Falling from the sky

[KTech]

There have been several incidents of sky-divers jumping from hundreds of feet and their chute fails to open yet they manage to survive the fall with just broken bones. There was also one story quite a few years ago in fact, that I cannot find a link to, about a guy who fell several hundred feet, his chute failed and he managed to hit the ground in such a way that he walked away from it.
So this raised the question: if you are in a plane that is going to crash would you curl up in the fetal position like they tell you or jump out and take your chances hitting the ground on your own?

[techgnome]

the reason they survive is because they are wearing special suits which often result in a lot of drag... also usually when you hear about these things, it's in a field or some where "soft" ... now, bring me a story of someone surviving a fall like that over LA... then maybe I'll consider it. And you aren't supposed to go into a fetal position. Just grab the seatback that's in front of you & cross your arms. Then again, the cockpit view does have something of an morbid curiosity flavor to it.

-tg

[I_Love_My_Vans]

Some people have told me it would be better to fall into water, because it is a liquid. However falling into the wet stuff at anything higher than 40 meters is supposed to be equal to hitting concrete.

So to answer your question, I would take the bus, it's way safer.

[KTech]

Some people have told me it would be better to fall into water, because it is a liquid. However falling into the wet stuff at anything higher than 40 meters is supposed to be equal to hitting concrete.

I was thinking if you were crashing into water and you jumped out that the plane would hit the water first and disperse the surface tension and then you would not hit flat onto the surface of the water and you'd have a better chance of living. Again making it safer to jump out at 100 feet than to stay in the plane.

[I_Love_My_Vans]

Like I was saying, I would prefer to walk.

I have tried to reduce my carbon footprint, but I cannot get into smaller shoes :'(

[FunkyDexter]

I was thinking if you were crashing into water and you jumped out that the plane would hit the water first

Gallileo says otherwise

It's not just about sky divers wearing flappy suits that slow them down. There are stories about air hostesses falling from planes and landing safely. They reckon if you pass out on the way down you've got a fair chance of survival because your body will be relaxed when you hit and that makes a huge difference. On that basis my choice would be "Break Out the Duty Free".

[Hack]

if you are in a plane that is going to crash would you curl up in the fetal position like they tell you or jump out and take your chances hitting the ground on your own?

I would like to know how you think you would be able to exit the aircraft. It would be going down in a nose down position not in a level flight position.

If, and this is a big IF as the flight attendants would be doing everything within their power to stop you, you actually did manage to get the emergency door of a rapidly decending airplane open, as soon as you stepped into it, the upcoming air would blow you right back into the airplane.

[KTech]

I would like to know how you think you would be able to exit the aircraft. It would be going down in a nose down position not in a level flight position.

If, and this is a big IF as the flight attendants would be doing everything within their power to stop you, you actually did manage to get the emergency door of a rapidly decending airplane open, as soon as you stepped into it, the upcoming air would blow you right back into the airplane.

James Bond did it, I think on more than one occassion.
But actually I wasn't talking about whether the stewardesses or physics would let you off the plane. Just given the option what would you do? I was even thinking about packing a parachute in my carry-on bag next time I fly.

[Psyrus]

I picked "Go up to the cockpit for a better view of the ground rushing up at you". The passenger area of the plane would be full of people screaming, ruining the last few minutes I had left alive.

Even if you managed to get out of the plane wouldn't your body be moving at or near the same speed as the plane when it hit the water?

[kleinma]

I would grab the inflata-raft and jump out in that thing ala Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

[EntityX]

Some people have told me it would be better to fall into water, because it is a liquid. However falling into the wet stuff at anything higher than 40 meters is supposed to be equal to hitting concrete.

I know there are divers who dive from heights greater than 100 feet. I think one of those divers if they hit the water right could survive from heights greater than 40 meters. They might suffer some but I think they would survive. If you hit the water like a toothpick in the right way I think you would survive but it depends upon the individual and what they can take also. What kills some people doesn't kill others. If you had a large garbage bag you could jump out of the plane and then use it to increase your wind resistance and then abandon it at just the right time so you could hit the water very streamlined.

[KTech]

I'm going to jump over an urban area and as I'm falling look for a child's birthday party with one of those inflatable jump and bounce machines and I'll just aim for that.

