If a plane is full of the morbidly obese, will it take off?

[Red Squirrel]

Hmm interesting theory, I think it makes sense. Some fatties take up 2.5 seats. Two of em actually make up for 3 passengers.

 

[roguerower]

Is the maximum takeoff weight exceeded? If yes, then no. If no, then yes.

Also, is the aircraft's CG still within the acceptable limits?

Stupid question with simple answers.

 

[Imp]

Two or Three seats per person, so fewer people total will board, so jackpot.

 

[jtvang125]

If the plane crashed and burned how long will the smell of bacon linger and how far away will you smell it?

 

[ichy]

Well, an airliner should have enough excess thrust that it can take off after losing an engine at V1, so in a normal takeoff they should be fine. Lose an engine during a critical phase of flight and you might have a bigger problem.

 

[JTsyo]

this is quite easily calculated.

747-400

Empty weight: 393,263 lb
Max weight: 875,000 lb

cargo capacity: 481,737 lb
Passengers: 524

Max weight per passenger: 919 lb
So passenger+luggage can equal 919, so say 400lb guy + 519lb luggage

People that say the plane wouldn't take off are servery underestimating the lift capabilities of these planes. Someone else can look at the numbers for another type.

 

[xanis]

I did some quick math on this, and here's what I came up with.

We'll use a Boeing 737-300/400/500 for this scenario, which is a common narrow-body jet used by several carriers in the United States. It seats 126 passengers in a typical dual-class setup, and has an average maximum takeoff weight of 144,250lbs.

The average American male weights 191lbs, with the average American female coming in at 164lbs. Assuming that half of the passengers are male and the other half are female, this gives us a total weight of 22,365lbs.

Some sources roughly define obesity as being 100lbs over your ideal body weight. This is a generalization, but good enough for our purposes here. So then, the average male in this scenario would weigh in at 291lbs, with our females at 264lbs. If we can fit each of these individuals in one seat, our takeoff weight goes from 22,365 to 34,965. Let's also assume that some, but not all, of the passengers don't fit in their seats. We'll say that there are 25% less seats available, which brings us 94.5 out of 126 seats.

At only 75% seat utilization, and 291lbs male/264lbs female (split evenly between all passengers), we get a total passenger weight of 26,223lbs. The average empty operating weight of a Boeing 737 variant is 71,585lbs. Combined with the weight of the passengers, we get a total weight of 97,808.

Let's take some luggage into account, just for shits and giggles. There's some data out there that suggests 40-50lbs total for carry-on and checked, so let's split the difference and say that each passenger is bringing 45lbs of luggage total. At 94.5 passengers, we get a total luggage weight of 4,252.5lbs.

Putting all of the numbers together, we get the following:

Total weight for obese airplane: 102,060 lbs

Total weight for normal airplane: 99,620 lbs

So the, we get a difference of 2,440lbs between the obese and normal airplanes. Taking into consideration that the takeoff weight of a 737 variant is somewhere around 144,000lbs, I conclude that both airplanes easily take off, but the airplane carrying the obese people weights more.

---

I probably made some errors in my math, so this isn't going to be exact but you all get the point.

 

[Ruptga]

Rather than risk a flight, why not rent a boat? Tow them behind, they will float.

 

[WelshBloke]

Are we allowed to liposuction them and refine it into fuel on the way?

 

[lord_emperor]

Are we allowed to liposuction them and refine it into fuel on the way?

^ This guy for president, just solved the obesity epidemic and energy crisis.

 

[xanis]

Are we allowed to liposuction them and refine it into fuel on the way?

This might be the best idea ever. We can eliminate the need for expensive jet fuel and solve America's obesity epidemic all in one go. We could just entice the fatties by letting them fly free if they agree to the program.

*bows to WelshBloke*

 

[WelshBloke]

This might be the best idea ever. We can eliminate the need for expensive jet fuel and solve America's obesity epidemic all in one go. We could just entice the fatties by letting them fly free if they agree to the program.

*bows to WelshBloke*

You could export your excess fatties as fuel to china as well!

 

[coreyb]

I was recently on a flight that was overweight. We had to take off a bunch of luggage and drive around the runway to burn off fuel to make weight. So yes, it's easily possible to go over the limit. This was a commercial airplane.

 

[thegimp03]

Hopefully instead of taking off it just goes off the end of the runaway and results in no survivors.

I'm a terrible person for laughing so hard at this statement.

 

[marvdmartian]

Since each of them takes up two seats, instead of one, there's only half as many of them on board, so the total weight won't be much different. Yes, it will take off, with or without the damn treadmill.

 

[SKORPI0]

It will take off, less number of seats available. They should have a "fatties" section in the plane.

Business/First class - in front
Fatties - middle
Economy - middle to back.

 

[LOL_Wut_Axel]

Since each of them takes up two seats, instead of one, there's only half as many of them on board, so the total weight won't be much different. Yes, it will take off, with or without the damn treadmill.

Ignore the trolls.

 

[WelshBloke]

It will take off, less number of seats available. They should have a "fatties" section in the plane.

Business/First class - in front
Fatties - middle
Economy - middle to back.

You could get them to run to the back on take off and run to the front to land.

Well I say run...

 

[Lithium381]

delta airlines ftw

 

[Lithium381]

It will take off, less number of seats available. They should have a "fatties" section in the plane.

Business/First class - in front
Fatties - middle
Economy - middle to back.

and have the seats be the same size? bigger? cost the same?

 

[hanoverphist]

wow, i almost get banned for calling myself a beloved patriot and you fucknuts can openly be asshat cocksuckers like this. i hope you all meet a "fatty" this weekend that crushes your spine and fucks you in the ear, you worthless pieces of shit.

at least show some humanity, even tho its way more than you deserve.

 

[preslove]

wow, i almost get banned for calling myself a beloved patriot and you fucknuts can openly be asshat cocksuckers like this. i hope you all meet a "fatty" this weekend that crushes your spine and fucks you in the ear, you worthless pieces of shit.

at least show some humanity, even tho its way more than you deserve.

And it begins... [/devioushandwarming]

 

[DCal430]

I fly 3-5 times a year, and never have I seen someone not able to fit in a single seat. This includes people who are clearly over 300lbs. So those who are spilling over into another seat must be 400+ lbs.

 

[LOL_Wut_Axel]

wow, i almost get banned for calling myself a beloved patriot and you fucknuts can openly be asshat cocksuckers like this. i hope you all meet a "fatty" this weekend that crushes your spine and fucks you in the ear, you worthless pieces of shit.

at least show some humanity, even tho its way more than you deserve.

Pretty much typical of here, unfortunately. If your opinion isn't popular or you disagree with most of what others say or think you'll end up getting in trouble in many occasions. The ones who disagree will insult you and if you respond back the same way to them you'll be the only one to get in trouble.

Since it's encouraged and the opinion of many here that we should insult fat people they're let to run free and say whatever they want. The fact that nothing is done about it just encourages them to do it more.

They need to be more consistent about how rules are applied. It should be either all or none; not some.

 

[CFP]

Why is it that in America, there is so much anti-fat sentiment yet there are so many fat people?

I suppose the anti-fats came about after people started balooning.

When did that happen? If you look at great depression era images, there's like not a single fat person.