Jumping from a Plane in an Emergency

[Andre1 0]

Here is a newbie question. My non-skydiving friends asked me this after the JetBlue emergency in California when the plane had a stuck nose wheel.

If a commercial jet plane were in an emergency situation and you had your rig with you would it be proper to asked the captain (if there was time) to depressurize the cabin and let you off at anywhere under 14,000 feet to save your life?

If there was no time to ask and you were below an altitude requiring depressurization and found yourself in a crashing plane (and for arguments sake had enough time to get your rig on) would you open the door and jump to save your life?

I am sure there are pressurization issues I am not aware of. I am a student pilot though and I intend to wear a parachute (for pilots) when I fly any rental aircraft so I have more options in an emergency.

[mr2mk1g 10]

The likelihood of survival is probably quite poor. You will often find you have to clear wings/engines before you get clear which would not be possible. That's without the issues with the speed you'd be going... 500mph wind isn't exactly friendly.

That said, I can well imagine a plane/exit point where it would be possible... and a chance is a chance.

On the other side of the coin is landing with the plane. Statistically you have quite a high chance of survival given the number of people who have walked away from crashes... but again I can easily see a situation where it's quite obvious you're going to die on impact.

I guess if you've got the choice you could take the chance if it were nessasery... but in most situations you're probably simply endangering yourself further than if you just stay put and belt up.

[AndyMan 7]

You're not only endangering yourself, but also the plane.

If the plane did crash later, expect to be arrested and prosecuted for the deaths.

That said, the biggest problems are clearly logistical - most of the doors won't open under pressure anyways, and surviving the airspeed will be tough - human bodies break under 300+mph exits, never mind clearing the engines and wings...

I can't think of any situation where I'd actually consider it. In every commercial aircraft emergency I can think of, I'd take the odds with a landing.

_Am

__

You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

[speedy 0]

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In every commercial aircraft emergency I can think of, I'd take the odds with a landing.

What about when the plane has been hijacked?

Dave

Fallschirmsport Marl

[mr2mk1g 10]

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What about when the plane has been hijacked?

I'd attack the hijackers on principle... unless it appeared that there may be a non-violent solution; in which case such action may simply be needlessly endangering the rest of the passengers... but in a 9/11 type scenario, rig be damned I'd say "lets roll".

[CanuckInUSA 0]

I would hope that incidents like what happened with this JetBlue plane would help skydivers realize that airplanes are not the death traps they always claim them to be. I have had to bail out of disabled jump plane once because it ran out of fuel. But I have landed with another airplane when it ran out of fuel, landed in another one with only one engine running, landed in many many airplanes when the winds on the grounds picked up beyond the dangerous levels, etc, etc, etc. Maybe it's because I too am a pilot and I know airplanes are designed to land, but too many skydivers out there think landing in an airplane is a death trap. How the #### do they think they can get on the next load? Do they think that the DZ has a bunch of airplanes queued up waiting to be used only once. Airplanes are NOT the death traps too many wussy skydivers think they are. If you ever find yourself in an airplane emergency, listen to the pilot in command. If they say it's okay to jump, then jump. But if they say buckle up, the shut the #### up, buckle up and know that the pilot knows way more about this aircraft than you do and stands a decent chance of putting it safely down somewhere. And if you're not willing to accept the risk of flight, then stay on the ground with all of the other whuffos.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[gemini 0]

It would be extremely difficult one the emergency has started to get up, get the bag with the rig, put the rig on, and walk to an exit.

I was on a commercial jet to Chicago one winter when the plane suddenly rolled over past 90 degrees, when the pilot (or autopilot) corrected it rolled past 90 degrees in the other direction and all the overhead bins popped open. There was no way to get out of the seat and if I would have been out of the seat or not seat belted at the time I would have been injured as several of the other passengers were.

In a large jet I sit as far back in the cabin as I can get except the last row since it doesn't recline. Got to have a little bit of comfort!

I would stay with the aircraft. Now if it is a jump plane, gear is on and pilot says "get out", I will never hear him say it a second time!

Blue skies,

Jim

[beowulf 1]

huh I was unaware that many skydivers consider airplanes as death traps. I personally feel better landing my parachute, but that is mostly because I prefer being in control. I think that even asking to be let out of a commercial plane with a parachute would probably get you tied up and gagged. Better off keeping your mouth shut and riding it out. The odds would be against your surviving jumping out of a commercial jet over heavily populated area at high speed. But it is a cool day dream. Can't say it didn't cross my mind.

[CanuckInUSA 0]

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huh I was unaware that many skydivers consider airplanes as death traps.

I'm taking that you haven't landed in many jumps planes then. The last time I landed with one (high winds) more than one skydiver was complaining and nervous as the ground grew closer. Of course the ground is going to get closer, we're landing, what did they expect?

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personally feel better landing my parachute, but that is mostly because I prefer being in control.

I'd be willing to bet that the pilot has better control of their wing than you do with yours and before you think this is some kind of PA ... it's not ... jump pilots have decent experience (often in the 1000+ hour range) which is way more experienced than your average skydiver.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[gemini 0]

In the old Pre-911 days I would carry my rig onboard by hanging the harness from my shoulders. I was assigned to the emergency row and as I stowed the rig in the overhead, a guy already sitting in the row asked "Is that a parachute?" I said yes and sat down.

The other guy got up and apparently went to the flight attendent because before we took off, she came back and said "You don't plan on getting out during the flight, do you?" I laughed and said "not at flight speeds in front of that engine!" She looked over the seat and out the window and said, "I never thought about that!"

