Humvee + parachute

If you can drop a tank or a humvee out of an airplane with a parachute on it, and the tank is okay when it lands, why don't they put parachutes on small airplanes, or even big airplanes for that matter? If your planes engines failed, why couldn't you just open the parachute and float down? The landing might be a little rough but you would probably live? You could even empty the fuel on the way doen so you didn't blow up. Let me know.

Jack

Answer:  Answer to the question titled 'Humvee + parachute'. Your idea is a very good one, indeed parachutes would be good on a plane that is crashing, but my friend this will never happen due to the influence of the Hollywood action film industry. The Hollywood 'fat cats' wouldn't let an idea like this happen because of the dramatic effect a burning plane plunging to earth. I mean would u rather watch a plane gently float down to earth or have it crash into the ground and explode in a super cool BOOM! I rest my case. Thanks Rugbymad84 for this answer.

Well, did not know who to contact on this one, so I was going to wait for an intelligent answer to come in the e-mail box.  Never got one :) but we did get one that makes enough sense for us to post.  Here is another answer from Rich W:

Dear sirs,

Regarding your Humvee + Parachute question: Actually there IS a parachute for airplanes available. I remember reading about it in either scientific american or popular mechanics several years ago. Basically this parachute is only available for small personal planes (such as a Cessna). The idea is that if there is some emergency where the plane is going to crash, you could trigger the chute and descend vertically. Yes, you and the plane may get banged up but at least you won't get killed. The chute would be mounted package style above the plane and opened via a trigger mechanism by the pilot.

You can forget about having a parachute for larger planes. I recall reading that it would be pretty much impossible. Anything larger than a Cessna (which honestly is probably lighter than a regular car) would not be feasible for parachutes, and would probably hit the ground like a brick - Chute or no chute.

Hope this helps,
-Rich W

Thanks for calling us sirs, we never get respect any other way.