Originally Posted by
nicolai
I think a plug-type door that the passenger had to hold, for the 747, would be impossibly heavy.
On the 737-800 the wing exit change was required by the FAA to approve the increase in passenger capacity to ensure that evacuation could be fast enough, that's why it's a (gas, I presume) powered door and not a manually-removed plug door.
The door is spring loaded along with a snubber and counter balance actuator.