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Woman tries to open emergency exit -- midflight
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Ever wonder what happens when you open the exit door while you're in the air? I know that the thought has crossed my mind once or twice while I was sitting in the exit-row seat.Well, you can't. You'll notice that emergency exit and cabin doors open inward, meaning the air pressure from inside of the plane is going to be pushing hard out on the door at 30,000 feet. Meaning it's going to be near impossible for you to pull the door open. That and you're going to make the crew really mad at you.
Apparently, a woman on an American Airlines flight headed for Dallas yesterday didn't realize this and had to be subdued by the crew until they could divert to Houston. The Age reports that after landing in Houston, six passengers got off (because it was their final destination) and the rest of the plane went on their merry way to Dallas.
It's nice to know that not any nutjob can open an emergency exit at altitude and suck us all out of the plane, isn't it?
Filed under: Airlines, Transportation, Airports
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
rangelso Apr 3rd 2009 6:03AM
Unfortunately, you're not quite right. While emergency exits are typically opened inwards, passenger door on some planes open outwards, for example CRJ 700/900 type planes with ladder-door in front of cabin
Kuuipo Oct 28th 2007 12:50PM
Only a nutjob would think to open the door during a midflight. This woman is definitely a nutjob and I hope she was sent to a mental facility. She's clearly a danger to herself and to others.
Samantha Oct 28th 2007 12:51PM
Wow, they open doors on planes while the planes are flying in movies... Thats nice to know this doesnt work
Elaine Oct 28th 2007 12:51PM
Okay, so how about this. The cabin pressure suddenly drops and the oxygen masks drop down for everyone. What is some crazy person panics at THAT point when the pressure is down, and tries to open the door???
Grant.Martin Oct 28th 2007 12:59PM
That cabin pressure has to drop pretty far in order to equalize that at 30k feet. If you're at that pressure inside of the plane you have a lot more to worry about than oxygen masks falling from the ceiling.
Stephanie Oct 28th 2007 9:32PM
Wow, that is crazy...it's kind of like in Snakes on a Plane. What would drive that lady to want to open the door and get sucked out?
Arc|Angel Oct 31st 2007 11:30PM
Not sure that this is completely true. I just flew on a Boeing 737-800 from the Sunwing Airlines flight and it had a new exit I had not seen before that opens outwards and up (still attached the the plane) like a car hood.
Jim Nov 1st 2007 3:33PM
Whoa, what a misleading article. No matter how the door opens, it has many supports points all around the door. Most doors are about 6 feet high and 4 feet wide. In round numbers.
The math and physics is what makes it impossible. 6 X 4 = 24 square feet times 144 = 3,456 square inches. At 35,000 feet the pressure differential inside versus outside the plane is 8 psi. 27,648 pounds of metal against metal. The handles on the door would probably break at about 1,000 pounds - and even if they didn't, moving 7 - 4,000 pound cars with out any wheels is not possible. Even if the whole plane load of people as a group tried to open the doors in flight it is not going to happen.
perry Nov 1st 2007 2:31PM
You cannot open aircraft doors even if the pressure drops. Control of the door in flight is with the pilot, this is part of the pre flight procedure. Notice that red ball inside the plastic lid on the door? That shows where the control of the door is. In case of emergency like a ditching, the pilot will transfer control of that door to the cabin crew.
perry
sarah Nov 1st 2007 3:09PM
I don't like the fact that she tried to open the door and had to be subdued by the crew. What if the crew was busy talking, or serving food or sitting with their seat belts on like they are supposed to do when they aren't allowed to move around the plane. This attempt makes me really nervous. First we have to worry about some terrorist trying to gain entrance to the cockpit, or sneaking on some liquids or a plastic bomb, now we have to worry they will just try to open the plane doors. I don't care that they think the cabin pressure will not be able to open the door, who the heck wants to go through the "test" to see if it really doesn't open due to cabin pressure!!! I think it could throw the whole plane out of equilibrium. Would some pilot or expert please comment on this wacky situation. This is crazy and now we have more to watch and be worried about.
Lloyd Nov 1st 2007 2:43PM
Perry - we don't control the doors in flight. While there may be an aircraft with a pilot-controlled door, I've never seen one. That's all Flight Attendant stuff back there.
Lloyd Nov 1st 2007 2:44PM
Angel, even those types of doors are considered "plug doors". The locking mechanism is only reinforced with the cabin pressure differential.
Haldeman Nov 1st 2007 2:55PM
Hey Samantha - I think you belong with the "nutjob"
("Wow, they open doors on planes while the planes are flying in movies... ")
Adam Nov 1st 2007 3:40PM
As a an ex flight attendant, I can answer that question quite easily. The slipstream over the fuselage and door will make it impossible to open the door even if the cabin pressure has equalized. Ever trt to open your car door at 70+ mph? Same physics apply here. Perhaps if the plane slowed to near-stall speeds, you could crack the door slightly, but you'd never open it all the way.
Adam Nov 1st 2007 3:49PM
To Perry: Where did you get that information from? The indicators on the slide packs you refer to is the pressure gauge for the cartridges that open the packs. You need to quit watching Snakes On A Plane. And the only door the pilot has control over is the cockpit or flight deck door. Again, stop watching so much television.
Eric Nov 1st 2007 4:07PM
How come the photo in this article shows an airline emergency exit door from a Russian airliner (most likely Aeroflot)? Check out the photo showing warning placards in both Russian and English. It seems to me that it would be far easier to get a photo of an emergency exit door on a US-based airline, like American, United or Continental.
BiL Nov 1st 2007 3:57PM
As a current flight attendant let me tell you this is all true. The door cannot be opened because of the pressure pushing out. 10 strong men couldn't open the door. The air rushing across and against the door prevents it from opening. All the doors are locked by the pilot's up front. I always tell the folks at the emergency exit row that the door will not open in flight, but if they try to open it then they will be jumped by all on board. Have a nice day!
Earthbound Nov 1st 2007 4:47PM
One more reason I will not fly.
Adam Nov 1st 2007 4:48PM
"All the doors are locked by the pilot's up front." Bil... I've only been out of the biz for two years. I don't know what country or airline you fly for, but no airline or airplane I have ever been on is locked by the pilots up front. The pilot locks the flight deck door. But no other exit doors can be "locked". We close them, arm them and that's it. The only thing preventing them from being opened, besides the mob or angry passengers, is the pressure outside. There's no deadbolt or keyholes on the doors on planes. No keyless entry key fobs. Geeze....
AloysiusWeasley Nov 1st 2007 4:49PM
I hope we get an update on this story! Why was she trying to open the door? Was she trying to reenact that CSI episode? Personally, I think she should go to jail and have to pay for any pain and suffering to the other passengers, as I'm sure there was *some* sort of panic going on once everyone realized this crazy bimbo was trying to kill them all! Also, I'm glad to see the doors won't open, in any case.