Punctured pressure cabin.

"Ad absurdum per aspera" wrote in message
om...
What do readers think is the result of decompression via a bullet
hole?

While I try to never say never, I think there's no such
thing...or damned near no such thing at least.

Yeah, one is reluctant to say "never" when random violence and complex
systems come together. The obvious counterexample to the
"convertible 737" that landed safely is the DC-10 that didn't do so
after loss of its cargo door.


The problem here was not the depressurisation but the collapse
of the floor through which control cables were routed. Subsequent
to that incident changes were mandated to prevent such
recurrences.

However, with bullet holes, hopefully we're not talking about
catastrophic failures of large chunks of airplane.[1] And as for air
loss through bullet holes or even a failed window, consider WaltBJ's
calculation in light of the fact that you don't have to maintain
pressure in a holed cabin[2] *indefinitely* -- just long enough to
keep everybody breathing while you divert.


Not even that long, just long enought to reduce altitude to
10,000 ft or so.

Keith