Though most airline manufacturers and insiders have scoffed at the idea of “standing room” seats on jets, someone has come up with an airplane chair that is simultaneously more feasible and more uncomfortable. Meet the crotch-crushing SkyRider!

The creation of Italian design company Aviointeriors, the SkyRider is set to be shown off at next week’s Aircraft Interiors Expo Americas conference in California.

Here’s how the designer describes the seat:

For flights anywhere from one to possibly even up to three hours … this would be comfortable seating… The seat … is like a saddle. Cowboys ride eight hours on their horses during the day and still feel comfortable in the saddle.

Yes, maybe professional cowboys and horse riders don’t mind being on a saddle all day. That doesn’t mean your average business traveler wants that huge bump pressing into their precious parts for several hours. One turbulent flight and we’re all asking for ice packs…

While Aviointeriors says several airlines have already expressed interest in the seats, an FAA spokesman is skeptical such a seat could work out in the real world:

While it’s not impossible, it’s difficult to conceive of a standing seat that would be able to meet all applicable FAA requirements and still be cost-effective.

How cheap would your ticket need to be to get you to saddle up on the SkyRider for a 3-hour flight? How about a 6-hour flight?

SkyRider airline seats pack fliers into 23 inches of space [USA Today]

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