Why are there no parachutes on passenger planes? Why don't planes have parachutes for each passenger in case of a disaster like the one over France? Why there is no catapult on passenger planes

Useful Tips

In light of the regular creepy news about plane crashes, people who are not related to air travel unwittingly ponder about safety flights . Questions arise, the answers to which cannot be found anywhere.

What is an oxygen mask for? Which is more dangerous - takeoff or landing? Answers for you experienced professional pilot, Flight and Technical Director Captain Dave Thomas of British Airways.

Flight safety

Millions of passengers around the world fear the thought of flying. And in some extreme cases, this feeling even makes you refuse to travel. Are these fears justified? Let's figure it out.

Are flights safer now than 10-20 years ago?

Flights on modern jet aircraft currently have high degree of security.

According to statistics, since 2009, accidents per 1 million flights 4 times less. The entire flight system is primarily focused on improving the safety of air transportation.

What is the risk that the plane will crash?

Chances are that the plane you are traveling on will crash scanty. You are much more likely to crash in a car that takes you to the airport.

International Air Transport Association statistics show that the number of accidents in world aviation constantly falling year after year.

It should be noted that airlines do not rest on their laurels and work tirelessly to organize the safest flights possible.

Is the turbulence zone dangerous?

This may be the main thing that worries nervous travelers, who are horrified by a little shaking and an announcement of wearing a seat belt. But there is really nothing to worry about.

In the turbulence zone, passengers feel discomfort, but this not dangerous. However, always better to follow safety tips and fasten your seat belt to avoid potential minor injuries.

The captain of the airship must consult passengers in any turbulence as an additional safety measure.

Why do passenger planes fly at an altitude of 10 km?

This height is a kind of compromise between engine efficiency and aerodynamics for jet aircraft.

Modern gas turbine engines operate more effective at an altitude of about 10 km, in contrast to turboprop aircraft (a mixture of a gas turbine and a propeller), which need a lower altitude (6-8 km).

Which is more risky - takeoff or landing?

Both takeoff and landing are maneuvers requiring the pilot high level of skill. Therefore, special government organizations (and primarily the airlines themselves) are very strictly select staff and train pilots on modern simulators, which helps them to hone their aircraft control skills to the maximum.

Additional skills and procedures are required for maneuvering at some airports and during inclement weather. But thanks to modern simulators, pilot training is becoming much more efficient than it used to be.

Why are there no parachutes on planes?

Pilots are taught to land in the event of a malfunction. It is much safer and more practical. In addition, it is extremely difficult (even impossible) to competently organize an emergency landing of passengers by means of parachutes.

Why don't civilian planes fly over military zones?

Airlines work closely with government (and not only) security agencies to ensure that civil aircraft did not fly over dangerous war zones.

This was the case with Malaysian Airlines (board MH17) last July, when 298 people died. The airline allowed its aircraft to fly in the war zone, underestimating the risks in the conflict zone.

Local aviation authorities make an assessment and recommendations, which are then transmitted to the NOTAM (Notice to Pilots). And airlines, in turn, choose what to do.

Airplane safety

Where does the water in the plane's toilet go?

What is a black box?

The black box is actually orange in color. It contains recording device, on which all the conversations of the pilots are saved.

Modern aircraft also have so-called QARs or Quicks - recorders that record even more information than is usually needed.

Why are passengers announced during boarding to close the window shades?

This is done so that the person was not blinded and got used to more light outside the plane.

The announcement of the closing of the window shades is exclusively advisory character and ensures the comfort of passengers.

Why do oxygen masks fall out?

Airplane oxygen masks are enough smart mechanism which determines the need for a mask by monitoring the pressure inside the aircraft. Oxygen masks can automatically deploy. There is also a separate button on board that does the same.

How often are pilots' knowledge tested?

Professional pilots are one of the highest paid professions, and therefore require regular recertification.

All pilots are checked on a special simulator within two days every six months. They are also tested in live flight once a year.

A training course for a new type of aircraft may take from three weeks to three months, depending on whether the pilot has flown such aircraft before or not. Reputation is very important for any airline, so flight safety is always a top priority.

What is the safest seat on the plane?

All passenger seats have very high safety standards. In addition, according to statistics, airliners are the safest mode of transport in the world.

As someone afraid of flying, I've always wondered why passenger planes don't have parachutes under their seats. In the event of a fire or engine failure, I think the chances of a successful jump are higher compared to an emergency landing. A very small number of people survive after landing in the water, even considering that the seats are used as a flotation device, but this cannot be an excuse why people will not survive during a parachute jump.

I understand that at first glance, this seems like a good enough idea. I admit, the thought of sitting aboard a doomed airplane racing into the abyss awakens Walter Mitty in all of us. After all, even a one percent chance of survival is better than no chance of survival, isn't it? Unfortunately, even 1 percent seems quite optimistic. To understand why, ask yourself a few questions:

What is the likelihood that the accident will happen exactly when the parachute might actually be needed? After analyzing 49 years of fatal aircraft accidents, Boeing concluded that 12 percent of accidents occurred on the ground, 20 percent during takeoff or climb, and 36 percent during descent or landing.

