Doesn't anybody read the story before making snarky comments? These are only installed in certain locations where a passenger's head would smash into something very hard (this doesn't include most seats in coach).
It is also designed to raise the survivability threshold of a crash from 9g to 12g. That involves accidents on or very close to the ground (overshooting the runway for example) but clearly excludes plummets of death.
It's amazing how quick we all are to find stupid shit to bitch about. #airplaneairbags
So THAT'S what they are - I have actually seen these belts on a few Cathay pacific flights. It just looks like a big piece of padding on one side of the lap belt - I could not figure out why only one side of the belt was padded, but now I know.
Since we travel with a baby, I would love to know how to have one deactivated, since it looks like on deployment it would push my child through my face.
I also don't understand why they don't add some sort of 5-point harness - you would only have to wear it during takeoff and landing, and then just wear the lap belt at cruise altitude. #airplaneairbags
@Canoehead: Someone proposed seating passengers backwards because it greatly improves survivability, but they decided that that would be too disorienting and people wouldn't be able to find the exits after a crash.
Given that, I bet the 5 point harness would be too complicated for addled passengers to take off before the fire got them. #airplaneairbags
@jetRink: That makes no sense. I know that some people get motion sick moving backwards (I don't), but you just follow the lighted strips to the nearest exit. If that fails, follow the smoke since it will likely be flowing towards the nearest big hole.
You could easily have a 5 point harness with a big, easy to grab, release catch. I think the airlines don't like the "message" sent by something that looks like it belongs in a stunt plane. #airplaneairbags
@rivercat: I don't know about you but I certainly don't want my chair to accelerate my skull into the overhead compartment at 15g. Isn't that what this regulation is out to prevent? #airplaneairbags
this is so silly on so many levels... a) do you really think an airbag is going to save you on a plane crash? really?; b) the weight added to the plane means increased fuel costs aka higher prices for passengers and/or less luggage allowance; and c) what happens if the airbags deploy because of a electrical short/hard break on landing/turbulence? that plane will be grounded months to reinstall them, meaning huge costs on top of huge losses of revenues.
Just buckle your damn seatbelt when you're seated. It won't kill you, hell, it might even save you a nasty bruise.
(edit: they can always add a shoulder strap for much less weight and about the same degree of protection)
I am still pretty upset that everyone doesnt have an assigned and available parachute. And whats with the tiny air sick bags? Have you seen anyone get sick on a plane? It doesnt do much outside being handy for notes.
@Curves: You cant open a door at anything over 11,000 feet due to air pressure. Also, Flight Attendants would have to make their safety announcement 20x longer to show people how to use a parachute, not like anyone would pay attention, and no one would know how to use one properly. Oh, and what's to keep it from getting taken off a plane when someone leaves, OR where are you gonna store said chute?
Airsick bags get used everyday. Just cause you've been lucky enough to never get sick doesn't mean there aren't hundreds of others who don't use it every time they fly.
@Bryce Clifton: Actually, what I meant was that the bags are too tiny for the people who do get airsick. Try 2 or 3 of them. I am a white knuckle flyer and keep plotting ways to tape them all together to MAKE the parachute.
Oh yeah, and I DO pay attention to the flight attendants with their safety announcements. Usually right before I ask the person sitting next to me if I can hold their hand during take off.
I wish airlines would be required to have seats that actually had legroom, didn't make your ass hurt, and had armrests that didn't cut off the circulations in your arms! f* more safety -- fix the things that make domestic air travel such a f*ing pain in the ass! :-)
/rant/ Sorry, I travel about 35-40 weeks a year, and domestic air travel is mostly just tolerable at best.
This might be just me, but I'd rather have lower air fares than airbags that probably won't prevent my death in an already extremely unlikely event of a plane crash.
@Hello Mister Walrus: I'd rather that they just remove one row of seats, to give me the extra 3 inches of leg room. Oh, and while we are dreaming, a more comfortable seat would be nice too.
It's very simple. You have alternate rows of seats facing backwards, like on trains, then put all the overweight people in the seats pointing backwards. In the case of an accident the forward facing people nosedive into cushioning rolls of fat!
Investigators have found that in mid air explosions, passengers often fracture their faces due to rapid deceleration of the plane, causing them to lurch into the back of the seats in front of them. While an air bag could prevent facial fractures, I guess that falls into the category of doesn't matter.
@Duckspwn: When you factor in the rapid decompression of a crash/heat/resonating impact, it probably doesn't matter what's inside but I'm sure the contents are still "under pressure".
@BergenCountyJC: I guess that's a valid concern, though cars have had airbags for decades, so I would think that the mechanisms are pretty fail proof at this point. Plus, there is already highly blow-up-able substance on airplanes - jet fuel.
@nutbastard (Everyone come to snowmodo!!!): Yeah, strap-ons work well. I mean, they can give you a way to really enhance not only yourself but also increase the intensity for your partner when
10/26/09
10/26/09
Airplane ergonomics are probably the worst in the world. #airplaneairbags
10/26/09
It is also designed to raise the survivability threshold of a crash from 9g to 12g. That involves accidents on or very close to the ground (overshooting the runway for example) but clearly excludes plummets of death.
It's amazing how quick we all are to find stupid shit to bitch about. #airplaneairbags
10/26/09
10/26/09
Since we travel with a baby, I would love to know how to have one deactivated, since it looks like on deployment it would push my child through my face.
I also don't understand why they don't add some sort of 5-point harness - you would only have to wear it during takeoff and landing, and then just wear the lap belt at cruise altitude. #airplaneairbags
10/26/09
Given that, I bet the 5 point harness would be too complicated for addled passengers to take off before the fire got them. #airplaneairbags
10/26/09
You could easily have a 5 point harness with a big, easy to grab, release catch. I think the airlines don't like the "message" sent by something that looks like it belongs in a stunt plane. #airplaneairbags
10/26/09
Heaven forbid putting exits and both the front and the rear of the place.... #airplaneairbags
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The cost of replacing all those "what to do in an accident" pamphlets is going to be astronomical. #airplaneairbags
10/26/09
Just buckle your damn seatbelt when you're seated. It won't kill you, hell, it might even save you a nasty bruise.
(edit: they can always add a shoulder strap for much less weight and about the same degree of protection)
10/26/09
06/30/09
Better PillowsAirbags06/30/09
Airsick bags get used everyday. Just cause you've been lucky enough to never get sick doesn't mean there aren't hundreds of others who don't use it every time they fly.
06/30/09
Oh yeah, and I DO pay attention to the flight attendants with their safety announcements. Usually right before I ask the person sitting next to me if I can hold their hand during take off.
06/30/09
Better PillowsAirbags/rant/ Sorry, I travel about 35-40 weeks a year, and domestic air travel is mostly just tolerable at best.
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Better PillowsAirbags06/30/09
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Better PillowsAirbags06/30/09
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Better PillowsAirbags06/30/09
Better PillowsAirbags06/30/09
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i think i've seen em, you just strap in, but ankle support would be an issue there.
03/19/09
Oh, wait.
You said strap in, didn't you. heheh
Never mind.