Ukrainian Designs Detachable Plane Cabin In Case Of Crash: Is It Feasible?

If there was ever a possibility of one surviving a plane crash, who would let that slip?

Vladimir Tatarenko, an aviation engineer from Ukraine, has been periodically working for three years to devise a method through which one would be able to create a detachable plane cabin that would then be ejected within seconds in case of emergency. 

This cabin, if devised, would be able to land on both ground and water. It has a bunch of parachutes attached to the roof, as well as inflatable rubber tubes to keep it afloat if that is necessary. Speaking to LiveLeak, the inventor stated that surviving a plane crash was quite possible. But while aircraft engineers all over the world were trying to make planes a lot safer, they would not be able to do anything about the human factor. 

Needless to say, there are a few pitfalls here- in the event of an explosion, or if the plane was under a rocket attack, a detachable body will not help. Also, some have argued that the detachable cabin could, in some way, undermine the entire structural integrity of the plane. 

A Detachable Cabin In A Plane Brings A Whole Host Of Other Problems

The main idea behind the detachable cabin of the plane is that in the event of an emergency, the pilot would push a button that would allow the cabin- filled with passengers and cargo- to separate from the rest of the plane. It would then float down safely with the help of the parachutes attached.

But this begs the question- what about the pilots? Also, what would happen if the cabin landed on water? In that particular situation, inflatable tubes would be at the helm to keep things afloat. According to a video uploaded on YouTube last month, the creator is looking for investors who would help in bringing this idea to fruition. 

Costs And Durability Are Big Questions

First, the cost of creating, and testing this new aircraft would be, as they say, quite extravagant. Interestingly, airlines already spend between $100 million and $350 million per aircraft as it is, and the sum is without the yearly maintenance costs. There would be little reason and motivation to replace a trustworthy fleet with an untested concept, considering plane crash fatalities are quite rare. 

Also, according to the airline association IATA, in 2014, out of the 3.3 billion passengers that traveled, there were just about 641 fatalities. This, for those who are unaware, is an astoundingly high rate of safety. So, there could be an argument made that the money would be better spent addressing diseases of the heart, which killed close to 610,000 individuals in the States alone. 

Keeping aside the financial argument, having a detachable cabin does sound pretty dubious. This was commented upon by one follower on Tatarenko’s YouTube page. The commenter wrote that the whole concept would dramatically weaken the entire airframe because now one would have joints and fittings to connect the entire fuselage and a body together where there was one whole fuselage to reinforce this airframe.

Also, there is still the question about where the ejected cabin would end up landing- and if it would conveniently land on a flat piece of earth. For there are possibilities and chances that it could hit buildings and mountains along the way.

Source List:

  1. https://www.boredpanda.com/detachable-cabin-plane-crash-aircraft-safety-vladimir-tatarenko/
  2. https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/detachable-cabin-futuristic-plane/index.html

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