Why are the 737's rear doors unusable in a water landing?
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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:
(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:
(Image by Czechnology here at AvSE.)
Why can't the 737's rear doors be used during a water landing?
boeing-737 evacuation ditching
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add a comment |
$begingroup$
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:
(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:
(Image by Czechnology here at AvSE.)
Why can't the 737's rear doors be used during a water landing?
boeing-737 evacuation ditching
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1
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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
add a comment |
$begingroup$
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:
(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:
(Image by Czechnology here at AvSE.)
Why can't the 737's rear doors be used during a water landing?
boeing-737 evacuation ditching
$endgroup$
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:
(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:
(Image by Czechnology here at AvSE.)
Why can't the 737's rear doors be used during a water landing?
boeing-737 evacuation ditching
boeing-737 evacuation ditching
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
add a comment |
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
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
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The bottom of the door opening sits too close to, or below, the water line when the airplane is floating.
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Why would that be a problem for the 737 specifically, rather than for small-to-medium narrowbodies in general?
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– Sean
3 hours ago
1
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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
add a comment |
$begingroup$
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.
New contributor
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$begingroup$
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
add a comment |
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
$begingroup$
The bottom of the door opening sits too close to, or below, the water line when the airplane is floating.
$endgroup$
$begingroup$
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
add a comment |
$begingroup$
The bottom of the door opening sits too close to, or below, the water line when the airplane is floating.
$endgroup$
$begingroup$
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
add a comment |
$begingroup$
The bottom of the door opening sits too close to, or below, the water line when the airplane is floating.
$endgroup$
The bottom of the door opening sits too close to, or below, the water line when the airplane is floating.
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
add a comment |
$begingroup$
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
add a comment |
$begingroup$
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.
New contributor
$endgroup$
$begingroup$
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
add a comment |
$begingroup$
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.
New contributor
$endgroup$
$begingroup$
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
add a comment |
$begingroup$
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.
New contributor
$endgroup$
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.
New contributor
New contributor
answered 1 hour ago
AndroidSmoker74AndroidSmoker74
1216
1216
New contributor
New contributor
$begingroup$
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
add a comment |
$begingroup$
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
add a comment |
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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