Why are the 737's rear doors unusable in a water landing?












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The 737's rear exit doors cannot be used to evacuate the aircraft in the event of a water landing, as shown, for example, in this safety card:



737 safety card



(Image from flight-report, via Jordy here at AvSE.)



In contrast, the rear doors on (for instance) the A320 series can be used for a water evacuation:



A319 safety card



(Image by Czechnology here at AvSE.)



Why can't the 737's rear doors be used during a water landing?










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$endgroup$

















    1












    $begingroup$


    The 737's rear exit doors cannot be used to evacuate the aircraft in the event of a water landing, as shown, for example, in this safety card:



    737 safety card



    (Image from flight-report, via Jordy here at AvSE.)



    In contrast, the rear doors on (for instance) the A320 series can be used for a water evacuation:



    A319 safety card



    (Image by Czechnology here at AvSE.)



    Why can't the 737's rear doors be used during a water landing?










    share|improve this question









    $endgroup$















      1












      1








      1





      $begingroup$


      The 737's rear exit doors cannot be used to evacuate the aircraft in the event of a water landing, as shown, for example, in this safety card:



      737 safety card



      (Image from flight-report, via Jordy here at AvSE.)



      In contrast, the rear doors on (for instance) the A320 series can be used for a water evacuation:



      A319 safety card



      (Image by Czechnology here at AvSE.)



      Why can't the 737's rear doors be used during a water landing?










      share|improve this question









      $endgroup$




      The 737's rear exit doors cannot be used to evacuate the aircraft in the event of a water landing, as shown, for example, in this safety card:



      737 safety card



      (Image from flight-report, via Jordy here at AvSE.)



      In contrast, the rear doors on (for instance) the A320 series can be used for a water evacuation:



      A319 safety card



      (Image by Czechnology here at AvSE.)



      Why can't the 737's rear doors be used during a water landing?







      boeing-737 evacuation ditching






      share|improve this question













      share|improve this question











      share|improve this question




      share|improve this question










      asked 2 hours ago









      SeanSean

      5,64132768




      5,64132768






















          2 Answers
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          $begingroup$

          The bottom of the door opening sits too close to, or below, the water line when the airplane is floating.






          share|improve this answer









          $endgroup$













          • $begingroup$
            Why would that be a problem for the 737 specifically, rather than for small-to-medium narrowbodies in general?
            $endgroup$
            – Sean
            2 hours ago






          • 1




            $begingroup$
            I think most airliners sit tail low when floating so it would just depend on the rear door configuration from airplane to airplane.
            $endgroup$
            – John K
            1 hour ago



















          1












          $begingroup$

          It all goes back to how the aircraft is designed; the ways different planes float vary.
          when the 737 ditches on water the tail-section of the plane is deeper in the water than front of it, because the wings are a huge floating point and support most of the weight of the aircraft when afloat, and the bigger front of the airplane contains more air so when floating it will be lighter hence pitching the nose up, causing the tail and the rear doors to be below or very close to the water. this is why these doors remain shut in the event of evacuating after an emergency water landing so that water doesn't get in any faster, giving the plane and its passengers and the crew more time to evacuate and stay afloat longer until help arrives.






          share|improve this answer








          New contributor




          AndroidSmoker74 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
          Check out our Code of Conduct.






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          • $begingroup$
            Welcome to Av.SE!
            $endgroup$
            – Ralph J
            38 mins ago










          • $begingroup$
            @RalphJ thanks, I'm very glad to be a member of this community.
            $endgroup$
            – AndroidSmoker74
            31 mins ago












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          2 Answers
          2






          active

          oldest

          votes








          2 Answers
          2






          active

          oldest

          votes









          active

          oldest

          votes






          active

          oldest

          votes









          3












          $begingroup$

          The bottom of the door opening sits too close to, or below, the water line when the airplane is floating.






          share|improve this answer









          $endgroup$













          • $begingroup$
            Why would that be a problem for the 737 specifically, rather than for small-to-medium narrowbodies in general?
            $endgroup$
            – Sean
            2 hours ago






          • 1




            $begingroup$
            I think most airliners sit tail low when floating so it would just depend on the rear door configuration from airplane to airplane.
            $endgroup$
            – John K
            1 hour ago
















          3












          $begingroup$

          The bottom of the door opening sits too close to, or below, the water line when the airplane is floating.






          share|improve this answer









          $endgroup$













          • $begingroup$
            Why would that be a problem for the 737 specifically, rather than for small-to-medium narrowbodies in general?
            $endgroup$
            – Sean
            2 hours ago






          • 1




            $begingroup$
            I think most airliners sit tail low when floating so it would just depend on the rear door configuration from airplane to airplane.
            $endgroup$
            – John K
            1 hour ago














          3












          3








          3





          $begingroup$

          The bottom of the door opening sits too close to, or below, the water line when the airplane is floating.






          share|improve this answer









          $endgroup$



          The bottom of the door opening sits too close to, or below, the water line when the airplane is floating.







          share|improve this answer












          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer










          answered 2 hours ago









          John KJohn K

          24.2k13473




          24.2k13473












          • $begingroup$
            Why would that be a problem for the 737 specifically, rather than for small-to-medium narrowbodies in general?
            $endgroup$
            – Sean
            2 hours ago






          • 1




            $begingroup$
            I think most airliners sit tail low when floating so it would just depend on the rear door configuration from airplane to airplane.
            $endgroup$
            – John K
            1 hour ago


















          • $begingroup$
            Why would that be a problem for the 737 specifically, rather than for small-to-medium narrowbodies in general?
            $endgroup$
            – Sean
            2 hours ago






