Daily Beast: Flying Coach Is So Cramped It Could Be a Death Trap

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Sep 16, 2017, 9:12 pm

#31

CPRich

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Zorak

I said that was my impression from reading the article (or at least, that that was the question being implied)

but never claimed any specific expertise or knowledge. I appreciate the info! ^

Given the source, it wouldn't surprise me if many readers came away with impressions different from reality. It's not exactly a fact-based documentary

Saying that a pilot deciding not to evacuate passengers, and waiting an extended time to get stairs for safe evacuation, "could not be a better illustration of how detached from reality" test are, that " the tests do not come close to replicating the actual experience of a crash." would be humorous, if not sad. It wasn't a crash, there was no emergency evacuation, so the 52 minutes shows the 3 minute test emergency evacuation is a false measurement. Really?

Sep 17, 2017, 5:54 pm

#32

DenverBrian

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Quote:

Originally Posted by manacit

That's 100% what I am saying. As far as I know, there have been no links to additional injury or death in an evacuation because of tight seat pitch.

And the "tombstone mentality" continues. We likely, and sadly, won't actually address minimum seat pitch until there are multiple fatalities that can be directly linked to tight seat pitch. In other words, humans have to die before logic can prevail.

Sep 17, 2017, 7:21 pm

#33

manacit

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Quote:

Originally Posted by DenverBrian

This is a totally fair point, and I am definitely guilty of it in this case. I was feeling a bit smarmy when I posted this, mostly because of a smug feeling that people complaining about seat pitch + safety are wrong.

I would absolutely love to see real testing with various seat pitches in real world tests, though I honestly remain slightly unconvinced that it'll make a difference. Fortunately for y'all I don't work in aircraft safety, so my opinion is worthless.

Are the same tests not done on Spirit/Allegiant/Whatever planes? I find it hard to believe that there's only tests done on seats with more pitch?

Sep 18, 2017, 1:23 am

#34

SEA-Flyer

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Quote:

Originally Posted by manacit

I would absolutely love to see real testing with various seat pitches in real world tests, though I honestly remain slightly unconvinced that it'll make a difference. Fortunately for y'all I don't work in aircraft safety, so my opinion is worthless.

Are the same tests not done on Spirit/Allegiant/Whatever planes? I find it hard to believe that there's only tests done on seats with more pitch?

From what I recall, from when I worked at Boeing 20 years ago, is that the tests are done at the maximum allowed occupancy of the airplane in an all economy configuration. For example, the 737-800 was done at 189 passengers. The 737-900 was done at the same number of passengers, as the exit door configuration wouldn't allow them to have a higher number of passengers.

I believe that later on, there was some exit door modification work done on the 737-900 (maybe it was for the 737-900ER) and they retested at a higher number of passengers, to get the current limit of 220.

manacit likes this.

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