In the event of an air crash, why do airlines prefer to pay tens of billions of dollars rather than allow passengers to parachute to survive?
We all know that with the development of science and technology, human transportation has undergone qualitative changes since ancient times. Walking, horse-drawn carriages, cars, airplanes, it is these changes that have created the convenient way we travel now. Among them, airplanes have become the preferred means of transportation for cross-border and inter-provincial travel.
Regrettably, although airplanes are already the safest means of transportation in the world, they cannot prevent unexpected accidental stories. According to statistics, in 2015 alone, there were 17 air crashes around the world, resulting in 564 deaths. So, are you curious why airlines would rather pay billions of dollars in compensation than passengers to parachute directly in case of an air crash? In fact, there are many reasons for this.
Due to the high altitude of the aircraft, if it crashes, the mortality rate is extremely high. Therefore, many people do not feel safe about flying. In fact, in the statistical data of 2015, the air crash is already the accident with the lowest probability. In addition, the probability of death in a car accident is 1375 times that of an air accident, and the death probability of stroke and heart attack, which we rarely see, is 4.4 million times that of an air crash.
From this point of view, the probability of an air crash is already extremely low, but every time an air crash occurs, we always see the big news reports, so there is an illusion in our minds. The probability of an air crash is considered high. This belongs to people's misunderstanding of the probability of air crashes.
In addition, the reasons for aircraft accidents are nothing more than the following points: encountering bad weather, bird strikes, hijacking, etc. According to statistics, the probability of accidents occurring when passenger planes land or take off accounts for 80% of all accidents. Therefore, in the vast majority of aircraft accidents, parachutes are not used at all.
Unless there is a very small probability, it is a sudden system failure of the passenger plane in the air. However, from a design point of view, as long as one engine of an aviation aircraft can start normally, the aircraft is likely to land safely, so there is no need to open the parachute. And if all the engines of the plane fail, the plane will lose control and fly to the ground. At this time, in the high-speed landing, there is no time and condition to wear skydiving equipment and then perform skydiving.
In addition, there is a most fundamental reason. Although we can often see on TV, in order to escape in an emergency, the pilot parachuted through. It seems to be very simple and easy to operate, but it is not. Pilots parachuting are actually specially trained. Most of the passengers have not been trained and do not have the skills to skydive. Forcing them to skydive is not worth the loss, and other accidents are more likely to occur.
Of course, there are also economic cost considerations. You know, the cost of a set of parachutes is very high, not to mention the need for regular inspections and tests to ensure that there are no problems. According to the altitude, time, and environment of the flight, the cost of the parachute will only increase, and the burden on the aircraft will be increased. It is not a wise move in all aspects.
It is worth mentioning that there is another unexpected reason. The reason why passenger planes are not equipped with parachutes is also related to the flight attendants. If there is an accident on the passenger plane, the flight attendants have selfish motives and want to escape with parachutes first, the consequences will be disastrous. Therefore, not equipped with a parachute is also to allow the flight attendants to pin all their hopes on the safe landing of the plane, which will virtually reduce the possibility of plane crashes and allow them to concentrate more on their work.
To sum up, the lack of parachutes on passenger planes is the result of many considerations. For passengers, in case of unexpected accidents, they must act in accordance with the instructions of the flight attendants and must not act blindly. Only in this way is the greatest responsibility for the safety of oneself and others. What do you think about this?