From: "Kevin Brooks"
Date: 1/1/2004 1:01 AM Central Standard Time
Message-id:


"B2431" wrote in message
...
From: Cub Driver

snip

As to the possibility of explosive decompression, as I understand the
matter, it could happen if a bullet fractured a window

It would still be only annoying. A few ear aches and a lot of noise along
with
oxygen masks dropping. The person sitting next to the window might lose
his
reading material or dinner.

This has been discussed here before and a Google search would turn up a
lot of
information.

Dan, you are forgetting that there was indeed documented evidence of a
passenger being sucked out of a blown window brought out during that
discussion--a TAM Fokker F28 turboprop somwhere over Brazil (see:
www.crashdatabase.com/cgi-bin/
webdata_crashdatabase.cgi?cgifunction=Search&Airl ine=%5ETAM%24 ). There was
also a fatality during a 1989 Piedmont Airlines 737 rapid decompression
(www.canard.com/ntsb/ATL/89A099.htm ). As to the non-fatal effexcts, the
experience of an Aer Lingus 737 tends to point to some rather significant
injuries during a 1999 depressurization accident, with lots of ruptured
eardrums and severe nosebleeds, etc. I would not disagree that these
potential problems are far outweighed by the threat of some whacko with a
knife/bomb/etc., said whacko being dispatched by an air marshal, even with
the remote potential of causing a rapid decompression being preferrable to
the alternative. But the effect of such a decompression is likely going to a
bit worse than cleaning your tray table off and causing a few earaches.

Brooks



Dan, U. S. Air Force, retired

I was referring to the blown out window. The passenger you refer to was blown
out a six foot hole according to your cite.

I agree a big chunk of skin suddenly departing the aircraft can cause major
damage and fatalities like the Hawaii Air stewardess deplaning prematurely.
There was also a case in the 1970s of a DC-10(?) where the aft cargo hatch blew
and took a row or two of seats with it.

On the other hand in the late 1980s a C-141B departed Eglin AFB and a hatch
over the cargo compartment blew. One of my men was standing directly below it
at the time. He noticed sudden day light, very loud noise and a bit of pain. I
believe the aircraft was at approximately 30 kilofeet at the time. It returned
to Eglin, made a safe landing and everyone sent to the base hospital for
evaluation.

Dan, U. S. Air Force, retired