          • 1




            $begingroup$
            I think most airliners sit tail low when floating so it would just depend on the rear door configuration from airplane to airplane.
            $endgroup$
            – John K
            1 hour ago
















          $begingroup$
          Why would that be a problem for the 737 specifically, rather than for small-to-medium narrowbodies in general?
          $endgroup$
          – Sean
          2 hours ago




          $begingroup$
          Why would that be a problem for the 737 specifically, rather than for small-to-medium narrowbodies in general?
          $endgroup$
          – Sean
          2 hours ago




          1




          1




          $begingroup$
          I think most airliners sit tail low when floating so it would just depend on the rear door configuration from airplane to airplane.
          $endgroup$
          – John K
          1 hour ago




          $begingroup$
          I think most airliners sit tail low when floating so it would just depend on the rear door configuration from airplane to airplane.
          $endgroup$
          – John K
          1 hour ago











          1












          $begingroup$

          It all goes back to how the aircraft is designed; the ways different planes float vary.
          when the 737 ditches on water the tail-section of the plane is deeper in the water than front of it, because the wings are a huge floating point and support most of the weight of the aircraft when afloat, and the bigger front of the airplane contains more air so when floating it will be lighter hence pitching the nose up, causing the tail and the rear doors to be below or very close to the water. this is why these doors remain shut in the event of evacuating after an emergency water landing so that water doesn't get in any faster, giving the plane and its passengers and the crew more time to evacuate and stay afloat longer until help arrives.






          share|improve this answer








          New contributor




          AndroidSmoker74 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
          Check out our Code of Conduct.






          $endgroup$













          • $begingroup$
            Welcome to Av.SE!
            $endgroup$
            – Ralph J
            38 mins ago










          • $begingroup$
            @RalphJ thanks, I'm very glad to be a member of this community.
            $endgroup$
            – AndroidSmoker74
            31 mins ago
















          1












          $begingroup$

          It all goes back to how the aircraft is designed; the ways different planes float vary.
          when the 737 ditches on water the tail-section of the plane is deeper in the water than front of it, because the wings are a huge floating point and support most of the weight of the aircraft when afloat, and the bigger front of the airplane contains more air so when floating it will be lighter hence pitching the nose up, causing the tail and the rear doors to be below or very close to the water. this is why these doors remain shut in the event of evacuating after an emergency water landing so that water doesn't get in any faster, giving the plane and its passengers and the crew more time to evacuate and stay afloat longer until help arrives.






          share|improve this answer








          New contributor




          AndroidSmoker74 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
          Check out our Code of Conduct.






          $endgroup$













          • $begingroup$
            Welcome to Av.SE!
            $endgroup$
            – Ralph J
            38 mins ago










          • $begingroup$
            @RalphJ thanks, I'm very glad to be a member of this community.
            $endgroup$
            – AndroidSmoker74
            31 mins ago














          1












          1








          1





          $begingroup$

          It all goes back to how the aircraft is designed; the ways different planes float vary.
          when the 737 ditches on water the tail-section of the plane is deeper in the water than front of it, because the wings are a huge floating point and support most of the weight of the aircraft when afloat, and the bigger front of the airplane contains more air so when floating it will be lighter hence pitching the nose up, causing the tail and the rear doors to be below or very close to the water. this is why these doors remain shut in the event of evacuating after an emergency water landing so that water doesn't get in any faster, giving the plane and its passengers and the crew more time to evacuate and stay afloat longer until help arrives.






          share|improve this answer








          New contributor




          AndroidSmoker74 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
          Check out our Code of Conduct.






          $endgroup$



          It all goes back to how the aircraft is designed; the ways different planes float vary.
          when the 737 ditches on water the tail-section of the plane is deeper in the water than front of it, because the wings are a huge floating point and support most of the weight of the aircraft when afloat, and the bigger front of the airplane contains more air so when floating it will be lighter hence pitching the nose up, causing the tail and the rear doors to be below or very close to the water. this is why these doors remain shut in the event of evacuating after an emergency water landing so that water doesn't get in any faster, giving the plane and its passengers and the crew more time to evacuate and stay afloat longer until help arrives.







          share|improve this answer








          New contributor




          AndroidSmoker74 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
          Check out our Code of Conduct.









          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer






          New contributor




          AndroidSmoker74 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
          Check out our Code of Conduct.









          answered 43 mins ago









          AndroidSmoker74AndroidSmoker74

          1116




          1116




          New contributor




          AndroidSmoker74 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
          Check out our Code of Conduct.





          New contributor





          AndroidSmoker74 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
          Check out our Code of Conduct.






          AndroidSmoker74 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
          Check out our Code of Conduct.












          • $begingroup$
            Welcome to Av.SE!
            $endgroup$
            – Ralph J
            38 mins ago










          • $begingroup$
            @RalphJ thanks, I'm very glad to be a member of this community.
            $endgroup$
            – AndroidSmoker74
            31 mins ago


















          • $begingroup$
            Welcome to Av.SE!
            $endgroup$
            – Ralph J
            38 mins ago










          • $begingroup$
            @RalphJ thanks, I'm very glad to be a member of this community.
            $endgroup$
            – AndroidSmoker74
            31 mins ago
















          $begingroup$
          Welcome to Av.SE!
          $endgroup$
          – Ralph J
          38 mins ago




          $begingroup$
          Welcome to Av.SE!
          $endgroup$
          – Ralph J
          38 mins ago












          $begingroup$
          @RalphJ thanks, I'm very glad to be a member of this community.
          $endgroup$
          – AndroidSmoker74
          31 mins ago




          $begingroup$
          @RalphJ thanks, I'm very glad to be a member of this community.
          $endgroup$
          – AndroidSmoker74
          31 mins ago


















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