Weekend trip... - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

123dsa · 10-06-2003, 07:07 AM

So the wife and I flew to visit some relatives up north this weekend. On the flight back she asked me something that made me think. We had been talking about how hot the plane was and joking about rolling down the windows...we had a rather stimulating conversation about the effects of the laws of physics. Anyway...she said "what would keep somebody from requesting an exit row seat and then simply opening the door during the flight?"

Any ideas? Does anybody know of any safety devices in place to prevent that?

LSD

BentNotTwisted · 10-06-2003, 07:25 AM

I've thought about this too and although I'm no expert, I believe the difference in air pressure would keep someone from opening a door at high altitude. If you've ever seen a steward(ess) close the door it swings over and pushes out from the inside to seal. At high altitude the air pressure outside is very low and cabin pressure is very high. Hence he big movie scenes when a window is shot out and someone gets sucked through the opening. Even if you were able to get to the door and unlatch it before someone stopped you, it would take extraordinary strength to pull to door open. IMO

123dsa · 10-06-2003, 07:40 AM

Yeah, I was thinkoing that it would be extremely hard to open.

LSD

10-06-2003, 07:07 AM	#1 (permalink)
123dsa Crazy Location: KY	Weekend trip or What stops someone opening the door during the flight? So the wife and I flew to visit some relatives up north this weekend. On the flight back she asked me something that made me think. We had been talking about how hot the plane was and joking about rolling down the windows...we had a rather stimulating conversation about the effects of the laws of physics. Anyway...she said "what would keep somebody from requesting an exit row seat and then simply opening the door during the flight?" Any ideas? Does anybody know of any safety devices in place to prevent that? LSD Last edited by Cynthetiq; 10-06-2003 at 09:00 AM..

10-06-2003, 07:25 AM	#2 (permalink)
BentNotTwisted Optimistic Skeptic Location: Midway between a Beehive and Centennial	I've thought about this too and although I'm no expert, I believe the difference in air pressure would keep someone from opening a door at high altitude. If you've ever seen a steward(ess) close the door it swings over and pushes out from the inside to seal. At high altitude the air pressure outside is very low and cabin pressure is very high. Hence he big movie scenes when a window is shot out and someone gets sucked through the opening. Even if you were able to get to the door and unlatch it before someone stopped you, it would take extraordinary strength to pull to door open. IMO __________________ IS THAT IT ???!!! Do you even know what 'it' is? When the last man dies for just words that he said... We Shall Be Free

10-06-2003, 07:40 AM	#3 (permalink)
123dsa Crazy Location: KY	Yeah, I was thinkoing that it would be extremely hard to open. LSD