Accessibility Isn't Rocket Science—Or Is It?

Disclaimer: I’ve been asked to write down some of the speeches I’ve given recently, and this is one of them. I recently presented this topic at the All Wheels Up Conference on September 11th (2024), hosted at the U.S. Department of Transportation Volpe Center in Boston.

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard the phrase, “We sent people to the moon, so making an airplane cabin accessible should be a piece of cake.” On the surface, it sounds logical: if we can accomplish something as monumental as landing a human on the moon, surely making a few changes to an airplane should be easy. But here's the truth—accessibility isn’t rocket science. It's far more complicated.

The Apollo program, which made the moon landing possible, involved 400,000 employees and took eight years to complete, with a total cost, adjusted for inflation, of $257 billion. That's a monumental undertaking that was successful because of massive investment, focused collaboration, and long-term planning.

In contrast, the aviation industry isn’t investing nearly that level of money into making cabins accessible. Accessibility isn’t a simple add-on; it's an engineering challenge of our lifetime. It’s about designing systems that serve millions of people with diverse needs. While the technology and solutions are available, the industry isn’t prioritizing the resources necessary to meet these needs—funding, workforce, and research. As engineers, that means we need to be both practical and creative.

Consider wheelchair accessibility. Designing a cabin where wheelchair users can move freely isn’t as simple as adding more space. It requires rethinking seating arrangements, lavatories, and how people with reduced mobility interact with their environment. And all of this must be done without compromising other passengers' comfort, safety, or convenience.

Similarly, designing for blind/low vision or deaf/hard of hearing goes beyond placing tactile signs or offering hearing aids. We must integrate these considerations throughout the journey—from boarding to in-flight navigation—so passengers can move through the cabin independently and communicate efficiently.

This is where inclusive systems engineering comes in. We’re not just designing individual features; we’re engineering a holistic, interconnected experience. Every element of the cabin, from seats to signage to technology, must work harmoniously to ensure that all passengers, regardless of ability, can navigate their journey seamlessly.

Accessibility is a complex, long-term challenge that demands significant resources and sustained effort. It’s not a quick fix, but it is an achievable goal. And like the Apollo program, it requires ingenuity, collaboration, and dedication. The industry may not be investing at the scale we need, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make meaningful progress. It simply means we must be more innovative, resourceful, and determined than ever.

So, the next time someone says, “It’s not rocket science,” remember this: it’s even more complicated than that. But with compassion, creativity, and practical engineering, we can make air travel accessible to everyone.