Wouldn't it be nice if all participants in the aviation newsgroups
subscribed to...what was that name again?...oh yes, the Summit Aviation
CD-ROM. Then they could research this stuff themselves.

(Couldn't live without it, Jon)

Bob Gardner

"Jon Woellhaf" wrote in message
news:jvFIb.85543$VB2.191432@attbi_s51...
During the explosive decompression portion of my Air Force altitude
chamber
training, we sat in a small chamber adjacent to the larger main chamber
with
our masks off. The airtight door between the two chambers was closed. The
large chamber was evacuated to 50,000 feet, or so. We were at about 10,000
feet and had our masks off.

Without warning, the hatch between the chambers was suddenly opened. There
was a loud bang, and the pressure in the two chambers very quickly
equalized
to about 30,000 feet. The whole chamber filled with thick fog. I felt for
my
mask and put it on.

Ever after, I have been amused at the flight attendant's briefing, "In the
unlikely event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, the oxygen masks in
front
of you will automatically deploy. Simply put the mask over your mouth and
nose and breath normally. Etc. etc."

Yeah, right! First there's a loud bang and everyone thinks a bomb has gone
off. Then the cabin fills with super cold thick fog. The pilot puts the
plane in a dive to get to breathable air and the masks are hanging a
couple
feet in front of you. I think it would be absolute chaos.

Have any of you experienced an actual explosive decompression while in
flight?

Jon