Passengers on airliners do not have parachutes...why?

Sort of off topic but for some reason I always get terrified a week or so before I go on a plane. I'm convinced beforehand that the plane will crash and everyone will die. Yet on the day of travel and subsequent flight, I feel fine and realise I actually like flying. I've lost count how many times I've been on a plane, but the fear gets me every time.

Anyway. Imagine ejector seats installed for our safety on all commercial planes...one malfunctions, goes off, rips through the plane killing everyone on board.....

I don't think I'd ever get on a plane if I was sat under one of them.

a reply to: thesneakiod

Thats a good point.

I was a little terrified for a while after watching fight club, brad pit+edward norten talking about car crashes, insurance claims, lawsuit protection, reasons for flight safety etc. Very disturbing if remotely true.

a reply to: thesneakiod

My mother is terrified to fly. The day before we were supposed to get on a plane, she was at the hospital getting prescriptions filled for the trip, and there was a breaking news story. She stopped to watch, and they showed United 232 tumbling down the runway exploding.

To this day I'm surprised that she got on the plane the next day.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Was that the DC-10 in Sioux City?

They could place parachutes under the seat or overhead. Its a great idea. At least give people a chance.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I would have booked an around the world flight. What are the odds at that point your aircraft is going down?

originally posted by: Oannes
They could place parachutes under the seat or overhead. Its a great idea. At least give people a chance.

How do you put them on when the aircraft is plummeting to the ground?

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: Zaphod58

I would have booked an around the world flight. What are the odds at that point your aircraft is going down?

I just checked some stats, they recon that up to or over 4 BILLION people got flights in one year.

Odds you are one of the unlucky ones? EXTREMELY low.

Probably more likely to die from the food lol

a reply to: JIMC5499

Yeah it was.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I honestly don't think I'd ever get on a plane again.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Surprisingly, the odds of another accident (not necessarily involving you, just another accident) are higher within a few days after one occurs.

probably because parachutes come in different shapes... the cone-canopy style or the delta wing shape

the logistics of supplying the personalized 'chute would be unattainable for the turn-around timetable needed to make a profit for the carrier on the seat sold

besides a SAM missile hit makes a parachute availability a moot point...you are going into freefall, Baby

originally posted by: Zaphod58
Surprisingly, the odds of another accident (not necessarily involving you, just another accident) are higher within a few days after one occurs.

Damn, you are killing me. I might as well fly on Malaysian instead of United.

a reply to: Zaphod58

I was surprised that anyone survived that. Wasn't the DC-10 the first aircraft to have no mechanical connection to its rudder and stabilizer, only the hydraulic system?

a reply to: JIMC5499

IIRC it was one of the first, if not the first.

The pilot, when he was in the hospital saw the video with his wife, and asked "Who was that? No one got out of that one." She gave him a funny look and said "That was you."

originally posted by: veteranhumanbeing
originally posted by: Catacomb
Would major airlines allow one to board (say an extra extravagance beyond just the overhead baggage) wearing a parachute, or helmet? Would this frighten passengers? Even if blown out of sky or say a problem, you made your way after decompression to an exit door and made it. My thoughts about 911, and those folks that worked on the top floors of the World Trade Center was this: why didn't they have a reasonable escape plan. At that altitude I would have learned how to paraglide, and had a means to get though those windows with at least a parachute. As far as cars go, its your own choice (safely first to wear a helmet or not). Its up to you to design your own fate. If I was working on the floor of a building that was 82 stories in the air, I would have done some sky diving and had a parachute under my desk.

Again, if you were preparing for a flight 'at altitude' you might consider a 'personal' escape plan, just as if you worked in a high rise building (workplace) 2500 feet above the pavement.

originally posted by: vethumanbeing
Again, if you were preparing for a flight 'at altitude' you might consider a 'personal' escape plan, just as if you worked in a high rise building (workplace) 2500 feet above the pavement.

However, forcing open a window that's 80 floors up won't cause the rest of the people in the office to risk dying of rapid decompression and oxygen starvation.

How is your personal escape plan supposed to work? Because there aren't many ways for you to get out of that aeroplane at high altitude without irretrievably damaging it and risking the lives of everyone else on board.

originally posted by: Oannes
They could place parachutes under the seat or overhead. Its a great idea. At least give people a chance.

Better idea, you walk on with your paraglide backpack chute (125.00 dollar surcharge) helmet 45.00 extra. Not sure how extra weight would be accounted for maybe a (NO overhead baggage/all else goes in the baggage hold). A fear factor could make airlines a lot of money.

originally posted by: EvillerBob

originally posted by: veteranhumanbeing

[I]EvillerBob[/I]Again, if you were preparing for a flight 'at altitude' you might consider a 'personal' escape plan, just as if you worked in a high rise building (workplace) 2500 feet above the pavement.

However, forcing open a window that's 80 floors up won't cause the rest of the people in the office to risk dying of rapid decompression and oxygen starvation.
How is your personal escape plan supposed to work? Because there aren't many ways for you to get out of that aeroplane at high altitude without irretrievably damaging it and risking the lives of everyone else on board.

I would assume decompression is taking place (I have my rip cord); in the moment? not sure but I DO like sitting along side the exit doors (request that seat actually). I don't understand why the office workers on the upper floors of World Center didn't have a means to 1. get through the windows 2. have parachutes. I would have its just common sense.

a reply to: vethumanbeing

Not all crashes decompress before the accident. And most take place at low altitude, and are incredibly fast. You wouldn't even have time to figure out that the plane was in trouble, let alone get a door open, jump out, and get clear of the explosion.