Flight secrets: Can a plane ACTUALLY land on water? Pilot reveals truth and it might shock
FLIGHTS are not that rare for the majority of people these days but there’s plenty about flying that many travellers still don’t know. There are often instructions on how to evacuate the plane if it lands on water, and now a pilot has revealed whether a plane can actually land on water.
Flights and how planes work remains a mystery for the vast majority of travellers. Many fliers worry about the possibility of a plane crash and how easy it is for a plane to land in an emergency. The Miracle on the Hudson is a well-known story to many - when pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger III landed US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River after the aircraft lost all engine power. However, was this a one-off incident or can planes actually land on water? A pilot has revealed the truth to Express.co.uk.
Flights: Pilot reveals the truth about whether a plane can land on water
The good news is that modern aircraft can indeed land on water - otherwise known as ditching - but they’re not actually designed to do so.
“Planes can land on water but they’re not really designed to specifically,” the pilot - who wished to remain anonymous - said.
“Aircraft are able to land on water but it depends on the way in which the plane is flown onto the water.
“The speed, water state and the aircraft pitch or roll can all have a massive effect
“You need preferably flat water and a well-controlled descent (or ditching) to have a positive outcome.”
If a plane lands on water, cabin air valves which are underwater can be closed by the pilot with a switch in the cockpit, otherwise, they would let in water.
The plane would stay afloat long enough for all the passengers to exit the aircraft via the inflated slides.
Passengers should wear their life jackets but it’s absolutely vital they don’t inflate them inside the cabin.
One reason is that an inflated jacket will make it harder for passengers to exit through the door and obstruct other travellers. It could also tear during the escape which would make the jacket pointless.
Another, lesser known, reason is that the jackets could - ironically - cause passengers to drown if a plane is submerged.
If the plane fills with water, passengers who inflate their vests will be unable to get out of the doors as they will float to the top of the plane.
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According to TV show Air Crash Investigation, a crash in 1996 revealed what happens when passengers inflate their life jackets in the cabin.
Ethiopian Airlines Flight 961 was hijacked on 23 November, which resulted in a crash landing on the water.
Of the 175 passengers, 125 people died, with an investigation revealing that many perished after inflating their jackets inside and being trapped by rising water.
This is because they were trapped in their seats when the cabin sank into the water and filled with water.
The pilot also shared his top tips for passengers in an emergency situation. “Listen to the crew, don’t take your bags and stay in the brace position when instructed,” he said.