In a thought-provoking video by Sam Denby on the YouTube channel Half as Interesting, the perennial question of why commercial airplanes don’t carry parachutes is addressed with a combination of humor, physics, and practical considerations. Denby dives into the multiple reasons why equipping passenger planes with parachutes isn’t as beneficial or safe as one might initially think.
The Physics of High Altitude
Denby begins by explaining the stark differences between commercial airliners and skydiving planes. Skydiving typically occurs from planes like the Cessna 182, which fly at altitudes around 9,000 to 13,000 feet. These planes are not pressurized, making the jump much safer for the skydivers.
Commercial Airlines
In contrast, commercial airliners cruise at altitudes of 35,000 feet where the air is significantly thinner and temperatures plummet to around -60°F. Opening a door at this altitude would create a dangerous decompression event, sucking out everything and everyone near the opening, leading to a high likelihood of suffocation or freezing before hitting the ground.
The Complexity and Weight of Parachutes
Even if the environmental challenges could be mitigated, the logistics of equipping commercial planes with parachutes present significant hurdles. According to Denby, parachutes are heavy, expensive, and complicated. Each extra ounce on a plane increases fuel consumption and operational costs, which is why airlines meticulously control the weight of onboard items. Parachutes are not only heavy but also require training to use correctly. In emergency situations, the chaos and panic could make it nearly impossible for passengers to correctly equip and deploy parachutes, resulting in more harm than good.
Practicality and Passenger Safety
Denby points out that even life jackets, which are much simpler than parachutes, pose a challenge in emergency situations. During the emergency landing of US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River, only 33 out of 150 passengers managed to put on their life vests, and of those, only four wore them correctly. This example underscores the impracticality of expecting untrained passengers to use parachutes effectively in a high-stress environment.
The Nature of Plane Crashes
Another critical factor is the nature of airplane crashes. Denby explains that crashes rarely happen in mid-flight. Instead, they typically occur during takeoff or landing—phases of flight where deploying parachutes would be impractical or impossible. Most crashes are due to pilot error or mechanical failures that occur during these critical phases, making parachutes irrelevant in most crash scenarios.
Redundancy and Safety in Aviation
Commercial airliners are designed with extensive redundancy. Key systems such as hydraulics, flight computers, and engines are duplicated multiple times to ensure that a single failure doesn’t lead to a catastrophic event. This level of redundancy significantly reduces the likelihood of a mechanical failure leading to a crash, further diminishing the need for parachutes.
Economic Considerations
Denby also touches on the economic implications. Adding parachutes for all passengers would not only increase costs but also reduce the already tight profit margins airlines operate on. This economic burden, combined with the limited practical use of parachutes, makes them an unfeasible safety measure for commercial flights.
Trusting Pilots
People in the comments shared their thoughts and experiences: “Way back in the day I was an instructor pilot and flew a T-38 (old supersonic trainer) to a civilian airport. The plane broke and I had to take a commercial flight home and was told to bring my parachute back with me. I got on the plane with my helmet, parachute, flight suit, etc. and the pilot looked at me and said ‘what, you don’t trust me?’”
Another commenter added: “Skydiver here. TSA lets us bring parachutes on board because we like to travel with our rigs to different countries sometimes. It’s usually better to check it, but it’s very expensive gear so some people naturally do not want just leave in the airlines hands and hope for the best,”
A Complex Reality
In summary, Sam Denby effectively dispels the notion that parachutes could be a viable safety feature for commercial airliners. The combination of high-altitude physics, the complexity and weight of parachutes, the nature of airplane crashes, and the economic impracticality all contribute to why we don’t see parachutes on planes. While the idea might seem appealing at first glance, the reality is far more complex and less beneficial than it appears.
Principles of Physics
What do you think? How do the principles of physics and high-altitude environments impact the feasibility of using parachutes on commercial flights? What logistical and economic challenges would airlines face if they were to equip all passengers with parachutes? How does the redundancy in aviation systems contribute to passenger safety, and what alternatives to parachutes exist to enhance this safety further?
To dive deeper into this topic, check out the full video on Half as Interesting’s YouTube channel here.