It follows that only less than a third of fatalities occurred at the time of the flight when the use of a parachute was probably possible. And this, if you do not take into account such probable scenarios of instant death, such as, for example, a collision with a mountain or an explosion in the air, as with a Boeing 747 (TWA 800) over New York.

What is the likelihood that the average passenger will be able to use a parachute correctly? If you have already done skydiving, then you know that taking off your parachute gear is not so easy. At the same time, we are well aware that many passengers have problems even with seat belts. What about children, babies, seniors, people with disabilities, or just anxious people? Let's add chaos to that, with everyone trying to do it all in a cramped cabin without any pre-emergency training. Isn't that how it actually happens?

Even if everyone did a miraculous job with their gear, how would they get off the plane? Due to the difference between internal and external air pressure, the doors of passenger aircraft cannot be opened at height. If you try to do this, then due to the aforementioned differences in pressure, passengers can be thrown out or, with a high degree of probability, smeared around the cabin, sucked into turbines or burned in the exhaust. In truth, D.B. Cooper probably miraculously escaped these dangers in 1971 when he parachuted off a Boeing 727 he had hijacked. He was the only passenger left on the slow-moving ship with an emergency exit at the rear, so he had plenty of time to get ready. But this is only slightly reminiscent of the emergency scenario in question.

You object, "But I still want my 0.001 percent!" Very well, let's do a little cost-benefit analysis then.

How much will this tiny chance of success be worth? A typical Boeing 737-800 can accommodate 150 passengers and a crew of perhaps six. The Model T-11 military parachute could probably be purchased for around $ 600, but remember that we are dealing with untrained users, so reserve parachutes will probably be required, as well as auto deploy parachutes that start at $ 2000. In addition, you will need lockers for storing parachutes, additional space, permanent Maintenance and inspection, periodic replacement. Therefore, it is safe to say that the cost of such equipment for one aircraft will exceed $ 500,000.

Where to place parachutes? All air travelers are well aware that passenger aircraft can hardly accommodate all passengers and their luggage. At the same time, each parachute takes up at least as much space as a bag on wheels. Where to store them then? If under the seat, then this means that there will be no legroom, or the seats will not fold out, if upstairs, there will be no place for carry-on luggage.

How about weight? Model T-11 parachutes weigh about 16 kilograms (37 lb), so even if we do not take reserve parachutes into account, the plane will add about 2630 kg (5800 lb) weight. To release that much weight would require the removal of about 26 passengers and their luggage. The good news is that this makes room for other people's parachutes. The bad news is that ticket prices are likely to increase by at least 20 percent to cover lost income from “disappeared” passengers.

In short, this is a huge expense with little or no payback. In comparison, flotation cushions and lifejackets for water boarding are the limits of practicality. Of course, landings on the water do not happen very often, but they do - as evidenced by the legendary landing of US Airways 1549 in the Hudson River in 2009 without the death of Captain Chesley Sullenberger. Pillows and vests are inexpensive and easy to use, and the hope that the plane floats on the surface of the water and is stable when you get off is borne out by experience.

29.03.2018, 06:52

Why are there no parachutes on passenger planes? A question that worries everyone who has ever faced the fear of flying or during it. Turbulence, and other factors, willy-nilly, lead one to think "what if the plane falls, if we all die ...". The next thought that visits our consciousness and imagination: "If I had a parachute, I would jump out and escape." So why so far passenger liners not equipped with parachutes? In the event of an accident, it would be possible to collect and "throw" everyone out of the airlock in an organized manner. However, not all so simple.

There are international rules according to which the parachute is not issued on passenger aircraft, as it is ineffective and unprofitable. Unprofitable refers to the excess weight that will have to load the aircraft. One parachute weighs on average 10 kg. The aircraft can carry 70 to 700 passengers at a time (depending on the aircraft model) plus the crew. It is not difficult to calculate - the additional weight will be from 700 kg to 7 tons! Each aircraft has its own carrying capacity and, if equipped with parachutes, several passenger seats will have to be left free, and this big losses airlines.

Inefficiency is understood as the fact that at the moment of a crash in panic, turmoil, zero gravity and other obstacles, an unprepared person will not be able to put on a parachute correctly and centrally without panic get to the place of "drop". In addition, the pilot and staff are also not given parachutes, so the crew has no temptation to save own life and leave the falling plane with passengers.

Let's imagine that we are flying in a passenger plane with parachutes. Suddenly an abnormal situation arises, the pilots cannot cope with it and the plane plummets.

Situation 1

We know how to use a parachute and we were able to put it on, but the plane throws from side to side so much that we simply cannot get to the exit. In fact, even professional paratroopers would find it difficult to get out of a falling plane. Not to mention us unprepared passengers.

