank later on when they went to retrieve it. If you know anything about physics, it's obvious that an airplane is perfectly capable of displacing enough water to float. Yes, pilots are trained to make water landings, if land isn't close enough. They don't just lose control of the airplane and "crash" in all cases. If they have enough notice, they actually have several options. Landing on land, obviously is preferable. Water landings, therefore, are rare. If planes automatically crashed into the sea every time, the airlines would not waste time and money on equipment and training in water landings. We Flight Attendants actually spent a lot of time on this subject and some airlines have swimming requirements (not mine but we had to do exercises fully clothed in the pool, plus know how to handle the life boats). It's one thing to give a "false sense of security", it's another to waste money on such a huge scale. Just because this type of emergency is rare, doesn't mean that the airlines should not prepare for it and ignor the subject completely.

Answer 4

I would think that if a plane "has to land on water", a mechanical malfunction has occurred, affecting adequate control.
Another factor is the "drag" on the craft by water, likely causing a nose dive.

I've never considered the airlines touting any safety involved in a water "landing". Since the craft usually does not sink immediately, unless a total breakup, many passengers survive when they have some means of flotation.

Answer 5

Land, Water. Paradox? No. opposites? yes
It doesn't matter. When a plane becomes disabled the pilot can control it's descent much like a glider.
The touch down can be slowed down if the pilot knows how to use the wind to ease the fall. This is possible if control is not lost immediately, and the wings and ailerons are not damaged
Go fly a kite. I mean that in the nicest way. It will help you understand.

Answer 6

Madpol got most of it. But, remember that airliner that setdown in the water offshore from some African resort? Lots of people survived. There was another one that overran the runway in the USA and wound up in the swamp. Survivors there also. Since airports are usually located as near water or swamps as possible and most survivable emergencies involve takeoff or landing, it is a good thing for stuff inside the airplane to be both floatable and fireproof.

Answer 7

possible yes, if the descent is controlled and the plane does not break up. passengers would have time to get out emergency doors.
take care.