Getting on and off airplanes?
Answers:
The pilot sits on the left - therefore he has a better view when he taxiis up the the terminal if he's aiming at a disembarkation point on his side of the aircraft.
Obviously there are emergency exit doors on the right side (which work - I hope!) but my guess is that it's safer and quicker to get people used to always leaving in the same direction irrespective of what aircraft they're on.
Some airliners (the Caravelle, I believe) used to have a door underneath at the back which folded down and had steps inside.
Yes, its called the way that the jetways are set up to access the doors. They cant exactly back the plane in- in part because planes dont have a "reverse" gear. So there has to be a standard that all use.
At most airports, if you went out the right-hand door, you'd simply fall to the ground. Airlines have determined that there is a statistically significant, direct correlation between people falling from their planes (whether grounded or aloft) and the number of personal injury lawsuits filed against them.
if planes then don't have a reverse gear how do they get out of that position if they are facing the terminal?
On most airlines, the doors are the same on the left and right. We use the left door because the jetway is set up for that. We use the right doors for catering at the gate. When United had the United Shuttle, they would unload the 737 from the front and back left doors. The back would use stairs.
On some large jets (747, 777) they use two jetways. One towards the frount and one in the middle.
Cowgirl, they use small pushback tugs to push the planes away from the gates so that they can taxi to the runway.
you can use both doors its just the airports youve been too do it that way
ive gotten in airplanes using the second and even very back doors befoore, but all on the lleft side. the righthand doors are usually reserved for catering, emergencies, etc.
cowgirl, planes DO have reversers, usually used forlanding, but some airlines, like airtran acually use them to get out of gates instead of tugs which cost some good money
You ask a very interesting question but you are basing the idea on a flawed concept.
Those people who get "on" and "off" airplanes are very few. Flight crews and most seasoned passengers get "into" and "out of" aircraft.
As a trained and experienced aircraft accident investigator I can assure you, the inside of the aircraft is immeasurably safer than anywhere else. Especially if your intention is to fly.
I'm sorry, I couldn't resist. I just love that comparison.
To answer your question though, boarding and disembarking from the left side has been going on for centuries. If you care to check you will find that the port side of a ship is also the left side.
Additionally, the command pilot sits on the left side of an aircraft. In the early days of flight, any signals from the control tower to the aircraft were accomplished through the use of colored lights. Since the control tower and the terminal frequently shared the same building it became the norm to board and deplane through the left side of the aircraft. Then when the jet ways came into service they simply continued the process. It is now a standard, just like the hot water faucet is on the left and the cold on the right. Most commercial aircraft, especially larger ones, have several door, roughly, equally divided between the left and right side of the aircraft. Some of the doors on the right are configured for passenger loading and unloading but are only used under unusual circumstances. All doors will be used as necessary during an emergency evacuation.
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