Stupid question - cabin doors

[JessTheDog]

I normally post on the military aircrew side. I've flown quite a few times, with the RAF and with civilian carriers but one thing has not occured to me until recently.

I've read a few headlines about "nutter tries to open door in mid air". I remember flying to Japan, a little tipsy and smoking a fag (they were smoking in those days and I partook of the weed back then) leaning against one of the exits and thinking nothing of it.

It has since occured to me that "what happen if nutter tries to open door". I suspect that the doors are locked from the cockpit (tannoy "cabin crew doors to manual" rings a bell) and I recall hearing somewhere that the doors open inwards and cannot physically be forced inwards against the pressure differential (or whatever physics term it is) at altitude.

So, what happens if nutter avoids the hordes of passengers and crew seeking to pin him/her down, gets to the door and yanks the handle? Nothing?

Sorry, daft question prompted in part by the drunken women who recently tried the trick at 30,000ft over Germany!

[Shack37]

Jess, If I've managed to get the link right you'll find some answers here.

http://www.pprune.org/forums/passengers-slf-self-loading-freight/336685-women-try-open-door-mid-flight.html

[friarkeasley]

Hi JTD,

You are correct about the pressure difference meaning that the door wont open in flight, especially on the Boeing 737, as the door is a plug type that falls inwards before opening outwards. However, the doors aren't deadlocked from the flight deck, the "Cabin Crew doors to manual/automatic" relates to the escape slide.

Hope this helps

[JessTheDog]

Many thanks!

Idle curiosity itch scratched. :D

Next...why is orange jam called marmalade? :confused:

[Barkly1992]

Because its the same colour as the cat.

[ExSp33db1rd]

and 'cos your British - Godammit. Marmalade is Marmalade, not jam.

[flyblue]

.........:rolleyes: