Why are the 737's rear doors unusable in a water landing?












2












$begingroup$


The 737's rear exit doors cannot be used to evacuate the aircraft in the event of a water landing, as shown, for example, in this safety card:



737 safety card



(Image from flight-report, via Jordy here at AvSE.)



In contrast, the rear doors on (for instance) the A320 series can be used for a water evacuation:



A319 safety card



(Image by Czechnology here at AvSE.)



Why can't the 737's rear doors be used during a water landing?










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$endgroup$








  • 1




    $begingroup$
    I like the optimism of these "safety cards" showing a pristine aircraft floating nicely on the water after a ditching. Statistically unlikely but makes for a pleasant looking card.
    $endgroup$
    – Ron Beyer
    58 mins ago
















2












$begingroup$


The 737's rear exit doors cannot be used to evacuate the aircraft in the event of a water landing, as shown, for example, in this safety card:



737 safety card



(Image from flight-report, via Jordy here at AvSE.)



In contrast, the rear doors on (for instance) the A320 series can be used for a water evacuation:



A319 safety card



(Image by Czechnology here at AvSE.)



Why can't the 737's rear doors be used during a water landing?










share|improve this question









$endgroup$








  • 1




    $begingroup$
    I like the optimism of these "safety cards" showing a pristine aircraft floating nicely on the water after a ditching. Statistically unlikely but makes for a pleasant looking card.
    $endgroup$
    – Ron Beyer
    58 mins ago














2












2








2





$begingroup$


The 737's rear exit doors cannot be used to evacuate the aircraft in the event of a water landing, as shown, for example, in this safety card:



737 safety card



(Image from flight-report, via Jordy here at AvSE.)



In contrast, the rear doors on (for instance) the A320 series can be used for a water evacuation:



A319 safety card



(Image by Czechnology here at AvSE.)



Why can't the 737's rear doors be used during a water landing?










share|improve this question









$endgroup$




The 737's rear exit doors cannot be used to evacuate the aircraft in the event of a water landing, as shown, for example, in this safety card:



737 safety card



(Image from flight-report, via Jordy here at AvSE.)



In contrast, the rear doors on (for instance) the A320 series can be used for a water evacuation:



A319 safety card



(Image by Czechnology here at AvSE.)



Why can't the 737's rear doors be used during a water landing?







boeing-737 evacuation ditching






share|improve this question













share|improve this question











share|improve this question




share|improve this question










asked 3 hours ago









SeanSean

5,64832768




5,64832768








  • 1




    $begingroup$
    I like the optimism of these "safety cards" showing a pristine aircraft floating nicely on the water after a ditching. Statistically unlikely but makes for a pleasant looking card.
    $endgroup$
    – Ron Beyer
    58 mins ago














  • 1




    $begingroup$
    I like the optimism of these "safety cards" showing a pristine aircraft floating nicely on the water after a ditching. Statistically unlikely but makes for a pleasant looking card.
    $endgroup$
    – Ron Beyer
    58 mins ago








1




1




$begingroup$
I like the optimism of these "safety cards" showing a pristine aircraft floating nicely on the water after a ditching. Statistically unlikely but makes for a pleasant looking card.
$endgroup$
– Ron Beyer
58 mins ago




$begingroup$
I like the optimism of these "safety cards" showing a pristine aircraft floating nicely on the water after a ditching. Statistically unlikely but makes for a pleasant looking card.
$endgroup$
– Ron Beyer
58 mins ago










2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes


















4












$begingroup$

The bottom of the door opening sits too close to, or below, the water line when the airplane is floating.






share|improve this answer









$endgroup$













  • $begingroup$
    Why would that be a problem for the 737 specifically, rather than for small-to-medium narrowbodies in general?
    $endgroup$
    – Sean
    3 hours ago






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    I think most airliners sit tail low when floating so it would just depend on the rear door configuration from airplane to airplane.
    $endgroup$
    – John K
    2 hours ago



















2












$begingroup$

It all goes back to how the aircraft is designed; the ways different planes float vary.
when the 737 ditches on water the tail-section of the plane is deeper in the water than front of it, because the wings are a huge floating point and support most of the weight of the aircraft when afloat, and the bigger front of the airplane contains more air so when floating it will be lighter hence pitching the nose up, causing the tail and the rear doors to be below or very close to the water. this is why these doors remain shut in the event of evacuating after an emergency water landing so that water doesn't get in any faster, giving the plane and its passengers and the crew more time to evacuate and stay afloat longer until help arrives.






share|improve this answer








New contributor




AndroidSmoker74 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.






