Think your seat in coach is cramped? Take a look at the SkyRider.
The new airplane seat, to be unveiled next week at the Aircraft Interiors Expo Americas conference in Long Beach, would give passengers an experience akin to riding horseback.
They'd sit at an angle with no more than 23 inches between their perch and the seat in front of them — a design that could appeal to low-cost airlines that have floated the idea of offering passengers standing-room tickets on short flights.
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Bring back Ted airlines, I miss the moaning and complaining.
But its designer, Aviointeriors, an aircraft seat design firm based in Latina, Italy, says several airlines, including some in the U.S., have expressed interest
Spirit. Wild guess.
EDIT: Just took another look. These seats are going to be AWESOME for the obese US population. On the bright side, at least airlines will be able to compete on product again.
a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration, which regulates air travel in the U.S., says he's not familiar with the SkyRider's particular design.
However, he says, "While it's not impossible, it's difficult to conceive of a standing seat that would be able to meet all applicable FAA requirements and still be cost-effective."
Airlines cannot simply install more seats, the maximum passenger capacity of each type of airliner is fixed. Now they could squeeze the economy cabin and accomodate more business seats that way, but LCCs are typically one-class anyway.
Then there's the crash-worthiness (min allowable g-force resistance) issue.
Won't come to anything. I hope .
These have the same problem as all such standing seats - how do you cater for people of different leg lengths - most people will either be hanging in mid air or will have their legs bent at the knees to fit.
And that's before you consider trying to get an American into a 27" space...
Les Dorr, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration, which regulates air travel in the U.S., says he's not familiar with the SkyRider's particular design.
However, he says, "While it's not impossible, it's difficult to conceive of a standing seat that would be able to meet all applicable FAA requirements and still be cost-effective."
Yawn. Get back to me when these seats are actually approved, which won't be anytime soon. We've seen lots of fanciful seat designs but unless they get the go-ahead from regulators it's just a bean-counter's daydream.
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