[Hack]

I would grab the inflata-raft and jump out in that thing ala Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

Finally someone makes a realistic suggestion.

I think this would be the perfect solution.

@KTec: You are correct, of course. James Bond did it a couple of times. The one that comes immediately to mind is the opening scenes of "Moonraker" in which he is thrown out of an airplane with no parachute. So, he sky dives straight down on top of "Jaws", takes his parachute in mid freefall, and lands safely whilst "Jaws", now
parachute-less winds up in the middle of a big ole circus tent.

[Hack]

By the By - "Go up to the cockpit for a better view of the ground rushing up at you" is technically incorrect. The ground isn't moving a micron. You, on the other hand, are the one doing the rushing, and it is down.

[schoolbusdriver]

Where's the option to drink as much alcohol as possible, then punch the lights out of the fattest person aboard and lie on top of them ?

[mendhak]

Try and run towards the rear of the airplane and hang on to the bathroom doors - nothing can move those damned bathroom doors. Although they might find the plane wreckage with my arms attached to the door and my body elsewhere.

[KTech]

@KTec: You are correct, of course. James Bond did it a couple of times. The one that comes immediately to mind is the opening scenes of "Moonraker" in which he is thrown out of an airplane with no parachute. So, he sky dives straight down on top of "Jaws", takes his parachute in mid freefall, and lands safely whilst "Jaws", now
parachute-less winds up in the middle of a big ole circus tent.

See there is also the possibility that there will be a passing parachutist in the air and you could grab onto him and both of you land safely.
I'm definitely going to jump. I think there are definitely some good possibilities of surviving the fall.

[wossname]

Gallileo says otherwise

galileo is a idiot

He always takes the train.

[EntityX]

Here's a site that's dedicated to stories about people and even animals that survived free falls without a parachute.

The Free Fall Research Page

One story is about a cat that fell from a 34 story building and survived because it landed in a bush.

In another story a 12 year old girl fell down a 14 story tall chimney and survived landing in a 2 foot high pile of ash at the bottom.

In another story a snowy mountain slope enabled survival. In a number of cases landing in a tree was involved.

[penagate]

In the event of a nosedive over land or water it's far safer to be in the tail section of the plane than to be in the cockpit or open air.

If the plane were gliding over water (but maybe not the Hudson!), then you might have a good chance of survival with a jump, because planes usually break up when they hit the water.

What you're overlooking with this question is that in the past when crazy plane crashes have occured the people haven't usually died on impact: they perish afterwards, at sea or in the mountains.

Jump or no jump, survival is a miracle either way.

[dclamp]

galileo is a idiot

He always takes the train.

Last time i took the train i saw Einstein on it and walked up to him and asked "Does New York stop by this train?"

[Torc]

James Bond did it, I think on more than one occassion.
But actually I wasn't talking about whether the stewardesses or physics would let you off the plane. Just given the option what would you do? I was even thinking about packing a parachute in my carry-on bag next time I fly.

Not really a good idea as it would spark a free for all to get it, leaving you with a broken nose and injuries at the other end of your body.

What you really want is to get one of those parachutes in a jacket they have featured in some movies.

Alternatively just rip a bit of fuselage, or a door, and use it to "surf" down, aiming to land on snow, in water, or at a politcal convention so the hot air can slow you down.

[wossname]

Last time i took the train i saw Einstein on it and walked up to him and asked "Does New York stop by this train?"

Nice.

[dclamp]

Nice.

Win?

[mendhak]

Not quite, that joke was old when Einstein was in school.

[BadgerBadger]

I think it depends on why the plane is crashing.
If it can safely glide, I would take my chances staying in the plane. If it only had one wing and was spiralling out of control, I would try to force my way to the exit to jump out.

[EntityX]

If the airplane was heading straight for the ground in a vertical position with the engines going full blast you would definitely want to abandon the aircraft though you might die in your efforts to exit the plane.

[Max Peck]

Actually, you didn't include the one I would have answered:

* Go to the cockpit, take control and land the damn thing.

As a private pilot I'd at-least give that a try! Haven't flown heavy-iron but dad-gummit, I ain't going to let the thing crash if I can help it!

-Max