$endgroup$













  • $begingroup$
    Welcome to Av.SE!
    $endgroup$
    – Ralph J
    1 hour ago










  • $begingroup$
    @RalphJ thanks, I'm very glad to be a member of this community.
    $endgroup$
    – AndroidSmoker74
    1 hour ago












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2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes








2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes









active

oldest

votes






active

oldest

votes









4












$begingroup$

The bottom of the door opening sits too close to, or below, the water line when the airplane is floating.






share|improve this answer









$endgroup$













  • $begingroup$
    Why would that be a problem for the 737 specifically, rather than for small-to-medium narrowbodies in general?
    $endgroup$
    – Sean
    3 hours ago






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    I think most airliners sit tail low when floating so it would just depend on the rear door configuration from airplane to airplane.
    $endgroup$
    – John K
    2 hours ago
















4












$begingroup$

The bottom of the door opening sits too close to, or below, the water line when the airplane is floating.






share|improve this answer









$endgroup$













  • $begingroup$
    Why would that be a problem for the 737 specifically, rather than for small-to-medium narrowbodies in general?
    $endgroup$
    – Sean
    3 hours ago






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    I think most airliners sit tail low when floating so it would just depend on the rear door configuration from airplane to airplane.
    $endgroup$
    – John K
    2 hours ago














4












4








4





$begingroup$

The bottom of the door opening sits too close to, or below, the water line when the airplane is floating.






share|improve this answer









$endgroup$



The bottom of the door opening sits too close to, or below, the water line when the airplane is floating.







share|improve this answer












share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer










answered 3 hours ago









John KJohn K

24.2k13473




24.2k13473












  • $begingroup$
    Why would that be a problem for the 737 specifically, rather than for small-to-medium narrowbodies in general?
    $endgroup$
    – Sean
    3 hours ago






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    I think most airliners sit tail low when floating so it would just depend on the rear door configuration from airplane to airplane.
    $endgroup$
    – John K
    2 hours ago


















  • $begingroup$
    Why would that be a problem for the 737 specifically, rather than for small-to-medium narrowbodies in general?
    $endgroup$
    – Sean
    3 hours ago






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    I think most airliners sit tail low when floating so it would just depend on the rear door configuration from airplane to airplane.
    $endgroup$
    – John K
    2 hours ago
















$begingroup$
Why would that be a problem for the 737 specifically, rather than for small-to-medium narrowbodies in general?
$endgroup$
– Sean
3 hours ago




$begingroup$
Why would that be a problem for the 737 specifically, rather than for small-to-medium narrowbodies in general?
$endgroup$
– Sean
3 hours ago




1




1




$begingroup$
I think most airliners sit tail low when floating so it would just depend on the rear door configuration from airplane to airplane.
$endgroup$
– John K
2 hours ago




$begingroup$
I think most airliners sit tail low when floating so it would just depend on the rear door configuration from airplane to airplane.
$endgroup$
– John K
2 hours ago











2












$begingroup$

It all goes back to how the aircraft is designed; the ways different planes float vary.
when the 737 ditches on water the tail-section of the plane is deeper in the water than front of it, because the wings are a huge floating point and support most of the weight of the aircraft when afloat, and the bigger front of the airplane contains more air so when floating it will be lighter hence pitching the nose up, causing the tail and the rear doors to be below or very close to the water. this is why these doors remain shut in the event of evacuating after an emergency water landing so that water doesn't get in any faster, giving the plane and its passengers and the crew more time to evacuate and stay afloat longer until help arrives.






share|improve this answer








New contributor




AndroidSmoker74 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.






