Is it possible if you had full control over an aircrafts systems to open the door mid flight on....?

Question

a pressurised aircraft?

Answer 1

Now I have a few qualifying questions...

1. Whats the destination of this imaginary flight?
2. What altitude is the flight at during this simulation?
3. Is this aboard a commercial/private/military flight?
4. What's the planes air speed?
5. Am I the only one on this plane?
6. Before deciding to open the door during the flight, had I forgotten to take my anti-depressant medication?

Answer 2

In commercial airliners, the doors are generally designed in such a way that the pressurization of the cabin holds the doors shut against their frames with a force of several tons each. As a result, they cannot be opened in flight while the cabin is pressurized. The doors on Boeing aircraft, for example, must first move inwards when being opened, and this is impossible while cabin pressurization is holding the door shut. The doors are not actually locked, they just cannot be opened by anyone other than the Incredible Hulk while the cabin is pressurized. Thus, nut cases who try to open the doors in flight are not putting the aircraft in any real danger. If the cabin becomes depressurized for some reason, it becomes possible to open the doors in flight. Of course, during a normal flight, the cabin is not depressurized. Some smaller aircraft have doors that could theoretically be opened in flight, particularly those that aren't pressurized, such as small aircraft used for aerial tours and the like. Private aircraft like small single-engine Cessnas are not pressurized, and the doors can be opened in flight.

Answer 3

Yes, just a few years ago a flight attendant forced open a door when the aircraft was still pressurized due to a piece of insulation blocking the pressure relief valve. He was ejected down onto the pavement and did not survive.
The huge majority of planes cannot open doors while the aircraft is pressurized, and there is nothing to worry about except the body of the person who opened the door striking the aircraft.
Dont worry about it.

Answer 4

Tetchy got it right. The differential pressure of the cabin is just too great for you to open the door at altitude.

If the airplane is pressurized, a properly rigged door will not
unlatch. This is because the door gates must open against
cabin pressure during door unlatching. Pressure on the door gates has a mechanical advantage and prevents the door from being opened while the cabin is pressurized.

Answer 5

The pressure differential keeps the door closed. Unless the aircraft was depressurised or flying at a low altitude, there is no way any person could open a door on an airliner.

Answer 6

It is said the pressure in the cabin at cruising altitude is 8psi. There would be decompression but not enough to destroy the plane. I have seen bullets puncture windows at that pressure and nothing happen other than the oxygen masks dropping. A door would cause alot of turbulance but the aircraft would not be destroyed.

Answer 7

It depends on the altitude you were flying at, but on a normal commercial liner, even with the best controls over the plane, you can't open the door, because it would instantly cause the cabin to decompress and pull everything not strapped down out the door and into the sky.

It is a little like decompression in space, except that you are in the atmosphere and instead of your blood boiling and your major arteries exploding as you suck vacuum, you plummet to your death.

Answer 8

Actually, just about all doors that I can think of open by swinging inwards first. There may be a few exceptions.

You can't open it unless the inside pressure is almost that of the outside.

Answer 9

Any outside door has manual override controls which could allow it to be open midflight.

Answer 10

And why would you need to know that!!

I think you have to manually twiddle something on each door first to activate the door.

I don't think it would be a very good idea though or you'll get sucked off....................off the plane that is.......!!!!

Geordie