4 more seats being added to the A321's

[BoeingBoy]

I'm usually in favor of smaller government and less regulation, but this is an area where I wish the feds would put their foot down. I've never understood how the airlines can get away with blocking 2L&R on most 757s with four seats (on AA, row 9). They're nice seats with lots of legroom, to be sure, but don't they slow down an evacuation thru those doors?

There are two minimum specifications for the width of the pathway from the aisle to the emergency exits. A wider path is for where a full row of seats (3 on Boeing/Airbus narrowbodies in coach) is between the aisle and exit and a narrower path is allowed if there isn't an A or F seat next to the exit. As I recall without looking it up, there are also two different requirements depending on the type of exit - overwing, floor level door, possibly widebody type door vs narrowbody (door opening width difference).

As long as the flow of people to the exit is sufficient to fully utilize the exit, in theory it wouldn't slow down evacuation. But the minimum specs don't allow any extra room at all - a narrowbody with no A or F seat next to the overwing exit can have less than31" seat pitch, which means the pathway between rows is maybe 12" wide. But with 2 overwing exits on each side, there are 3 pathways on each side to those exits.

Jim

 

[SKY HIGH]

3 seats being added in front of row 22ABC and 1 in row 9 making 9DEF instead of 9DE.

.............recheck your facts. You cant have another seat in row 9DE. The jumpseat is there.

 

[nycbusdriver]

I flew in web seats on the KC135...not too terrible, the cockpit was open to visit, as was the refueler's nest. And as an airplane geek, when will you ever get to fly a 707?

If you look at the factory nameplate riveted to the KC-135 door jamb, you would see that it is NOT a 707. The factory designation for the KC-135 is the 717.

And the systems and configuration of the KC-135 is radically different than the 707. As an opener, he KC-135 has no flight engineer position.

So, sorry to burst your bubble, but your KC-135 ride was not on a 707. Maybe you can call John Travolta and get a ride on his 707.

 

[nycbusdriver]

I'm usually in favor of smaller government and less regulation, but this is an area where I wish the feds would put their foot down. I've never understood how the airlines can get away with blocking 2L&R on most 757s with four seats (on AA, row 9). They're nice seats with lots of legroom, to be sure, but don't they slow down an evacuation thru those doors?

Sounds like US is doing the same on its A321s?

You're missing the point entirely.

That "Safety First" rule that is found in every airline operation manual is just fluff. Safety is ok as long as it doesn't too obviously interfere with profits. US Airways takes that to an art form.