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Commercial Flights should have “parachutes” in addition to “water life Jacket”

<ul><li><strong>Agree </strong></li> <li><strong>Disagree</strong></li> <li><strong>Comment</strong></li> </ul><p>Our sincere Sympathy &amp; condolences to the families and friends of many victims of the flight of AirAsia (QZ8501) wreckage</p>

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Question added by RAJ DAHIYA , Senior MEP Projects Manager , Trinity Engineering Services L.L.C.
Date Posted: 2014/12/31
Nasir Hussain
by Nasir Hussain , Sales And Marketing Manager , Pakistan Pharmaceutical Products Pvt. Ltd.

fully Agreed with the statement as well as your views.

BUT

There must be some mandatory training of how to respond to an emergency situation and how to use parachutes or life vests etc.

padmakumar pathiyil
by padmakumar pathiyil , Marketing Consultant , Management Consultancy

Accepted the idea but there will be operational difficulties if parachutes are introduced. Moreover before using a parachutes there are lot of precautions that has to be taken according to the flying altitude at the time of emergency. Moreover all the passengers will have to use the available exits only which is not sufficient at the time of an emergency.

RAJ DAHIYA
by RAJ DAHIYA , Senior MEP Projects Manager , Trinity Engineering Services L.L.C.

I strongly agree and hence recommend that, our Engineering must improve toward reduction of Parachute weight and high altitude equipment (HALO) weight, as mandatorily required at around35,000 feet.

 

Concentrate on high safety, even if you need to keep less profit. Its a matter of Life.

 

Commercial Airplane Basics

Perhaps the most popular commercial jetliner is the Boeing737 family. Its 737-800 can carry nearly200 people (including the crew).

Although speeds can vary slightly, the737-800 travels at approximately600 mph when at its cruising altitude of35,000 feet. Cruising altitudes are assigned by air traffic controllers and are usually up to39,000 feet, except for longer flights that may fly higher.

Individual Parachutes Won’t Improve Passenger Safety

Doing the math . . .

Passenger Training

Since four hours of training just to board a plane is unrealistic, passengers would have to read and execute detailed skydiving instructions including how to properly strap the chute on in order to benefit from the parachute. Not everyone is good at following detailed, technical instructions even when time and stress aren’t a factor.  In a situation where the plane is going down and one has only a moment to get the parachute properly strapped on (likely while keeping an oxygen mask firmly attached and perhaps also needing to keep the seat belt on to keep from being thrown about in the cabin), it’s unlikely most would be able to even get this far.

Every Man for Himself

Unless passengers wanted to fly suited up and tethered for a static jump, parachuting from a commercial airplane will be an AFF jump; however, unlike the conditions that students get – training and trained instructors to assist, commercial passengers will just have to learn as they go.

In addition, they will have to keep calm and proceed in an orderly fashion, which will require most to patiently wait their turn to exit. This is not likely to happen.

Parachuting Equipment is Bulky

Adding just parachutes (not counting helmets, altimeters, etc.) for each passenger would add another8,000 pounds or so to the flight’s weight. In addition, that equipment would take up space, that is already at a premium.

Parachuting Only Makes Sense if Something Happens in Mid-Flight

The only feasible time for people to jump from the plane is while it’s cruising. However, most fatal airline accidents occur on airplanes during takeoff and landing.

Consider that between2003 and2012, only9% of all fatal accidents on commercial flights, seven total, occurred while the plane was cruising; moreover, at least one of those accidents happened as a result of wind shear or thunderstorm. This is a situation where parachuting is extremely dangerous even if you’re an expert.

So even if parachuting were feasible from a jetliner, the conditions in which parachutes could theoretically save lives are almost never apparent in fatal commercial accidents. But even if they were, it still wouldn’t be a good idea.

Jetliners Cruise Very High and Very Fast

At35,000 feet (three times higher than a typical jump) every passenger would need high altitude equipment (HALO) that includes an oxygen tank, mask and regulator, flight suit, ballistic helmet and altimeter just to manage the thin air. Or they could just pass out from hypoxia and wake up later, hopefully when the parachute automatically deployed at under15,000-20,000 feet.

Of course, none of this would matter since the plane is moving so fast (600 mph), and it is so large, that many passengers would almost certainly smash into it and suffer debilitating if not fatal injuries.

Whole Plane Parachutes May Save Lives

There is hope, however. Over the past few years, many small planes have been equipped with whole-plane parachutes that slow the craft’s descent. As of late2013, the largest planes equipped with these safety devices carry five people, but plans are in the works for putting them on larger crafts. As one manufacturer said, “There is no doubt that big commercial airlines of the future will be equipped with some kind of parachute recovery system.”

 

Note: Airlines must emphasis on regular training of the same, once introduced. The training of Para jumping itself take3-4 Hrs. for Beginners and hence it should be planned well.

Vinod Jetley
by Vinod Jetley , Assistant General Manager , State Bank of India

Agree. But the passengers may not know how to use them.

Turki Alhajri PMP NEBOSH
by Turki Alhajri PMP NEBOSH , EHS / HSE Manager , Tabuk Pharmaceuticals

Totally Agree. 

Ahmad Alhassan
by Ahmad Alhassan , Console Controller , Saudi Aramco

Agree

MOMEN JAARNH
by MOMEN JAARNH , موظف تسويق ومبيعات , نورة الخليج للمستلزمات الطبية

Safety is always the responsibility of engineers and experts

Have to be developed and to hold these basic and key category

 engineers are the only ones responsible for any defect or technical malfunction

Kenneth Parsons
by Kenneth Parsons , Independent Consultant/Business Analyst , Flight Operations & ATM

This is not only impractical, owing to weight considerations, the requirement for a special exit, and the practicality of an orderly exit of up to500 passengers and crew, but the phase of flight is relevant, as well as the type of  accident or incident, many of which are extremely abrupt (controlled flight into terrain, or mid-air collision, for example). Loss of control during cruise or landing might impose such severe forces that neither passengers nor crew would be able to get to an exit. In the cruise, at say,35,000 feet and at a typical speed of550 knots, exiting the aircraft would prove lethal.

A better approach is to ensure a safety culture exists and is maintained within airlines, to minimise the likelihood of an accident.

Alex Al Yazouri
by Alex Al Yazouri , General Manager , Al Mushref Cooperative Society

It's more practical to monitor what's happening to the airplanes by the satellites and have a better communication systems to avoid such tragedy.  

Abdul Majeed
by Abdul Majeed , Rig Safety & Training Coordinator , Sinopec International Pertrolium Serivces

Yes it will be good but before to use this who will give them training, presentation or written stuff will not be enough, if the will have parachutes may be the training certificate will be required for all passengers be for to board.

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