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I enter a perfectly normal airplane at a perfectly normal airport and I sit down in a perfectly normal seat. However, so long as I am sitting in this seat, the plane will not start. I'm not in the pilots or co-pilot's seat, and as I am a perfectly normal man, I could definitely be in this seat, but apparently not today. I'm not in an emergency aisle Everyone is on board, including the flight attendants, passengers, pilot, and co-pilot. There is nothing obstructing the plane and the runway. But as long as I sit in this particular seat, the plane will not start.

Why won't the plane start?

Clarifications:

Additionally, the plane is cleared for take off. There is nothing wrong with anything outside of the plane, or with the plane itself. Everyone who is supposed to be in the plane is inside the plane, and no one else is. I'm not a child, and I'm in perfectly good health. The pilot/crew are free to get to wherever they want, and the airline has no seat restrictions. There is no one else in my seat. The airline/airport is not preventing any takeoff.

note: This is my first ever puzzle. At this stage, there may be multiple solutions (although, there is only one intended one). The puzzle was originally designed so that the puzzle-solver could ask yes-or-no questions. I tried to answer the most common guesses I had in the problem, but if you have any yes-or-no questions, feel free to comment. I will answer in-post due to account restrictions. nvm, I can answer your questions :D

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  • $\begingroup$ Is there anyone else in the seat? $\endgroup$
    – paste
    Apr 27, 2016 at 3:48
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    $\begingroup$ Welcome! FYI, you should always be able to comment on your own question, but certainly placing clarifications in the post itself is a good idea. Perhaps also mark them as such so that earlier answers still make sense. $\endgroup$
    – feelinferrety
    Apr 27, 2016 at 3:50
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    $\begingroup$ Is the seat in question inside the plane? $\endgroup$
    – 2012rcampion
    Apr 27, 2016 at 5:26
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    $\begingroup$ -1 and VTC for being far too broad. Almost all of the answers validly answer your question, as it is currently written. $\endgroup$
    – March Ho
    Apr 27, 2016 at 12:29
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    $\begingroup$ You keep using the word 'normal' instead of 'regular' or 'typical'. My first thought was the plane was perpendicular to the ground, which conceivably causes all sorts of problems. $\endgroup$
    – corsiKa
    Apr 27, 2016 at 16:38

14 Answers 14

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You're

the pilot sitting in one of the passengers' seats.

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    $\begingroup$ But OP has mentioned "as long as I sit in this particular seat, the plane will not start." $\endgroup$
    – Himanshu
    Apr 27, 2016 at 4:12
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    $\begingroup$ @Himanshu: No, it just says if he is in THAT seat, the plane won't start. It doesn't say anything about what other seats he can be in for the plane to start. $\endgroup$
    – Deusovi ♦
    Apr 27, 2016 at 4:21
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    $\begingroup$ Agree to @Himanshu - question indicates one specific seat. Although question does not say anything about other seats, it seems to related to that specific seat which you are occupying. $\endgroup$
    – Kristaps Vilerts
    Apr 27, 2016 at 6:48
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    $\begingroup$ The question says "I am a perfectly normal man" so it sounded like the man is not the pilot (or maybe I fell for the "trick") $\endgroup$
    – Xen2050
    Apr 27, 2016 at 11:45
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    $\begingroup$ @michal - does really pilot clasifies as perfectly normal man? :) $\endgroup$
    – Kristaps Vilerts
    Apr 27, 2016 at 14:38
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You

are a baggage handler, sitting in a perfectly normal seat, possibly a nice armchair, which has been loaded into the cargo hold. The plane can't take off whilst you are there, but if the seat was in you living room, you'd be fine. You're allowed onto the plane to load the baggage, but don't have a ticket.

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  • $\begingroup$ Nice idea, but not the answer I was looking for $\endgroup$
    – michal
    Apr 27, 2016 at 14:25
  • $\begingroup$ The plane wouldn't have been cleared in this situation. $\endgroup$
    – corsiKa
    Apr 27, 2016 at 16:37
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Three Answers.
Answer 1.

