Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums GT Research Out there - looking for response to DS statement

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DS7 last night told me how to protect myself in a plane crash. He said as the plane is approaching the ground, walk out on the wing, and at the last second jump off. I tried to say that whether or not I was on the wing I would be falling with the same velocity as the plane and I couldn't just jump off, and if I did, I'd land just as hard, but I was foundering in my explanation. Ignoring the practicalities (of the ensuing explosion, the inability to walk on the wing of a falling plane, etc.), can some of you math/science types tell me why? Thanks.

Wow, that's an amazing thought process for DS7. Wouldn't it be awesome if some aerodynamics engineer posts that he actually had something to his idea.
Something to think of: If the plane would burst into flames on impact, your son would be right to propose that you could survive by jumping off the wing at the right moment. Theoretically, of course. What a little smarty!!!!!!!!

Incog

I'm not math and science-y, but I can take a crack at it.

DS7's plan won't work because you're moving at the same velocity as the plane when you jump. So unless you can jump in the opposite direction at the same speed the plane is going at when it's crashing, you're still hitting the ground HARD. Humans can't jump that well!

BTW, "Mythbusters" tried this, only with a falling elevator. (Same principles in action, though.) I think they found that jumping didn't even help with that, and the speed would be a lot slower because you wouldn't have time to reach maximum velocity, as you would presumably do with a plane.

Thanks for the responses.

He is a mythbusters fan. We'll have to look for that episode.

Yes, I saw that episode. I love mythbusters! We watch it together like most families watch Dancing with the stars!!
Take the burning flame plane scenario, though. Even if you couldn't manage to jump free from the plane, If you were on the edge of the wing, your body would be thrown upon impact, thereby, placing you away from the burning plane. So who has a better chance at survival. Joe sitting in the burning plane or Joe thrown from the wing upon impact?

I

I think it comes down to whether you want to be crunched and charcoal or just crunched. But I think you're probably equally dead either way.



<I'm not quite dead yet! Think I'll go for a walk...>

heee heee heeeee.

Maybe some exploration into the whole idea would be fun.
I did a google search on these three words 'jet ejection seat' and found some interesting things which would help illustrate even the impossibility of jumping.
This is one of the links that came up, and probably beyond the capability of all but a few 7 year olds, but something to dream about:
the math behind ejection seats

OHGrandma, thank you. This is perfect. Of course, I don't want to go too much into the I'm just out of luck scenario, as DS wants to ensure that I'm safe if I have to travel (but for the record, I would choose crunch over crunch and charcoal just in case the charcoal came first). And Dottie, I'm with you. When he was telling me this last night while he was in the bath (where most of the deep thoughts seem to come out), I was thinking, how do I get out on the wing? Exit row, maybe? LOL!

How about "More accidents happen in the bathroom than in a plane"?

Or would he then be worried that he was in danger and never bathe again?