Rearward Facing Seats

Post by **Garry Russell** » 14 Mar 2007, 00:52

Recently the subject of some rows facing backwards was raised. As indicated then this was not that unusual but nothing much concrete turned up

It has been mentioned about a forward row on the Trident Three, the other day I saw a interior pic of a Trident two with a forward row facing back across a table.

Viscounts and Heralds certainly had forward rows facing across a table......but they did change seating plans around quite a bit.

I came across while looking for something else a seating plan for a BEA Vanguard 951

I can't scan it so I will describe it

F=forward, R=rearward T=table

rows..

1R (no window)
T
2F
3F
4F
5F
6R
7R
8R
9R
10R
11F
12F
13F
14F
15F (right between windows no proper view)
16F
17F
18F
19F (small window)
21R
T
22F
23F
24F
25F (small window)

So a group forward and back facing across a table and the first five rows in the centre cabin facing back.

There was no table there as that was right next to the rear emergency escape window.

Garry

Stewart Pearson · Post by **Stewart Pearson** » 14 Mar 2007, 01:09

Although a wee bit off the topic, all RAF Transports (Tristar/VC-10/Britannia etc) have/had all seats rear facing.

Cheers

Stewart

Post by **Garry Russell** » 14 Mar 2007, 01:19

Hi Stewart

That's military regulations....and civil aircraft on trooping flights with military serials had the seats turned around, or at least they were supposed to. :think:

I don't know if it's still the case but Australian domestic (at least) had to have rearward facing.

Garry

horse · Post by **horse** » 14 Mar 2007, 02:41

I commenced work with Qantas as an apprentice in Jan 1953 and I have never seen any rearward facing seats on any Australian aircraft.
I recall being shown through one of the last of the Lancastrian, and all their seats were sidewards facing.
I did not get to work on the flying boats, so they may have had them fitted.
During some years in Singapore handling the British Eagle Brtiannia aircraft, on charter to the British services,
and as I recall all were fitted with forward facing seats.
The backup aircraft for the military charters, were the QF/EG172 migrant flights.
The only difference in the seating was that the military flights had some first class seats for the Officer types.
If a migrant aircrat had to be sustituted, we had a small cabin reconfig to carry out.
I do recall seeing, I think it was a Cunnard Britannia and it had rearward facing seats. Looked a bit odd.
Thats my bit for what its worth.

speedbird591 · Post by **speedbird591** » 14 Mar 2007, 08:25

Half of the Club World seats in current BA long-haul aircraft are rear facing. Approximately 35 on 747s and 777s.

Ian

Chris Trott · Post by **Chris Trott** » 14 Mar 2007, 13:29

The C-5A/B is the only USAF aircraft with rearward facing seats. The C-2A Greyhound is the only USN aircraft with rearward facing seats. All other US military aircraft have forward facing seats or forward facing seats on pallets if they are equipped with them at all. The C-130 and C-17 are typically fitted with only the rope seats on the aircraft wall and occasionally rope seats through the middle of the aircraft for paratroops.

There used to be some American Airlines aircraft with the "table" where one row was rearward facing against a forward facing row and a table in the middle, but this was discontinued after it was realized that the tables would become projectiles during an accident and the FAA banned such seating in the late 1980s.

DispatchDragon · Post by **DispatchDragon** » 14 Mar 2007, 13:32

There a several SWA 737s that have club seating in rows 1 and 2

Leif

jab · Post by **jab** » 14 Mar 2007, 16:11

The reason I asked about this on another subject is because I remember seeing it at DUX and could not remember if it was the Trident Three or the VC-10 and a man said that it was to do with some crash law back in the 60's or 70's well I think he said that :redface: :think:

James

Post by **Garry Russell** » 14 Mar 2007, 16:43

Rearward are safer James as in deceleration your are pulled into the seat not thrown out.

They are not popular but some countries and our military used to insist on it but maybe not now.

But we are talking here as you were about some...not all as would be in the case above.

I don't know why the Vanguard or others have some rows facing back....perhaps some folks prefer the safety side but the fore and aft set on the Vanguard and on type used locally with a facing seat at the front was purely to offer a group the use of a table while at the same time not having the front row staring straight into a bulkhead.

The seating plan was often changed many times.

The Vanguard plan was to stress that it was a fact in service, that some seats faced back and not the distant memory of a traveller playing tricks.

The reasons could be many

Garry

cstorey · Post by **cstorey** » 14 Mar 2007, 16:59

Garry Russell wrote:Hi Stewart

I don't know if it's still the case but Australian domestic (at least) had to have rearward facing.

Garry

I have just done a number of Australian domestic flights and none had any rear facing seats. The last time I can remember seeing a rear facing seat was in the Cambrian 1-11 in the early 1970s