That is the problem with overgeneralization--it is usually wrong. It "could"
indeed cause more than terror and discomfort. The Brazilian airliner lost a
passenger when it had two windows taken out; a Piedmont airliner suffered a
passenger fatality during a rapid decompression that did not involve any
large opening at all. Having been through a few nasty eardrum ruptures, I
can tell you that the pain involved adds up to a bit more than "discomfort"
(when blood and pus are ejected a couple of inches out of the ear you can
imagine the sensation involved)--the passengers on that Aer Lingus 737 might
attest to that.

Still, you are surely not preferring to see your airplane go down into
Times Square?

Losing a passenger or an eardrum is a heck of a lot better than losing
200 passengers, the crew, and the people on the ground.

all the best -- Dan Ford
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see the Warbird's Forum at www.warbirdforum.com
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