1w ago

I am about to board a flight. What sequence of events would occur if (by chance) for no apparent reason a window got completely smashed out?

DISCLAIMER – I am not planning on smashing the window on an airplane.

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It depends very much on the height.
If we assume a jet flight at around 30.000 feet:
The cabin pressure goes down immediately, that means, a very strong wind goes out of this open window. Several eardrums burst. (Stupid people panic and cry). Afterwards people cannot breathe normally because of the low pressure.. They need these air masks.
Then the pilot descends immediately to something like 5.000 feet - I don't know exactly - where everybody can breathe normally again.
And then you land at the next airport.
- Halfway decent comment so adding more:
  The emergency descent altitude is almost always 10,000 feet. This is because most people will be able to breath without the oxygen mask at this altitude. But, do not take off your mask.
  They do not descend lower because, succinctly, what if all engine power is lost? If that happens then the pilots want enough altitude to have enough time to try and restart the engines and, failing engine restart, to extend gliding range in effort to maximize choices of where to land.
  Qualifications: expired VFR license (not a commercial pilot)
  
  And to add to the conversation(if there’s anything incorrect please let me know) from videos I’ve seen by MentourPilot, Captain Joe and online sources
  The process will most likely look like the following (assuming an emergency descent is needed because the cabin can’t be pressurized like with the window vs some smaller hole air leak):
  They will put on their own o2 masks (it’s critical to do this as you can lose consciousness in under a minute)
  They will set the transponder to a code that denotes the emergency to both ATC and nearby traffic
  They will radio the distress both for ATC but also nearby planes to give them a heads up that they’ll be rapidly descending. If it’s in a high traffic area they may wait for approval to begin descent (and you can be sure ATC is going to be moving planes out of the way.). If it’s taking too long they will begin descending anyway.
  They’ll announce to the cabin that they’re doing an emergency descent
  They will start a rapid descent to 10,000 ft (if terrain allows it, otherwise down to whatever they can safely get to). This is because the emergency o2 is limited to about 15 minutes.
  Some interesting things I learned about this.
  They will often use autopilot for the descent and level flight. This is because of limited visibility and a risk of possible issues caused by low o2.
  They turn on all lights to make sure they’re as visible as possible to other traffic.
  This descent will be really unpleasant. Not a gentle descent but the safest one (especially if they’re unsure if there’s any structural issues) they can do. Which will be quite a bit steeper than anybody is used to.
  So passengers on the plane will experience this as:
  Loud rushing noise. Possible moisture filling the cabin now that you have outside cold air mixing with warm air and surfaces inside
  Masks dropping and seatbelt signs
  Shortly after the Captain saying “Emergency descent” 3 or so times
  Flight screw scrambling to seats and putting on masks
  The sound of the wings adjusting for speed brakes, shuddering from the flight profile change,
  The sounds of the engines being revved up to the planes maximum speed as the nose of the plane tipping down. It will feel like it’s faster than it really is with the shift in gravity followed by being pressed back due to the increase in speed during descent.
  The plane shifting as they turn away from the main traffic area as they descend (unless told otherwise by ATC, etc)
  Not a fun experience I’m sure
  Some sources to check out
  Emergency descend!! Cockpit video
  Explosive decompression at Simulador TCP. EAS Barcelona pilot school
  Pressurisation Problems: Guidance for Flight Crews
  Aircraft "Falling" - Emergency descend explained
  
  Expired VFR from above:
  Think about "aviate, navigate, communicate" and add to your pilot procedure. For example, the first priority is that the pilot in command establish straight and level flight.
  Also, relate that descent to things people know, such as the typical max climb and descent angles passengers experience and the maximum grade found on US interstates.
  Your work is pretty good. I encourage you to pick up the textbooks used in flight school. There's lots of ways to be a pilot without actually obtaining a VFR license, such as a recreational license or MS Flight Simulator. You can even get a taste with a type of skydive called an "assisted free fall".
- Stupid people panic and cry
  I'm not sure I'd call it STUPID to panic when something extremely scary happens to you...
  
  I mean, I wouldn't exactly call it smart either. Panic is pretty useless in situations where flight is not an option (in the flight or fight sense ... but it makes for a good pun too).
  
  I wouldn't call it smart either but to look down on someone who freaks out when an airplane window blows out seems a bit much lol
  
  Would you agree that it is wise not to panic?
  
  Yes but there's plenty of better-suited middle ground between wise and stupid
  
  No. Wrong.
  It is clear and simple in that order of events that we are describing here: the ones who panic and the ones who don't. And so I describe them with clear and simple words. That other guy who always looks for some grey areas in between and then makes lots of buts and long winding arguments, he is just not there. No time for him, no place for him.
  He maybe comes afterwards, when all is over and I don't care anymore, and that's what I do with you now.
  
  Oh ok you're right it is binary. I now understand that if you are stupid if you aren't 100% calm during a very stressful situation. Thank you for the explanation.
- Standard procedure is max FL100 or 10 000 ft.
  But if you are flying over mountains (FL180 for the Alps highest safe flight level) you are fucked.
  Well no, there are oxygen masks and the pilots will immediately put them on and then dive toward a safer altitude at a controlled but fast rate of descent (more eardrums bursts) as well as clearing the high terrain area ASAP.
  Airbus Procedure is basically "Pull everything on the MCP !":
  masks on for both pilots,
  checks interphone com with your Captain/FO.
  On the MCP, autopilot set altitude to max FL100 or below (above if mountains), pull for open descent,
  pull for HDG and go off track (outside the airway to avoid collisions).
  Pull for max Speed or appropriate (not in managed mode anymore, this will change your rate of descent).
  Speedbrakes max.
  Transponder 7700
  Then you can call Mayday on radio.
  You also check that the masks had been automatically lowered in the cabin at that point.
  And A320 should descent at around 7000ft per minute. At that rate you start to feel that the ground is getting perpendicular to you on the window. Could be more or less, it's the pilot choice and how much he is willing to stress an airframe that just had an explosive decompression.
  Rapid decompressions are very rare events tho. Except maybe on 737 max.

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