You are sitting on the toilet seat and the plane is not allowed to take off.

Answer 2.

You are sitting in one of the seats the flight attendants use when taking off or landing. Again regulations prohibit you from doing this.

Answer 3.

You are in a wheelchair aboard the plane.

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  • $\begingroup$ Answers 1 & 2 aren't normal seats per se... Answer 3 is reasonable, but again, not normal. $\endgroup$
    – michal
    Apr 27, 2016 at 14:26
  • $\begingroup$ @michal. I agree with you. The obvious answer was offered by Deusovi. I was trying to think outside the box and get some alternatives out there. $\endgroup$
    – Marius
    Apr 27, 2016 at 14:32
  • $\begingroup$ this is a very open-ended riddle, so its very interesting to see everyone's take on it! $\endgroup$
    – michal
    Apr 27, 2016 at 14:33
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Plane does not start because

pilot is sitting by the window and you are blocking him. When you get up, pilot is free to go and he can start the plane!

Layout of new seat layout concept

Update

Although picture above is from concept plane seat layout and does not classifies as perfectly normal airplane, most of airplanes have very small amount of seat space, making impossible to get out of windows seat without disturbing neighbor.

Regular seat

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    $\begingroup$ Wait, is this an actual airline cabin setup? What airline is this? $\endgroup$
    – Nzall
    Apr 27, 2016 at 7:26
  • $\begingroup$ @NateKerkhofs That is new type of plane seat layout - businessinsider.com/… $\endgroup$
    – Kristaps Vilerts
    Apr 27, 2016 at 7:44
  • $\begingroup$ hahaha nice idea $\endgroup$
    – michal
    Apr 27, 2016 at 14:26
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My guess:

People saying that you are in the pilot's seat or flight attendants...it's exactly the other way!!
You are a flight attendant and are in a normal seat, so the flight won't take off until you go to your corresponding seat!!

Reasons:

I can be in the plane, but do not necessarily have a ticket. Since you are part of the crew...
Everyone is on board, including the flight attendants. Since you are one of them...
I could definitely be in this seat, but apparently not today. You could sit there any day you are a normal passenger, but not today, today is a workday for you and MUST sit in your flight attendant seat!

EDIT: 2nd Answer

If first one was wrong, then I have to say air controller. Same reasons apply.

If that's not the good one, not sure what could be xD. Was pretty sure about the first one :(

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  • $\begingroup$ I'm not the flight attendant, but close :) $\endgroup$
    – michal
    Apr 27, 2016 at 14:27
  • $\begingroup$ LoL, I missread your text, I thought it was saying: " I'm not the pilot or co-pilot". So totally threw those options away :S $\endgroup$
    – Mario Garcia
    Apr 28, 2016 at 12:08
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you are in

The bathroom toilet seat.

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  • $\begingroup$ Not a perfectly normal seat as I meant it. I'll clarify. $\endgroup$
    – michal
    Apr 27, 2016 at 14:28
  • $\begingroup$ sorry :( i found a toilet seat a perfectly normal seat :/ hmmm will have to rethink. $\endgroup$
    – CptEric
    Apr 27, 2016 at 14:31
  • $\begingroup$ @CptEric Next time you go over someone's house and they ask you to take a seat, you should go sit on the toilet :) $\endgroup$
    – paste
    Apr 27, 2016 at 15:31
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Answer:

you could be dead or drunk. Both are "perfectly normal" things for a man, but the pilot won't go forward with you in that state today. if you're dead you have to be stowed, not sitting in the seat. You could sit there when you're sober or alive, but not today.

Also you could just be a passenger sitting in the wrong seat - as some airplines insist people are correctly seated for take off (so they can identify missing people (or bodies in a crash)). you don't need to be anyone particular, and you could have had this seat on another day. But today your seat is another seat, so until you stop being annoying and move to your allocated seat for takeoff the pilot can't move onto the runway for taxiing or takeoff...despite having clearance from the tower to do so.

