Effects Of Explosive Cabin Decompression On Crew

[JBofBrisbane]

"Decompression" comes to us from diving. Aviation usually uses "depressurization" instead.

[ATFSCrash]

JBofBrisbane: False. I would consider either terminology to be acceptable. Don't airplanes dive also? When an airplane loses cabin pressurization; doesn't the cabin altimeter dive?

"Explosive depressurization" "airplane" AltaVista found 81 results

"Explosive Decompression" "airplane" AltaVista found 48,400 results

Wikipedia Explosive decompression

In my aerospace physiology and in the aviation community I have never heard it referred to as explosive depressurization.

[JBofBrisbane]

Your last assertion is probalby the most valid one. Popularity does not confer correctness, e.g. four hundred million Frenchmen CAN be wrong. I should have been more specific; when I said "diving" I was referring to SCUBA and deep-sea diving, not skydiving. Take away the "explosive", and I think you will find "depressurization" is used a lot more frequently. Still, I can't deny a lot of people use "explosive decompression", particularly Hollywood scriptwriters.

[ATFSCrash]

JBofBrisbane: You were the one that was asserting that it was more popular by using the word "usually".

You seem to fail to understand the subtleties of the jargon used in the aviation and nautical scientific community. Typically the word "decompression" is typically used in cases of rapid uncontrolled depressurization; like "explosive decompression". The word depressurization is typically used when it is slow and controlled.

[ATFSCrash]

JBofBrisbane: In the "dive" (aka nautical community) what do they call the bends? Decompression sickness. Where do they put people that have the bends? decompression chamber.

Do a professional aviation site specific Google search;

National Transportation Safety Board:

"Explosive decompression" 48 results

"explosive depressurization" 1 result

FAA:

"Explosive decompression" 22 results

"explosive depressurization" 1 result

[ATFSCrash]

JBofBrisbane "Take away the "explosive", and I think you will find "depressurization" is used a lot more frequently"

This video is about EXPLOSIVE decompression, not about depressurization. I find it ironic when you try to criticize others for their ignorance; you demonstrate your own. "Explosive decompression" is typically used in the scientific community when the decompression is rapid and uncontrolled/uncontained.

[ATFSCrash]

In aerospace physiology chamber training there are three categories of decompression.

1 Explosive decompression

Explosive decompression occurs at a rate faster than that at which air can escape from the lungs, typically in less than 0.1 to 0.5 seconds.

2 Rapid decompression

Rapid decompression typically takes more than 0.1 to 0.5 seconds

3 Slow decompression

Slow, or gradual, decompression occurs slowly enough to go unnoticed and might only be detected by instruments

[defenderoFreedom]

wow... out the window in a split second!

scarey. thnx for sharing!

[brainburrito]

I do not regard air travel as unsafe but I feel it's likely that people are misinterpreting the statistics. Hasn't anyone noticed that you are more likely to be in an auto accident because you are in a car far more often than an aircraft?

[ATFSCrash]

brainburrito: Commercial airline travel is much more safer than traveling by automobile. I think you are misinterpreting statistics. Statistics can be used in many ways. General aviation and particularly light aviation is more dangerous. General aviation is probably comparable to automotive travel. Light aviation (ultralights and hang gliders) is probably much dangerous than automotive travel.

[ATFSCrash]

brainburrito: For commercial aviation if you use the statistics by the mile; the danger is nearly nil. For commercial aviation if you use the statistics by hour the margin is quite a bit closer however using those statistics commercial aviation travel would still be much safer than traveling by automobile.

[waslookat1me]

I think it has something to do with that cars crash everyday and that most of the time its only like 3 or 4 people are killed but with a plane crashing it always hits the news cause thats alot of lives lost plus its not something that happends as often as a car crash

[bernard240vdc]

thanks ATFscrash i aggree with you airplane travel is quite safe conpared with AUTO TRAVEL

[bernard240vdc]

hi just me again here well thank goodness these windows in airliners are secure as they are one thing i would point out however is that a persons size would not save a person even if you are to big to fit all at once tthrough a opening if just your arm or head got out the pressure differencial would cause that limb,s skin to burst and a person would probably die rather fast

[ATFSCrash]

bernard240vdc: False. Under certain conditions a person size can prevent them from being ejected. There was a cockpit windscreen that blew out because maintenance personnel used bolts that were too short. One of the pilots was blown mostly out of the aircraft but his legs got caught on the window frame. The other pilot landed aircraft successfully, miraculously the pilot that was partly ejected survived.

[Nicoladrag]

wrong diameter.8/32 instead of 10/32.

