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Old 3rd Feb 2016, 04:38
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CONSO
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: WA STATE
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Question Explosive decompression

I would guess that the differential pressure wasn't high enough for explosive decompression
Just what is it re explosive Decompression that most seem to confused about ?

Absent a massive bomb type explosion which severs large areas or fuel tanks, explosive decompression is partly a misnomer- but it seems that everyone expects total disintegration simply due to overpressure ?

Ever since the ill fated Comet series early on, virtually every commercial passenger airplane has been designed with multiple crack stoppers, redundant load paths, etc. IOW the plane does NOT disintegrate like a punctured balloon simply due to overpressure OR a blown out panel/window, etc. And no - gert frobe type in a bond movie will not be squeezed thru a window.

From wiki ..

Aloha Airlines Flight 243 (AQ 243, AAH 243) was a scheduled Aloha Airlines flight between Hilo and Honolulu in Hawaii. On April 28, 1988, a Boeing 737-297 serving the flight suffered extensive damage after an explosive decompression in flight, but was able to land safely at Kahului Airport on Maui. There was one fatality, flight attendant Clarabelle "C.B." Lansing, who was ejected from the airplane. Another 65 passengers and crew were injured.
The safe landing of the aircraft despite the substantial damage inflicted by the decompression established Aloha Airlines Flight 243 as a significant event in the history of aviation, with far-reaching effects on aviation safety policies and procedures.
That was due to a major fatigue-corrosion issue,- and poor maintenace - but note the structure remained mostly intact even with major skin panels missing

The airframe, the 152nd Boeing 737 built, named Queen Liliuokalani after Lili'uokalani, with registration N73711,[1] was built in 1969 and delivered to Aloha Airlines as a brand-new aircraft. While the airframe had only accumulated 35,496 flight hours prior to the accident, those hours were over 89,680 flight cycles (a flight cycle is defined as a takeoff and a landing), owing to its use on short flights.[2]
The video earlier plus reports the plane was at 14K feet approx should be sufficient proof of the redundant structure and multiple ' crack' stoppers built in as standard features.
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