$endgroup$













  • $begingroup$
    Welcome to Av.SE!
    $endgroup$
    – Ralph J
    1 hour ago










  • $begingroup$
    @RalphJ thanks, I'm very glad to be a member of this community.
    $endgroup$
    – AndroidSmoker74
    1 hour ago
















2












$begingroup$

It all goes back to how the aircraft is designed; the ways different planes float vary.
when the 737 ditches on water the tail-section of the plane is deeper in the water than front of it, because the wings are a huge floating point and support most of the weight of the aircraft when afloat, and the bigger front of the airplane contains more air so when floating it will be lighter hence pitching the nose up, causing the tail and the rear doors to be below or very close to the water. this is why these doors remain shut in the event of evacuating after an emergency water landing so that water doesn't get in any faster, giving the plane and its passengers and the crew more time to evacuate and stay afloat longer until help arrives.






share|improve this answer








New contributor




AndroidSmoker74 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.






$endgroup$













  • $begingroup$
    Welcome to Av.SE!
    $endgroup$
    – Ralph J
    1 hour ago










  • $begingroup$
    @RalphJ thanks, I'm very glad to be a member of this community.
    $endgroup$
    – AndroidSmoker74
    1 hour ago














2












2








2





$begingroup$

It all goes back to how the aircraft is designed; the ways different planes float vary.
when the 737 ditches on water the tail-section of the plane is deeper in the water than front of it, because the wings are a huge floating point and support most of the weight of the aircraft when afloat, and the bigger front of the airplane contains more air so when floating it will be lighter hence pitching the nose up, causing the tail and the rear doors to be below or very close to the water. this is why these doors remain shut in the event of evacuating after an emergency water landing so that water doesn't get in any faster, giving the plane and its passengers and the crew more time to evacuate and stay afloat longer until help arrives.






share|improve this answer








New contributor




AndroidSmoker74 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.






$endgroup$



It all goes back to how the aircraft is designed; the ways different planes float vary.
when the 737 ditches on water the tail-section of the plane is deeper in the water than front of it, because the wings are a huge floating point and support most of the weight of the aircraft when afloat, and the bigger front of the airplane contains more air so when floating it will be lighter hence pitching the nose up, causing the tail and the rear doors to be below or very close to the water. this is why these doors remain shut in the event of evacuating after an emergency water landing so that water doesn't get in any faster, giving the plane and its passengers and the crew more time to evacuate and stay afloat longer until help arrives.







share|improve this answer








New contributor




AndroidSmoker74 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.









share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer






New contributor




AndroidSmoker74 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.









answered 1 hour ago









AndroidSmoker74AndroidSmoker74

1216




1216




New contributor




AndroidSmoker74 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.





New contributor





AndroidSmoker74 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.






AndroidSmoker74 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.












  • $begingroup$
    Welcome to Av.SE!
    $endgroup$
    – Ralph J
    1 hour ago










  • $begingroup$
    @RalphJ thanks, I'm very glad to be a member of this community.
    $endgroup$
    – AndroidSmoker74
    1 hour ago


















  • $begingroup$
    Welcome to Av.SE!
    $endgroup$
    – Ralph J
    1 hour ago










  • $begingroup$
    @RalphJ thanks, I'm very glad to be a member of this community.
    $endgroup$
    – AndroidSmoker74
    1 hour ago
















$begingroup$
Welcome to Av.SE!
$endgroup$
– Ralph J
1 hour ago




$begingroup$
Welcome to Av.SE!
$endgroup$
– Ralph J
1 hour ago












$begingroup$
@RalphJ thanks, I'm very glad to be a member of this community.
$endgroup$
– AndroidSmoker74
1 hour ago




$begingroup$
@RalphJ thanks, I'm very glad to be a member of this community.
$endgroup$
– AndroidSmoker74
1 hour ago


















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