Will it improve survival rate during plane crash if ..

Question

All the seats in commercial aircraft are made to be facing backwards, that means we all be facing the tail of the plane when seated?

Perhaps for a standpoint where this can help to minimize injury.

Just a thought :)

Answer 1

I think the survival rate would increase if they found a quick way to dump all the fuel, and installed more bulkheads. Fires on planes travel too quickly, but would be minimised with more bulkheads.

I would still feel better if they gave you a parachute and oxygen cylinder on the way in :P

Answer 2

I think this falls into the same category as "wearing helmets when crashing a motorcycle head-on into a brick wall at 100MPH will improve your probability of survival".

A lot of people don't feel comfortable sitting backwards in a moving vehicle.

Answer 3

no, because the plane goes about 500 mph. a jet planes landing speed is 160 mph. the jet is full of highly explosive fuel. i a jet were to crash, almost everyone would die anyway.

Answer 4

Yes, but survival rates are also greatly reduced if all passengers adopt the brace position.  

Answer 5

Seats that face backwards are indeed somewhat safer, and military transports often use this configuration.  It isn't used for commercial transports because many passengers would find it objectionable to face backwards during a flight.

Answer 6

Actually David S sounds about right I have heard about that too from one of my friend who is really into airplanes.

Answer 7

depends on whether you want the flying debris embedded in your back or front!!!!

Answer 8

yes it is true. I recently pointed that out here:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

the USAF has rearward facing seats and it was the only "airline" with less fatality in crashes.

death in airliner crashes are caused by flying debris, fire, vaporization, in that order with flying debris being the foremost cause. (probably forgot to mention a few between fire and vaporization)

having the seats face backwards would be very useful in prevent injury caused by flying debris. Also, that position enables the seat and the human to more easily absorb forward deceleration which is crucial in surviving a head-on impact. Airplanes don't back up into a mountain.

Unfortunately, no airline would do it because there were issues of comfort, and increased air-sickness and whatnot. It would make takeoffs and landings more uncomfortable too. (Takeoffs because of the pronounced nose up and landings because you can't see where you're going and it feels like you're crashing) Airplane's are rarely flying 100% level. There is usually always a certain amount of nose-up attitude, usually around 3 degrees nose up. It shouldn't matter but that's another thing to consider.

Answer 9

Commercial A/C are safe enough; why do you all have to come up with silly insignificant ideas.

Answer 10

Davis S sums it up well, especially from a practicality and ergonomic perspective.

Modern aeroplanes are safe anyway.  Consider the complaints that would be made if an airline actually tried this, not to mention the wonderful air-sickness that would be a part of the "flying backwards" experience!

Answer 11

yes! you are right! i was thinking that for a while too!! man great minds think alike! haha