Is it possible to open an airplane door while in flight

Think of skydiving planes, for example. Nonetheless, it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to open the door on a pressurized aircraft. As explained by Fortune , the insides of aircraft cabins have a much higher pressure than the air outside.

In fact, the difference can be as much as eight pounds per square inch. In addition to the high pressure that would need to be overcome to open the door, there are also other safety mechanisms. There are, for example, lock bolts deep inside the structure of the door.

These can only be disabled with permission from the cockpit. Accordingly, a passenger will not be able to simply disable them during flight. Wednesday, October 6, Newsletter About Contact. Airline Ratings. Qantas launches Project Winton to replace its short haul fleet. Airlines sign up for net-zero carbon emissions by The Brabazon was to be the palace of the skies. Stunning colour video of the that started the jetset in….

In-flight entertainment in the golden age of flying. Glamorous flight attendants show off aircraft. Magnificent color images capture glamorous hostesses. All News Industry Conversations with Geoffrey. Dispelling the myths about flying. Love Switzerland and the DC-3? Then you will love this! Home Did You Know Can you open an aircraft door mid flight? On the passenger turboprop I used to fly, the main cabin door had an inflatable seal around its inner sill.

During flight the seal would inflate, helping to lock in cabin pressure while blocking out the racket from the engines. Every now and then the seal would suffer a leak or puncture and begin to deflate, sometimes rapidly.

The resultant loss of pressurization was easily addressed and ultimately harmless, but the sudden noise — a great, hundred-decibel sucking sound together with the throb of two 1, horsepower engines only a few feet away — would startle the hell out of everybody on the plane, including me.

On the ground the situation changes — as one would hope, with the possibility of an evacuation in mind. During taxi, you will get the door to open.