Originally Posted by
ATC Watcher
I find this medical discussion fascinating, and educative, but very theoretical.
In my 35 years as a radar controller controlling mostly upper airspace, I had to witness a few emergency descent myself, and saw a lot more on replay.
On the ROD : except from very old types like CV990 which could put 4 reverses in flight and could go down with 10.000 ft/min, the DC8 which could put the inboards in reverse and do 6000 ft/min , most of the others did around 4000 .I never seen a 787 doing one , left before they arrived.
After the incidents occurred , except from some minor injuries ,I cannot recall anyone killed or being permanently brain damaged. I have never read anything like this on incidents reports from rest of the world either. People sucked out if seated besides the hole.. yes, but Dead by hypoxia during a descent ? But maybe someone here can find references. .
And I mean hypoxia during an emergency descent, not slow ones or staying at altitude , e.g. Helios and various Lear jets..
On the 787, assuming no structural damage and increasing the speed to Vmo/Mmo in descent from 41,000’ it takes about 3 1/2 mins to 10,000’. If you leave the speed where it is at .84 and don’t increase it assuming structural damage it takes about 5 1/2 mins for the descent. That’s with full speed brakes obviously.