Would You Board a Plane With a Detachable Cabin?

Flying is safe. We all know this. Yet despite constant reminders, it can take just one case of bad turbulence at 35,000 feet to unnerve us. And in the event of a plane crash, there’s not much you can do except buckle in, assume the position, and practice your breathing techniques. But what if a newly patented design for a detachable cabin could offer a safer alternative?

RELATED: How to Survive a Plane Crash

Russian inventor Vladamir Nikolaevich has revealed his design for a passenger cabin equipped with parachutes that can be ejected from the rest of the aircraft. The idea is that in an event of an emergency, the passengers will be separated from the airplane and gently float to safety on the wings of a parachute.

The cabin is also equipped with rubber tubes that inflate to cushion the impact and serve as flotation devices in the event of a water landing. The video below illustrates how it works:

As cartoonish as the idea may seem, it might just be crazy enough to work. But there are a few things that give critics pause. First of all, having an airplane segmented into pieces will weaken the structure of the airplane and introduces new opportunities for things to malfunction.

Secondly, how much safer will you be if your parachute lands you and your cabin-mates into the side of a mountain or a building? Not to mention you’ll have to pay a hefty price to get a seat in one of these parachute-equipped cabins.

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If you do survive, you’ll be glad to know that the cargo section will also be ejected from the plane and your luggage will be coming along for the ride.

The idea is still far from taking off, but what do you think? Is it too far-fetched or is it better than nothing?

Would you board a plane with a detachable cabin? #travel #detachableplane #inventions

— SmarterTravel (@SmarterTravel) January 22, 2016

More from SmarterTravel:

• The New Airline Seats from Hell
• 10 Best Airline Safety Videos
• How Safe is Your Airline? Here’s How to Tell

Jamie Ditaranto has always dreamed of skydiving, but even she’s not sure about this one. Follow her on Twitter @jamieditaranto.

(Photo: nukar / YouTube)