What an interesting thought, building a swimming pool in a large airplane, like the Airbus 380 or even the gargantuan Antonov 225. At first glance, it sounds like an ultimate luxury—a way to redefine high flying. Yet, practicality and physics throw cold water on this hot idea.
Firstly, let’s talk about weight. Water is heavy, weighing about 8.34 pounds per gallon. A small swimming pool holding 5,000 gallons of water would weigh over 41,700 pounds. That’s a substantial amount of weight, and we haven’t even started on the structure needed to support and contain the pool safely during flight. In a realm where airlines charge extra for luggage over a certain weight, adding tens of thousands of pounds for a pool seems, well, economically unviable.
Then, there’s the issue of safety. Air travel is subject to a lot of movements—turbulence, take-off, and landing can produce significant shifts and forces. A pool would be a nightmare during turbulence. Imagine water sloshing around, not just for the mess but as a safety hazard for passengers and the integrity of the aircraft itself. Engineers design planes to be as safe as possible, and a mobile mass of water inside the aircraft introduces unpredictable factors.
Now, consider the logistics. For such a pool to be feasible, you’d need a robust filtration and sterilization system to keep the water clean, not to mention heating it since high altitudes can get quite cold. All of these systems add more weight and complexity. Also, where would you put such a pool? The bulk of passenger and freight aircraft is optimized for carrying as many passengers or as much cargo as possible. A pool would take away precious space that could be used to generate revenue or carry essential goods.
But let’s say, for the sake of argument, someone managed to solve all these problems. The aircraft would still face significant regulatory hurdles. Aviation authorities are incredibly stringent about safety and adding something as unconventional as a swimming pool would certainly raise eyebrows and a mountain of paperwork.
So, while having a pool on a plane might seem like the pinnacle of luxury air travel, the reality of engineering, safety, economics, and regulation keep it firmly in the realm of imagination. For now, we’ll have to stick to enjoying our swims before we fly, and dream of what could be from the comfort of our seats—perhaps on a flight from Portland to some exotic destination, imagining the future of air travel.
Author – Scott Krager
