Originally Posted by
Coagie
Although surviving an ocean ditching may be statistically low nowadays, the rafts, life jackets, etc are a bit of a throwback to when a survivable ocean ditching was quite possible. Back in the days when aircraft were much slower and had better glide ratios, in the pre-jet age, ocean ditching happened enough to justify rafts and life jackets. Piston engine aircraft were overall less reliable, so might have to ditch in the ocean, while still somewhat flyable. In today's reliable, but fast jet aircraft, the few times things go wrong, there's a good chance they go very wrong. A compromise in air worthiness often is either non-catastrophic or catastrophic. In the old days, there was an in between, where life jackets and rafts might come in handy. You might call it "Semi-catastrophic".
I personally feel good about the life rafts, etc still being in use, even if they are a throwback.
I agree that is is probably easier to ditch a piston airliner, but.....
Modern jetliners should have better glide ratios than old piston airliners.
Just ask Captain Bob Pearson of the "Gimli Glider", or Captain Robert Piché of Air Transat Flight 236.