[ATFSCrash]

Nicoladrag: Apparently I stand corrected. Thanks for your correction. That was apparently just a fuzzy memory confabulation on my part.

[ATFSCrash]

bernard240vdc: See the link of "British Airways Flight 5390" in my video description.

[bernard240vdc]

well thanks ATFScrash i may now feel a little more reassured when sitting right next to a window at cruising altitude this has educated me about how secure these windows are and that the odds  of one popping out are quite remote fortunately because really your life depends on that window if you are close to it at max pressurization

[ATFSCrash]

bernard240vdc: Airline travel is generally safer than automobile travel. In case there was an accident or a structural failure one of the best things you do to reduce the odds of injury or death is to fasten your seatbelt and keep it fastened unless you need to go the bathroom or move about a bit too get some circulation in your legs. If there was a fluke and a window blew out; a seatbelt should prevent you from falling to your death.

[bernard240vdc]

well i just watched a video of sstone85 where in effect the bullit only makes a small hole in the window at a 8psi pressure differential positive in the cabin and realize that a small hole like that poses no danger and i aggree the forces involved are small but lets think window say 10 by 5 inch 50 sq inch times 8 400 pounds outward force if it goes i do not want to chance it

[ATFSCrash]

bernard240vdc: Similarly to as I said before. IIRC The myth busters tested shooting a bullet through an aircraft window WHILE PRESSURIZED; the window did not fail. (I think the industry does similar tests for certification) Though there was a small hole through the window and some pressure did leak it was not enough to cause a significant or sudden loss of cabin pressurization.

[ATFSCrash]

bernard240vdc: They use some sort of polycarbonate like Plexiglas or Lexan. This is real life; not Hollyweird. Sure there is a lot of load when you calculate the pressure over a surface area; however polycarbonates don't shatter like glass and are stronger than you apparently think.

[ATFSCrash]

bernard240vdc: The window in this video is specially rigged to fail for this test. I think the window is extra large and weak and I think they also probably used higher pressure the normal.

[bernard240vdc]

in response to ATFSCRASH i did not mean that a bullet hitting a side cabin window from the inside would cause a catastrophic stuctural failure i do not think that endanger the structure of the aircraft by any means i just would not want to bet my life by being close to that window i think it would possibly fail and pop out but otherwise the structure of the aircraft would be fine minus pressurization

[ATFSCrash]

bernard240vdc: If you paid attention to the context of what I was using, you would realize that I didn't mean catastrophic failure of the hull. In the context I was talking about, I obviously meant that the window would not catastrophically fail.

[bernard240vdc]

well a handgun may not cause huge loss of air if the shots only hit and go  through the metallic skin of the plane but i would dare say all betts are off if a bullit hits any of the windows these are already under alot of stress load at cruising altitudes they are held in by what seems just a small rubber seal definitely not designed for any severe impact from the inside there is inside protector windows inside

[ATFSCrash]

bernard240vdc: You seem to confuse Hollyweird with reality. Sure there is no guarantee that there wouldn't be a catastrophic structural failure however in all odds a handgun bullet going through an airliner window would only cause a small hole not a catastrophic failure. IIRC the myth busters also tested shooting a bullet through a cabin window and there was no catastrophic failure; as the bullet just made a small hole as it passed through the window.

[Gondring]

What kind of ammunition did Mythbusters use? If it penetrated, not all of the energy went into the window. Perhaps a softer (i.e., unjacketed) bullet, such as a wadcutter in a revolver, would "punch" instead of cutting through.

Actually, I doubt it would matter...but I'm just pointing this out because of the way "Mythbusters" often fails to take everything into account.

[ATFSCrash]

Gondring: IIRC the myth busters used a round nose probably jacketed 9 mm. The shape and hardness would probably have little effect on poly carbonates. I've shot poly carbonates and hardened steel before with various sized calibers the rounds essentially melt their way through. Converting kinetic energy to heat energy.

[ATFSCrash]

Gondring: I shot 223 into quarter-inch steel plate at 75 feet. The penetrator rounds made smaller holes because they deformed less; conventional copper jacketed lead rounds rounds made larger holes; though they had less penetration ability. The lead is softer than the steel there was enough energy that it melted its way through.

[Gondring]

I've fired a .223 handgun only once. How about .38 lead?

[ATFSCrash]

Gondring: The only 38 that I have shot and am familiar with is pistol. That would probably penetrate a car door but certainly wouldn't penetrate a quarter inch of steel plate. To the best of my knowledge there isn't any 38 AP rounds. I've never shot a 38 into Plexiglas or Lexan; it would probably penetrate an airline window but much thicker like the cockpit wind screen would probably not penetrate all the way through.

