Last night I saw some show called CSI. One first class passenger goes bonkers and tries to open the door. The other first class passengers get mad and then kill him. The show then talks about ethical questions of people killing to protect thenselves, their children etc etc.
My Q is: Is it possible for a passenger to open the airplane door 30000 feet up in the air? Lets assume he knows how to open it if the plane was on the ground. I am thinking aboutair pressure etc. etc. Is it humanly possible?
I’ve always been of the understanding that the doors have to be pulled slightly inward before they are pushed out. If that’s the case, it might be a bit tough to do, what with all the pressurization issues the loon would be dealing with.
“Police said Friday they found a suicide note from a prisoner who managed to push open a heavy airplane door and fend off a deputy sheriff before leaping 1,600 metres to certain death.”
I found the Observer web site to provide a link with today’s stories but they only carry one top story (and this was not it) and the classifieds. We are not a big city and our local newspaper’s web site apparently reflects that.
According to the pilot of the plane opening the door is a “huge effort”. I am uncertain as to the type of plane this was though as the pilot also said “he could hardly believe what he was seeing when he heard the struggle and turned around”. It sounds like a smaller type plane and that may or may not make a difference.
“Police said Friday they found a suicide note from a prisoner who managed to push open a heavy airplane door and fend off a deputy sheriff before leaping 1,600 metres to certain death.”
Nonetheless, there is a big difference betwenn 1,600 meters (about 5000 feet) and 30,000 feet.
The pressure inside the cabin is the same as the atmospheric pressure is at 3,000m (10.000’). So, a “neutral door” will pop out if the plane is flying higher than that. Opening the actual door will be easier if the door opened inside than outside, as rapidly moving air would resist (prevent) opening a hinged door, but won’t do much to a sliding door.
Peace:
I didnt understand several things in your post:
“The pressure inside the cabin is the same as the atmospheric pressure is at 3,000m (10.000’).”
Does that mean upto 3,000m its possible to open doors if the airplane isnt tarvelling very fast?
Whats a “neutral” door?
“Opening the actual door will be easier if the door opened inside than outside, as rapidly moving air would resist (prevent) opening a hinged door, but won’t do much to a sliding door.”
Since doors on passenger planes slide, are you saying its easy to open doors at low altidtudes regardless of speed of the plane?
Sorry if I seem rude (I didnt mean to), but your post went over my head.
Sorry, Ramesh.
First of all, I do not have any experience opening doors…
As the plane climbs up, the cabin pressure is kept equal (more or less) to the outside pressure. So, up to 10,000’ the air pressure inside=outside. Considering 300mph or faster plane speed… Is it very fast?
By neutral I meant a “theoretical” door, i.e., without in/out hinge design. So, I would not think that the lower pressure outside (it’s not vacuum, after all) would prevent internal sliding. You are right, of course, outside sliding door would be ridiculous on a plane.
