Asiana passenger opens door mid-flight

[Astro14]

Hope he gets terrorist charges and gets put in for the max. Doing that is beyond despicable. Imagine if it was at high enough altitude to cause catastrophic fuselage decompression. No wonder pilots first reaction is to get the plane down just in case it escalates.

If it was at high enough altitude to cause decompression, first, the decompression would not be “catastrophic”, the fuselage is under less stress when decompressed than when pressurized, and second, he wouldn’t be able to open it.

Let‘s do some rough math.

Look at the door in question. It is held against the locking lugs when under pressure.

It is roughly 72 inches high. 36 inches wide. So, roughly 2,600 square inches.

The plane pressurizes to a max of 9psi. But let’s use 8 for our calculation.

8 x 2,600 is over 20,000 lbs of force to move the door.

Doubt anyone can apply that…

 

[Pablo]

Been on couple flights between people farting and loaded diapers that I WISH someone would open the door.

 

[Just a civilian pilot]

Besides getting pilot to open the window during the flight? It does seem odd that an Airbus has sliding windows.



I do remember Airport '79 has a scene where a pilot hopes to shoot an emergency flare out of a Concorde cockpit hoping to spoof an infrared-seeking missile. But then again these are the slowest air to air missiles known to man.

Cockpit windows are also for emergency escape for pilots ( rope above them ) in case they cannot exit using cockpit door.

Thats why they slide back on the Airbus.

 

[Just a civilian pilot]

Been on couple flights between people farting and loaded diapers that I WISH someone would open the door.

 

[PimTac]

Been on couple flights between people farting and loaded diapers that I WISH someone would open the door.

I have experienced those as well. Its shocking to see diapers lying on the floor while disembarking.

 

[Pablo]

I have experienced those as well. Its shocking to see diapers lying on the floor while disembarking.

Lady boards plane to Vancouver BC from Hong Kong with a 4-6 month baby with one diaper.

 

[PimTac]

Lady boards plane to Vancouver BC from Hong Kong with a 4-6 month baby with one diaper.

That would be extreme. Unfortunately if you fly enough you get to see everything.

Imagine trying to eat your chicken or fish meal and someone is changing a diaper nearby. I just do whatever I can to block it out the best I can.

I consider travel to be half adventure.

 

[y_p_w]

That would be extreme. Unfortunately if you fly enough you get to see everything.

Imagine trying to eat your chicken or fish meal and someone is changing a diaper nearby. I just do whatever I can to block it out the best I can.

I consider travel to be half adventure.

We ran out of training pants for our then 3 year old on a trip to the east coast. But our kid could use the toilet with some help.

Some people literally ask for diapers from airlines like they're handing out playing cards or those disposable slippers.

 

[MRC01]

Besides getting pilot to open the window during the flight? It does seem odd that an Airbus has sliding windows.
...

My airplane has windows that open, and you can open them in flight, stick an elbow out and enjoy the breeze while flying.
But it ain't no Airbus!

 

[Astro14]

My airplane has windows that open, and you can open them in flight, stick an elbow out and enjoy the breeze while flying.
But it ain't no Airbus!

Slightly lower pressure differential…

 

[BusyLittleShop]

1D 10T design rule...

Airbus doors are fool proof but they are not 1D 10T proof (idiot
proof)... In flight a lucky idiot succeeded in opening a Emergency
Exit Door not because of super human strength but because they are
pneumatically assisted to open into the force of a stiff air stream...
To foil future passengers from ever succeeding again AirBus should
take action by arming the assisted Exit Door system through the main
landing gear squat switches... that way the doors can only be opened
after the mains are firmly planted on Terra Firma...

 

[tcp71]

1D 10T design rule...

Airbus doors are fool proof but they are not 1D 10T proof (idiot
proof)... In flight a lucky idiot succeeded in opening a Emergency
Exit Door not because of super human strength but because they are
pneumatically assisted to open into the force of a stiff air stream...
To foil future passengers from ever succeeding again AirBus should
take action by arming the assisted Exit Door system through the main
landing gear squat switches... that way the doors can only be opened
after the mains are firmly planted on Terra Firma...

View attachment 159632

Wouldn't that seal everyone in, in the event of a water or gear up crash?

 

[Astro14]

1D 10T design rule...

Airbus doors are fool proof but they are not 1D 10T proof (idiot
proof)... In flight a lucky idiot succeeded in opening a Emergency
Exit Door not because of super human strength but because they are
pneumatically assisted to open into the force of a stiff air stream...
To foil future passengers from ever succeeding again AirBus should
take action by arming the assisted Exit Door system through the main
landing gear squat switches... that way the doors can only be opened
after the mains are firmly planted on Terra Firma...

View attachment 159632

Until the day that the squat switch fails. Which I’ve seen happen dozens of times.

Then, with a failed switch, when the airplane is on the ground, it thinks it is in the air. The doors stay locked.

So, an emergency arises, the doors are locked and everyone is trapped on board.

No thanks.

 

[BusyLittleShop]

Until the day that the squat switch fails. Which I’ve seen happen dozens of times.

Then, with a failed switch, when the airplane is on the ground, it thinks it is in the air. The doors stay locked.

So, an emergency arises, the doors are locked and everyone is trapped on board.

No thanks.

Good points... however...

20 years in the USAF I've also seen a MLG squat switch fail however the other MLG switch did work as a redundant fail safe...

Granted... wiring a Squat switch to control door locks is unsafe and will kill you in a emergency... thats why they should only control the power assist feature... So if an emergency arises the exit doors should always be engineered to open quickly and effortlessly just not inflight...

 

[dumkid]

you could also get rid of the warning stickers on many things and just let the idiots figure out what's dangerous through experience

 

[E365]

The 737 Overwing and Mid-Exit emergency exits have actual locks. Not based on squat switches, but a combination of the main entry/service door position, engine(s) running/not running, and thrust lever position.

Essentially they should always be physically locked in flight.

B737 NG Overwing Exit Lock - Airliners.net

 

[Exhaustgases]

All those doors should be able to open in flight below 10,000 feet and as long as the pressure is equalized to the outside.
Or there needs to be some system that can be used to rapidly evacuate any bad air in the plane if need to, I don't think that exists now.
That strut switch? If that stops E door opening that is stupid engineering. Like someone said what happens in water? The linkage is then extended still.
E doors need to be designed, by the Keep It Simple principle, too many times people could not open them in a fire emergency and lost their lives. Don't need some electrical doo hitchy that can get goofed up and prevent door opening.

 

[Jetronic]

1D 10T design rule...

Airbus doors are fool proof but they are not 1D 10T proof (idiot
proof)... In flight a lucky idiot succeeded in opening a Emergency
Exit Door not because of super human strength but because they are
pneumatically assisted to open into the force of a stiff air stream...
To foil future passengers from ever succeeding again AirBus should
take action by arming the assisted Exit Door system through the main
landing gear squat switches... that way the doors can only be opened
after the mains are firmly planted on Terra Firma...

View attachment 159632

What happens if you ditch in a river? oh, just remove the assistance, not prevent unlocking gotcha

 

[rekit]

Never looked at one close, just assumed the were front hinged and would be impossible to open very much at any flyable speed.?