Later the copilot came back and talked to me and the other guy. Seems he was a jumper prior to getting a job with the airline. Was real interested in hearing about parachute changes, safety devices, and aircraft being used as jump ships.

Blue skies,

Jim

[beowulf 1]

I am in no way saying it is rational for me to feel better landing my parachute. Just the way I feel. I have landed with the plane a few times just never translated nervousness into fear or considering airplanes as death traps. I just figured they were control freeks like me.

I would feel better being the pilot then being the passenger. Same as driving a car. I prefer being the driver then the passenger. But I am not an airplane pilot so I just relax and enjoy the ride.

[riggerrob 643]

I am a student pilot though and I intend to wear a parachute (for pilots) when I fly any rental aircraft so I have more options in an emergency.

[Reginald 0]

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I am in no way saying it is rational for me to feel better landing my parachute. Just the way I feel.

Hey Robert,

I've seen you land your parachute. Trust me you're better off letting Sven take you down in the Otter.

Just teasing...

"We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

[beowulf 1]

yeah well I keep surviving so I guess I am not doing too bad

[goose491 0]

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I am a student pilot though and I intend to wear a parachute (for pilots) when I fly any rental aircraft so I have more options in an emergency.

[faulknerwn 38]

An interesting story about an old friend of mine (its been a lot of years since I've heard it so I'm sure I've got some details wrong but I do remember the gist of it.)

There was a skydiver named Steve Morrell. He was a pilot in the military for a lot of years, and later on a pilot for Northwest airlines. He also did a lot of base jumping.

At one point he was base jumping in Saudi Arabia, jumped off a cliff and had a cliff strike and hurt himself pretty good. His buddy carried him out and they got him to a hospital. Because of this, he missed his flight back to the US. The flight he missed - the Pan Am flight which exploded over Lockerbie.

He always wondered what would have happened if he had been on that flight - because:

1. He said he always kept his rig underneath the seat in front of him, and being a practiced base jumper, knew he could get his rig on in some quick amount of time - 30 seconds or something...

2. This flight supposedly split apart in mid-air - most passengers weren't killed by the bomb but by the crash into the ground...

He always wondered what would have happened if he had made that flight, got his rig on, and somehow this skydiver who happened to be on the plane, happened to have a rig, happened to be returning from Saudi Arabia, and somehow mangaed to be the only survivor....

Ya never know...

W

[HydroGuy 0]

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I'm taking that you haven't landed in many jumps planes then. The last time I landed with one (high winds) more than one skydiver was complaining and nervous as the ground grew closer. Of course the ground is going to get closer, we're landing, what did they expect?

Most skydivers have hundreds or thousands of canopy landings...but I would venture to guess that the vast majority have very few small plane landings. Being apprehensive about a small plane landing doesn't make someone a "wuss".

Get in - Get off - Get away....repeat as neccessary

[BillyVance 34]

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He always wondered what would have happened if he had made that flight, got his rig on, and somehow this skydiver who happened to be on the plane, happened to have a rig, happened to be returning from Saudi Arabia, and somehow mangaed to be the only survivor....

Thus spawning his nickname "Deadman"... which he had sewn on his rig...

he was also quite the daredevil. Once at West Tennessee Skydiving in a Cessna, he jumped out below 300 feet AGL with the pilot screaming "NO! NO!" and Mike on the ground bellowing through his P.A. system, "Steve! I forbid you to jump!" He jumped anyway, deploying his canopy almost simultaneously. He had no time to make any turns, the fast-opening canopy went into a bit of a dive and he still swooped the peas, forcing people standing there to dive out of the way... He was about the craziest skydiver we've ever had... or heard of.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[mnealtx 0]

Thus spawning his *OTHER* nickname....


Clanker

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[JeepDiver 0]

Watching the landing of the Jetblue plane in question, The rear door looked like a jumper would/could have cleared the tail.

[nate_1979 9]

I think the only way I would consider exiting an aircraft like that would be through the tail, if it has an exit there... I've just gotta think that there would be some jet blast even going out that door, really low tail too.. I dont think you would have a whole lot of chance making that exit work good for ya..

FGF #???
I miss the sky...
There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.

[goose491 0]

I think the only way I would think to exit a large commercial airplane would be from the great big gapping hole in the wall/ceiling/floor.

That Jet Blue is flying just fine straight and level. Trying to bail would only complicate the emergency landing further. Basically, the only way I`d even dream of such a skydive is if the plane has come appart at altitude and it`s respective parts/pieces are plummeting.

My Karma ran over my Dogma!!!

[nate_1979 9]

That's a better answer... leave a piece of the airplane holding on to my rig by the straps due to lack of time to put it on

FGF #???
I miss the sky...
There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.

[BillyVance 34]

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Watching the landing of the Jetblue plane in question, The rear door looked like a jumper would/could have cleared the tail.

Barely, and maybe under certain conditions... if the plane is level in flight and at 200 mph or a bit less (might feel like those high speed Casa passes). Still, I don't think I'd want to try it unless it was a real emergency and I DID happen to have a rig with me. Even then, if I did have my rig with me, would I be able to get it on without the other passengers going berserk and attacking me so they could get it for themselves? It would be an airborne riot, probably...

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[CanuckInUSA 0]

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Being apprehensive about a small plane landing doesn't make someone a "wuss".

Sure it does. More skydivers are messing themselves up under a perfectly good canopy than their jump pilot counterparts yet the skydivers think that the jump pilot is the dangerous one when the skydiver is forced to land in the airplane.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over