Every time I watch a movie featuring an aeroplane going down, I always wonder why the airlines don’t have parachutes for the passengers. As always, the internet is always ready to answer even the most absurd questions.
Here are the four reasons listed by Andrew Hennigan on why airlines don’t offer parachutes to the passengers:
1. Parachutes are Bulky and Costly
Parachutes are quite large and wouldn’t even fit under an airline seat. They are bulky and can take a lot of space while adding to the overall weight of the plane. Parachutes also require frequent inspection involving unpacking and repacking, making the flights more expensive.
2. Passenger Training
Parachute use requires a proper training, without which most passengers would even fail to strap on one, let alone use it! It is nearly impossible for anyone to learn the use of a parachute in a high-stress situation.
3. Jumping Out of a Passenger Airliner is no Child’s Play
Conventional Airliners do not come with a specified exit required to make a clean jump out of an aircraft. Lest ramps are installed in the rear, a passenger jumping out of the normal door in the side of an aeroplane is very likely to hit the wing or tail of the plane.
4. A Parachute is quite Unlikely to save you in most Airplane Disasters
Even if all the difficulties listed above are overcome, the plane will have to be in flight above land, and in daylight to ensure that the passengers make it safely to the ground. In fact, only one aeroplane disaster involving the United Airlines Flight 232 fits the scenario mentioned above.
But it makes perfect sense to try to save even one life in a plane disaster. It is quite difficult for every passenger to survive a crash but if a parachute can save one life, it is worth it. period.