DISCLAIMER – I am not planning on smashing the window on an airplane.
Worth pointing out that it is highly unlikely for an airplane window to either smash or pop out — they’re multi-layered Lexan reinforced panes mounted from the inside. And they’ve all got a hole on the inside pane so that a controlled decompression with a loud whistling would happen long before the entire pane would give way. This would likely provide time for the masks to drop and the pilot to adjust altitude long before any explosive decompression (if that even occurred).
Likewise, doors are designed not to open at altitude.
So the only weak spots these days are door plugs and the bathrooms.
Pedant, but the pressure difference between 1 atmosphere and zero isn’t all that great, so explosive decompression wouldn’t happen even in the worst case scenario. Rapid yes, explosive no.
To be explosive you need something like the Byford Dolphin diving bell incident, which was 9 atmospheres to 1 in a fraction of a second.
In flight?
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Masks would fall down
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The crew will start an emergency descent to a breathable altitude
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The crew will call a may day and reroute to the nearest suitable airport
Worth noting that the masks in the cabin aren’t designed to keep you awake. They’re just designed to keep you alive. They’re basically just hydrogen peroxide and a catalyst, which mixes when you pull the mask down. The resulting chemical reaction produces a small amount of oxygen for a short time. This is also why the instructions say to put your own mask on before helping any children; You only have 15-30 seconds of usable consciousness before you pass out, so you need the mask to stay awake long enough to help anyone else. The pilots are the only ones who actually have masks good enough to stay awake, and that’s why they immediately dive to a breathable altitude.
Also, the entire cabin would immediately fog from the sudden pressure and temperature change. We’re talking “can’t even see your fingertips when your arm is outstretched” levels of fog.
And while we’re talking about it, the cabin would suddenly be cold. Like absolutely fucking freezing.
Lastly, your ears will painfully pop, and will likely ring for a while afterwards. The sudden pressure change will feel like you got slapped on the ears.
Concise, interesting. Will pm you a nude.
Can I have one?
You may want to ask more questions first before soliciting that nude.
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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):
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They will put on their own o2 masks (it’s critical to do this as you can lose consciousness in under a minute)
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They will set the transponder to a code that denotes the emergency to both ATC and nearby traffic
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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.
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They’ll announce to the cabin that they’re doing an emergency descent
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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:
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Loud rushing noise. Possible moisture filling the cabin now that you have outside cold air mixing with warm air and surfaces inside
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Masks dropping and seatbelt signs
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Shortly after the Captain saying “Emergency descent” 3 or so times
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Flight screw scrambling to seats and putting on masks
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The sound of the wings adjusting for speed brakes, shuddering from the flight profile change,
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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.
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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
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