[ATFSCrash]

Gondring: I'm not sure exactly what you mean by lead. I almost exclusively use lead core and copper jacketed rounds as they seem to be the cheapest, safest, fastest and most accurate rounds. Except for tests I don't use pure lead because it fouls the barrels, interferes with accuracy and range and can be and excessive unnecessary health hazard.

[ajatkinson2004]

They shouldnt have used a bullet at all! They should have made something to break the entire window out like in this video clip

[ATFSCrash]

ajatkinson2004: In the end they did much more than that. After the myth busters got done with the more or less legitimate part of their experimentation/demonstration. They did what they typically do they got carried away and used an excessive amount of explosives knocking out the entire window frame and some of the fuselage. IIRC

[Chrinik]

The Windows arent Glass, they are made from Polymeres that resist alot of energy, and do not shatter into pieces, and probably held better then what you say...a small rubber seal is WAY TOO LESS for an Airliner to pass a security inspection and lift off.

Or else a Kid pounding on the Window could cause it to break?

[DidHeDied]

did he died?

[ross616]

are you retarded?

[topper2142]

"Nuts, I left my wallet at home, be right back!"

Funniest response I ever seen,lol!

[hassannassaralah]

pick a window you are leaving dude

[SenorSpode]

And THAT, kiddies, is why they insist you keep your seatbelt on at all times.

[MattExzy]

"Nuts, I left my wallet at home, be right back!"

[myndenway]

The size of that window is huge. Of course the dummy will get sucked out. Most airliner windows are only big enough to fit your head in them.

[krbosak]

The whole story about the cage is strange. Airmen always have their safety belts fastened. They dont walk around like in the movies.

[Ultralism]

"Suck is not a real technical term in physics."

Nice line.

[yusuk789]

It's true. :]

[diddyo]

Not usual for Wiki to be wrong.

"At this altitude, there is about 25% less oxygen than there is at sea level"

This is not correct, the proportion of Oxygen stays the same throughout the atmosphere, your bodies ability to take in that oxygen at high altitude decreases..

[ATFSCrash]

Diddyo: Thanks for demonstrating what an idiot you are. Wikipedia is correct, you are wrong. Wikipedia didnt say there was less oxygen by proportion. While the proportion stays roughly the same throughout the altitudes; the amount of oxygen by weight is reduced by the lower pressure of higher altitudes. If you had an elementary understanding of physics you would realize that and would understand the Wikipedia article. I find the typical YouTube user is much less accurate than Wikipedia.

[poopsyproductions]

You would be correct. To many stupid people on YouTube.

[wagnerologist1984]

00:15 "I REGRET NOTHING!!!!!"

[Mashermat]

Epic line.

[krakenwave]

Turkish Airlines FLight 981 (from Istanbul to London, via Paris Orly), March 1974. Until Tenerife 1977 it was the worst air disaster ever and it remains the 2nd worse loss of life from a single aircraft incident. The cargo door blew and 361 were killed when the plane crashed shortly after take-off near Paris. The wreckage was in tiny pieces. Godawful.

[danydevil123]

reminds me of the story about the guy who died in a deep water submarine accident. about 1 1/2 miles down the glass window about the size of a CD shatterd pulling the 2 crew out of the hole and turning them into sludge. sadly no video exists of the accident but its one of the wierdest ways to die i have ever heard of...

[Mulyanis77]

For danydevil123: If a sub opens at depth (under pressure), water comes in. At great speed. Not out. Nobody would be sucked out. They would be squeezed, and inside the sub at that.

[krakenwave]

I think he means the fatal accident to the 4 divers in the decomp chamber on the Byford Dolphin oil rig in 1987.

[mekkorr]

They were ripped apart by the spurt of water weren't they? Don't think they were sucked out.

[newmanbeatbox]

'the guy who died' and 'the 2 crew'? You seem to have a lot of fantasy. I would expect the water to crush the submarine, not pulling the content out of it. danydevil123 you seem to be one the wierdest tellers I ever heard of...

[newmanbeatbox]

danydevil123 seems to be one of the weirdest story tellers I ever heard of. Not a real physics major I guess (to quote bill hicks)

[filipinoboy147]

lol at the end it got stuck

[Prasopchai]

Lol. Difference in pressure.

But what if it was spontaneous? I'm not saying it is but, for a laugh, you'll be there, getting stuck into your cheap in-flight meal listening to Leonie Richie on the aircraft's headsets when, all off a sudden you're hovering over 50,000 feet of air. Head first.

[golds079]

flop and he is gone lol

[Zebonka]

Too bad they didn't use real people.