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  • $\begingroup$ Could you please edit your answer to make use of spoiler tags? You can add a spoiler tag by starting your line with >! and then the rest of your line. $\endgroup$
    – Nzall
    Apr 27, 2016 at 9:13
  • $\begingroup$ @NateKerkhofs Every answer in these types of questions should really be hidden by a "spoiler"? $\endgroup$
    – Xen2050
    Apr 27, 2016 at 12:32
  • $\begingroup$ @Xen2050 It is the standard agreed upon by the Puzzling community. Spoiler tags make it so that people who want to think about the solution themselves can do so without being distracted by the answers others have given. $\endgroup$
    – Nzall
    Apr 27, 2016 at 12:51
  • $\begingroup$ @NateKerkhofs Ok, seemed a little odd with all the "blank" answers, but I guess if the question doesn't take up the a whole page it's easy to see an answer by mistake, and new ones pop up just under the Q too. $\endgroup$
    – Xen2050
    Apr 27, 2016 at 12:54
  • $\begingroup$ Interesting approach. I'll clarify my riddle. $\endgroup$
    – michal
    Apr 27, 2016 at 14:29
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Maybe because:

The plane has just arrived, I need to get off the plane so it can start.

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You are a

child, which needs a special children seat with special belts.

I enter a perfectly normal airplane at a perfectly normal airport and I sit down in a perfectly normal seat.

You entered it with your parents and were sat down by them.

However, so long as I am sitting in this seat, the plane will not start.

As long as you are not in a special seat that fits your age, the risks are too high, so the pilot/crew are not allowed to start.

I'm not in the pilots or co-pilot's seat, and as I am a perfectly normal man, I could definitely be in this seat, but apparently not today.

You are in your own 'normal' seat and in the future you are allowed to sit there (becoming older), but not today.

I'm not in an emergency aisle.

You are in your own 'normal' seat

Everyone is on board, including the flight attendants, passengers, pilot, and co-pilot.

And your parents.

There is nothing obstructing the plane and the runway. But as long as I sit in this particular seat, the plane will not start.

Give this kid finally his special seat, so we can get this plane in the air...

Yes, I am allowed to be in the plane. However, no, I do not necessarily have a ticket.

Some airlines will let the child on board for free, so there is no need for a ticket

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  • 1
    $\begingroup$ it is a pretty logic answer! I thought about it but I didn't like it to be the right one :/ $\endgroup$
    – infinity911
    Apr 27, 2016 at 12:57
  • $\begingroup$ Good logic, I guess I should have clarified more that I was a man and not a child. $\endgroup$
    – michal
    Apr 27, 2016 at 14:28
  • $\begingroup$ Side note: Children are NOT required to be in a child seat on board aircraft. In fact, they are VERY difficult to manage (tight spaces, time constraints), and unless it is built to be secured by lap belt only, you cannot use it. $\endgroup$
    – feelinferrety
    Apr 27, 2016 at 20:27
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May be you are

The pilot's ex. He/She(The pilot) doesn't want you to be onboard, So the pilot won't start the plane unless you get out of the plane.

Another thought.

You are in the toilet seat, with someone in the toilet the flight won't take off.

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  • $\begingroup$ Just read your answer. I swear I read it after I've written my answer. :) $\endgroup$
    – Marius
    Apr 27, 2016 at 7:03
  • $\begingroup$ No probs man :) $\endgroup$
    – Arun Xavier
    Apr 27, 2016 at 7:04
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You're one of the ground crew. You can come on to the plane to do tasks/whatever, but there's something you need to do outside before the plane can take off.

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You are

an airport ground staff sitting in passenger seat

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-1
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You:

Must be sitting in the wrong chair and refuse to move

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-4
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you are

the president, in Air Force One, sitting in a meeting room chair

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  • $\begingroup$ Not sure why this is downvoted so much, but the Air Force One isn't your typical plane. $\endgroup$
    – michal
    Apr 27, 2016 at 14:35

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