majka@ubc-vision.UUCP (Marc Majka) (01/09/86)
Please forgive the ignorance of this aviation-non-expert, but why is it desirable that passengers should sit facing backward? It has been a good puzzle to try to figure it out, but I give up! --- Marc Majka
irwin@uiucdcs.CS.UIUC.EDU (01/10/86)
So that the BACK OF THE SEAT absorbs the energy of your body coming to a sudden stop (crash) instead of the seat belt cutting you in two or breaking and you impact the seat in front of you, face first. (Ouch)
cfiaime@ihnp3.UUCP (J. Williams) (01/11/86)
In article <42@ubc-vision.UUCP> majka@ubc-vision.UUCP (Marc Majka) writes: > >... why is it >desirable that passengers should sit facing backward? This has to do with restraining the body during deceleration. A person facing foreward has the seat belts holding him/her in place. With only a lap belt, there is quite a possibility of internal injury. Also, it is easy to hit your head on the seat ahead if you are not in a braced position. While facing backwards, the seat itself can absorb much of the deceleration forces, and the passenger's head can not hit the seat ahead. Auto or airplane crash worthiness depends on protecting the passenger during the few microseconds of deceleration. Rear facing seats add quite a bit of survivability to a crash. However, the American public is not a bit safety conscience and will not accept something as "weird" as riding backwards. jeff williams ihnp3!cfiaime AT&T Bell Laboratories
bl@hplabsb.UUCP (01/11/86)
> > Please forgive the ignorance of this aviation-non-expert, but why is it > desirable that passengers should sit facing backward? It has been a good > puzzle to try to figure it out, but I give up! It's so that the passengers won't be frightened to death when they see the ground rushing up to meet them during a crash. :-) Actually, the theory is that the human body can withstand higher G forces if it is distributed evenly along the back side rather than against a strap (i.e., seat belt). However, any forces that the plane experiences where seating backward would help will surely be non-survivable for other reasons (e.g., the seats will rip lose). Personally, I feel that backward seating would be of little value in a crash. The major killer is fire and smoke. Also, a major cause of injuries in an emergency landing are the passengers tripping over each other while evacuating (or falling out of) the plane.
E8D@PSUVM.BITNET (01/13/86)
One disadvantage I heard about traveling backwards is that it contributes
to motion-sickness (not that that's been a problem for me anywhere but
in the back of a Beaver.)
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