I wonder what is the exact scenario the certification people take into consideration: the loss of bleed air, the rupture of the outflow valve, or the loss of a cabin window?
If it is the latter, maybe they assume that the hole is small enough to allow engine bleed air to compensate in part for the air which escapes from the window (assuming the outflow valve will immediately close as well). Maybe the decompression under these conditions is gradual and not as violent as we might think: if it were the case, most passengers would pass over...
Also I wonder if thew crew is allowed to go to the toilet during cruise...
ps: to answer Hot Rod's question, anybody can tell what is the highest altitude ever reached by Concorde?
