Interesting Chanel 4 Documentary

[ogr1]

The Plane Crash.
International team of scientists deliberately crash a retired 727 packed with cameras & accelerometers.
End result, it seems the engineers and designers have got it all wrong.
The 'brace' position it seems has a detrimental effect on your survival, especially if you do survive and
have to exit the downed plane....Marvelous.

https://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-plane-crash

 

[Cougar377]

Sorry, whenever I see the phrase "Channel 4 documentary" I automatically substitute it for the words "bullshit on a monumental scale".

I don't even trust their weather forecasts.

 

[Squag1]

I saw that or similar.
It was interesting to see how the plane fragmented.

 

[DEG5Y]

If you go back to the eighties, ICI came up with an additive for aviation fuel that was supposed to reduce it's flammability and reduce the risks during a crash.
Just before it was used in the engine it was to be separated out.
They arranged a crash onto a runway modified to deliberately damage the wings and cause a fire.
It went spectacularly wrong!

I can't be certain and the commentary doesn't mention it (seem to remember the documentary at the time) but this looks like the footage.

 

[andyBeaker]

The Plane Crash.
International team of scientists deliberately crash a retired 727 packed with cameras & accelerometers.
End result, it seems the engineers and designers have got it all wrong.
The 'brace' position it seems has a detrimental effect on your survival, especially if you do survive and
have to exit the downed plane....Marvelous.

https://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-plane-crash

That's spoilt it for me - I haven't watched it yet.

 

[Centaur]

That's spoilt it for me - I haven't watched it yet.

Saved you a lot of time then to get on with the housework.

 

[Lee337]

I did read somewhere, many years ago, probably mid 90's that the Brace position was more likely to result in a broken neck in the event of a catastrophic crash. Better to die quickly than slowly & painfully.

Whether that was by design or not wasn't discussed.

 

[andyBeaker]

Still haven't watched it but I will hazard;

• Rear facing seats would be safer
• The mounting frame designs on existing forward facing seats cause a lot of leg injuries
• Sitting at the back is statistically the safest place
• Although the best place to sit is in the black box

 

[T.C]

It has been on several times over the past 4 or 5 years. National Geographic or Discovery channel was the first to show it if memory serves.

Very interesting though

 

[Cougar377]

I did read somewhere, many years ago, probably mid 90's that the Brace position was more likely to result in a broken neck in the event of a catastrophic crash. Better to die quickly than slowly & painfully.

Whether that was by design or not wasn't discussed.

The most likely scenario where the brace position is going to be effective is when an aircraft crashes in a "controlled" manner. i.e. a forced landing. Unfortunately aircraft that fall out the sky are generally out of their normal flight parameters and not descending under much, if any, pilot control.
The crash position that you assume then becomes a bit irrelevant..!

You might as well put your head between your legs and kiss your ass goodbye.

 

[ogr1]

The most likely scenario where the brace position is going to be effective is when an aircraft crashes in a "controlled" manner. i.e. a forced landing. Unfortunately aircraft that fall out the sky are generally out of their normal flight parameters and not descending under much, if any, pilot control.
The crash position that you assume then becomes a bit irrelevant..!

You might as well put your head between your legs and kiss your ass goodbye.

Basically they said it was due to the posture of the brace position I.e. leaning
forward with your weight over ones knees, this put a heavy load bearing on your lower legs and unable to move once the the gravity kicks in, the seat moves forward on impact and more or less crushes or decapitates your ankles and thus rendering you unable to move when safe to do so, multiply that by threat of fire and the smoke inhaled, then it's curtains for you. Coincidentally, the dummy that was not strapped in and indeed various witness accounts of survivors in real air crashes stated that they ignored the emergency warnings via the pilot regarding 'brace' for whatever reason? and survived the crash.

 

[Lee337]

Mythbusters did a couple of experiments around various brace positions. They bolted a couple of aircraft seats to a platform & basically dropped it from varying heights. First using Buster, their crash test dummy with various sensors attached, then with Adam sitting in the seat.

I seem to remember Adam suffered a cracked bone while performing the experiment, think it was his knee but not certain. the video below makes no mention of this however.

 

[ogr1]

Mythbusters did a couple of experiments around various brace positions. They bolted a couple of aircraft seats to a platform & basically dropped it from varying heights. First using Buster, their crash test dummy with various sensors attached, then with Adam sitting in the seat.

I seem to remember Adam suffered a cracked bone while performing the experiment, think it was his knee but not certain. the video below makes no mention of this however.

Yarp, I remember that one and the crew did suffer some injures.

 

[andyBeaker]

Basically they said it was due to the posture of the brace position I.e. leaning
forward with your weight over ones knees, this put a heavy load bearing on your lower legs and unable to move once the the gravity kicks in, the seat moves forward on impact and more or less crushes or decapitates your ankles and thus rendering you unable to move when safe to do so, multiply that by threat of fire and the smoke inhaled, then it's curtains for you. Coincidentally, the dummy that was not strapped in and indeed various witness accounts of survivors in real air crashes stated that they ignored the emergency warnings via the pilot regarding 'brace' for whatever reason? and survived the crash.

Slight correction...in the programme the dummy that wasn't strapped in ended up more or less under the seat in front - they called it 'submarining'.

Over the years a number of things have occurred to me on this subject;

• Why isn't there video as well as data recording, at least in the cockpit
• Would passenger airbags help at all?
• Why do the beacons that help locate data recorders only last around thirty days?

No doubt there are technical restrictions around some of this stuff but I can't help wondering.

 

[Dark Angel]

• Why isn't there video as well as data recording, at least in the cockpit

 

[ogr1]

Slight correction...in the programme the dummy that wasn't strapped in ended up more or less under the seat in front - they called it 'submarining'.

Over the years a number of things have occurred to me on this subject;

• Why isn't there video as well as data recording, at least in the cockpit
• Would passenger airbags help at all?
• Why do the beacons that help locate data recorders only last around thirty days?

No doubt there are technical restrictions around some of this stuff but I can't help wondering.

Yarp, correction the 'braced' dummy suffered more injuries than the unbraced one, even though both were strapped in.