depressurization seems more likely since the MH370 was flying at 45000 feet

[Lemon Drop]

mrlynn wrote:


I shouldn't think just flying above the aircraft's rated maximum altitude would depressurize the aircraft, at least not completely. But that's a technical question. Everyone seems to be assuming it.

/Mr Lynn

No, it doesn't, as I said before. I didn't assume it.

"There has been much talk in the media about the radar data showing the aircraft climbing above the altitude for which it was certified by the FAA and higher than airlines normally fly. While it is true that the 777 was not certified to fly at 45,000 feet (it is certified to fly higher than most airliners,in excess of 40,000 feet) that does not mean that the aircraft cannot climb higher than that altitude. In fact, certification standards will allow for margins beyond the certification limits. While certainly not a safe or recommended practice, it would not be unusual for an aircraft certified at 40,000 or more feet to be able to climb to 45,000 feet without suffering catastrophic failures.

The radar data showing that the aircraft continued to fly after it hit 45,000 feet tend to indicate that there was no catastrophic failure. As far as the passengers surviving at that altitude, it’s important to remember that aircraft that fly above 10,000 feet have pressurized cabins. That is true, of course, of all major airline aircraft. These aircraft are pressurized to mimic the pressure experienced by the human body at an altitude of less than 8,000 feet. Regardless of the aircraft’s altitude in flight, the cabin pressurization system will mimic the pressurization at 8,000 feet or less. This means that at 45,000 feet, the passengers would likely feel the same cabin pressure as at normal cruise altitude. There is no reason to believe that supplemental oxygen would have been required. Or that passengers would not have been able to survive, if in fact the aircraft did climb to 45,000 feet."

http://www.forbes.com/sites/johngoglia/2...5000-feet/

[mrlynn]

Lemon Drop wrote:
No, it doesn't, as I said before. I didn't assume it.

Sorry. I should have said, "Everyone, except for Lemon Drop (and other astute MRFers). . ."

/Mr Lynn

[Black]

mrlynn wrote:
[quote=Lemon Drop]
No, it doesn't, as I said before. I didn't assume it.

Sorry. I should have said, "Everyone, except for Lemon Drop (and other astute MRFers). . ."

/Mr Lynn
I haven't seen where anyone but except maybe one person who clearly has not been following this story closely suggested that altitude alone would depressurize the cabin. We've been taling about what would happen at those altitudes if the cabin were depressurized, on the assumption that that would happen through other means, e.g as part of a plot to incapacitite the people on board.

[Bill in NC]

yep, depressurize the cabin, stay at altitude until the oxygen generators stop, rendering the passengers & hopefully crew unconscious.

then do whatever you want without the distraction of anyone hammering on the cockpit door.

[N-OS X-tasy!]

Bill in NC wrote:
yep, depressurize the cabin, stay at altitude until the oxygen generators stop, rendering the passengers & hopefully crew unconscious.

then do whatever you want without the distraction of anyone hammering on the cockpit door.

Wouldn't that course of action also render the perpetrator unconscious?

[Carnos Jax]

I think the pilots have a longer lasting source of breathable oxygen...not sure though.

[MyPOV]

So why fly at 45,000 feet? How about catastrophic explosion and fire on board and the need to extinguish the fire. Passenger cabin may have been breached and this was an option available to the pilots. Just a thought like so many floating around.

[mrlynn]

I know the authorities are fixated on the analyses of those engine 'ping' signals and the two 'arcs', but I still wonder whether anyone actually looked into the report of a low-flying airliner over the Maldives, and the report of the woman who saw a plane in the water while flying over the Andamans. With all the media speculation, you'd think these would have gotten some attention.

/Mr Lynn