[tuttt99]

he was blown out

[terminator9990]

Like slurping up a noodle! Pow! Schlooooop!

[Vikkoman]

Don't forget about the Helios flight - the crew got hypoxia and so the plane circled for several hours until it ran out of fuel and crashed...

[vashonislandguy]

Wow, premature evacuation.

[GETCARTER89]

lol i know how that feels =S

[mrrmancunian]

the window is square, proven to be a weaker shape than the modernshaped windows aircraft have today.. look at the many shapes of windows planes have had and youll laugh at some of them.

[Defender78]

is that a cadaver or a mannequin?

[ATFSCrash]

Defender78: It's an early version of a crash test dummy.

[vashonislandguy]

breathed vacuum?

[GOJETCRJPILOT]

ROFL i love it they showed use one similiar when i was learning to fly a CRJ its not really a laughing matter but still funny can imagine what it would be like if that really happened the split second before your life ends the shear terror

[4yn5]

Nunca mais vou sentar na poltrona da janela!

[NuTrake]

the thing to take away from all this is if you experience rapid decompression, you're in a bad situation.

at best, it will be non-structural like a window, and if you don't get sucked out, then you get to breathe O2 from a mask, hoping the pilot descends to a lower altitude before you run out.

at worst, it will be part of the fuselage. that's bad. real bad.

always keep your safety belt on in all aircraft!!!

[johhnyboy6]

When i've seen movie, the windows break open, people are sucked out, and sometimes holes can torn in the side making the whole chairs get sucked out, can obese people be sucked out of a window?

[purehavok1]

lol

[mrrmancunian]

yes, strange as it is.

[1hijax]

I hope its a window they are built execptionally well along the window belt. Trays up and in the stowed position! Thanx for flying 1Hijax airlines!!!

[ichsuka]

LOL made me laugh

[xenon1919]

read:

The Effect on the Chimpanzee of Rapid Decompression to a Near Vacuum, Alfred G. Koestler ed., NASA CR-329 (Nov 1965).

Experimental Animal Decompression to a Near Vacuum Environment, R.W. Bancroft, J.E. Dunn, eds, Report SAM-TR-65-48 (June 1965), USAF School of Aerospace Medicine, Brooks AFB, Texas.

[xenon1919]

That's sick. Besides we already know. There are astronauts who have accidently breathed vacuum you know.

[Kabloooy]

Seeing this reminds me of when I had a boom operator ask me to come and look at something mid-flight. One of the scanning windows in the back of the KC-135 was somewhat shattered, not just a crack. Coudn't tell how many layers it went through and I sure as hell wasn't getting up close to see. I was like AHHHH!. I think it's time to go to a lower altitude and strap in!

[milton456]

But Payne Stewart did not fly out of the window. Was his body floating in the plane?

[Teamtigerpaw]

milton456 Stewarts plane never presurized and all died from lack of oxygen. No floating

[ATFSCrash]

Whether or not there is pressurization, there still is gravity. If I remember correctly the fighter pilots that flew around Payne Stewart's aircraft trying to hail the aircraft, said as near as they could tell all the windows and doors and fuselage was intact. Yet there was condensation or frost on the windows which sometimes is an indication of rapid decompression.

[ATFSCrash]

It's unclear to me if his aircraft suffered rapid decompression or if it never pressurized. I haven't seen any detailed evidence, and I'm not sure enough survived to make a proper determination.

[pmgodfrey]

In the "highly unlikely event" of cabin depressurization an oxygen mask will drop down in front of you just shortly after you're sucked out. Be sure to secure your own mask before helping others.

[KuostA]

Great explanations.

[televisionremoter]

wouldnt explosive decompression send any un-fastened passengers straight up into the top of the fuselage?

[ATFSCrash]

Not normally. Gravity is still a factor. Assuming the plane is upright and pulling 1 positive G in a normal attitude. If you were in a stairwell and an overhead window blew out, then it is possible you could be blown directly upward. But I can't think off hand of any aircraft that is configured in a way that is likely.

[televisionremoter]

i was just thinking of the comet accidents in the fifties...maybe its because the fuselage ripped on the roof of the aircraft...great videos though

[ATFSCrash]

In the case of the comet scenarios, it is reasonably possible they were shot up but it is more likely they could have been blown out by the slipstream.

[tuperonza]

looks very deadly

[ATFSCrash]

During depressersation hypoxia is more likely to kill you then the risk of being blown out.

In a typical aircraft the cockpit is the most risky place to be as the windows are typically bigger and more likely to get hit with things like bird strikes.

[LLPorduction]

hum :D any way u die.