Situation 2

We are wearing a parachute, the plane continues to fall and we miraculously made it to the safest door at the end of the plane. If you get out of other doors, while jumping, you can crash on the wing or get into the engine. So, we open the door, and here another trouble awaits us: air and speed.

As everyone knows, a passenger plane flies at speeds up to 1000 km / h. At this speed, the air becomes like a concrete wall. If you jump out of an airplane without some physical training, you will simply be broken and twisted. This is especially true for the elderly, women and children.

As for the air? Aircraft fly at an altitude of about 10-12 km. According to studies, at an altitude of 4 km, a person needs additional oxygen. At an altitude of already 8 km, without an oxygen cylinder, a person simply cannot survive. It is unlikely that you will be able to jump out at such a speed and height, capturing an oxygen cylinder along the way.

Situation 3

You got to the door and opened it - depressurization! When depressurizing at an altitude of about 10 km, a person lives for no more than 30 seconds.

Situation 4

You were still able to get out of the plane, overcome the monstrous pressure, air blow, temperature of minus 60 degrees in the absence of oxygen. And here again a test - taiga, winter, bears, wolves, ocean, desert, field, high-voltage lines, mad boars and other troubles below. To survive in this case will be great luck.

Of course, there is a chance to survive! People are so arranged that they will fight to the last, even for the most insignificant chance to survive. However, do the airlines agree with our position? Unfortunately not, they believe that the chance of salvation is so negligible that cutting their income by 30% is too high a price that they are not willing to pay for this chance. In addition, the survivors will sue the airline for much more than compensation for the families of the victims.

By the way, a method has long been invented in which all passengers can be rescued in an aircraft crash. The passenger compartment and the cockpit are a capsule that, in case of a crash, can detach from the rest of the aircraft and descend to the ground by parachute. They, in turn, are automatically revealed in this situation - and everyone is saved! It looks like this:

This is also not beneficial to the airlines, again, the survivors will sue. So, technically, this option is realistic and there are opportunities for implementation, but no one wants to re-equip their fleet of aircraft and pay compensation to the survivors. This is the whole point of the problem.

Positive moment

According to the results of a study of aviation accidents conducted over 20 years, in 570 accidents, only 5% of all passengers from the total number on board died. That is, out of 53 thousand people who survived the crash, 51 thousand survived.

Don't forget that 90% of aircraft crashes occur during takeoff and landing. You hardly need a parachute at a height of 20 meters.

Not everyone who has traveled by air knows that airplanes do not have parachutes for passengers. This is due to the general irrationality of their use, which arises for a reason. This is influenced by several factors.

In international aviation, there are rules according to which such rescue devices are not provided for in passenger aircraft, since this does not solve problems, but only creates new ones.]

Height

The first reason is that most accidents occur during takeoff and landing of an airliner. In both cases, the altitude is too low, at which the parachute simply has nowhere to open. Therefore, its presence will not help much.

And on high altitude, even if it remains possible to open the parachute, then atmospheric problems arise - excessively rarefied air and very low temperatures. It is impossible to withstand such a load without a special suit.

Inexperience

Few people have jumped with a parachute in their life, and there is always a briefing before jumping. Therefore, not everyone will be able to put on and open it correctly. Airlines do not have the opportunity to waste time on training passengers before the flight.

Carrying capacity

This indicator is different for each model, the minimum is from 6 tons. A plane crash becomes more likely if the allowable load mark is exceeded or if it is at a critical level.

One parachute can weigh up to ten kilograms. Their total weight will negatively affect the carrying capacity of the aircraft, and in order not to exceed the permissible limits, it will be necessary to reduce the number of passenger seats and baggage allowance. In addition, each time it is necessary to calculate how many such rescue devices need to be taken on board.

Airplane speed

The aircraft always flies at high speed, which in the case of parachute jumps from passenger aircraft creates several problems:

• The first is that you need to jump from the tail compartment so as not to hit the wing or get into the engine. And there are few doors on the plane, the aisles are narrow. The speed of the liner falling is too high, for such a time, many simply will not have time to get to the exit. Even in the event of an accident, most passengers will panic and a crush will begin. In addition, you will have to open the doors, which will break the sealing of the cabin.
• The second concerns lack of the necessary physical fitness. Therefore, older people and children, most likely, will not be able to jump out at all.

Also, all because of the same additional weight, the speed of the airliner slows down.

Panic

Many start to panic as soon as they realize that it has come emergency situation... Such passengers cannot always be reassured, in this state they are not able to act on the instructions of the flight attendants. And using parachutes requires organization. They are not universal and everyone needs to choose the right one for themselves. It is very difficult for children and wheelchair users to do this.

According to statistics, when an emergency is declared, panic on board is inevitable, so storage and use of parachutes is pointless.