British Airways Emergency Descent
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British Airways Emergency Descent
Heard this evening in the Scottish Sector a BA aircraft (not sure what it was- Speedbird 784F) declare first a Pan then upgrade to a Mayday due to a pressurisation failure. They then did an emergency descent- on oxygen (I was in aircraft ten miles behind!) before diverting to Heathrow.
It sounded like it was very well handled by the BA crew and the Scottish controller. Any further information? Hope everyone on board were ok and not too many reports of lives flashing before the passengers' eyes and the pilots struggling with the controls trying to miss the school and hospital!
It sounded like it was very well handled by the BA crew and the Scottish controller. Any further information? Hope everyone on board were ok and not too many reports of lives flashing before the passengers' eyes and the pilots struggling with the controls trying to miss the school and hospital!
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Monitoring 121.5 last night, it sounded like there was a rapid putting down of newspapers in the ops room of the dutch warship. Their broadcast was something like "Will the aircraft approaching at 400kts range x miles please identify yourself!" Luckily, they did. 
I believe London Mil took over controlling there after.
I believe London Mil took over controlling there after.
Stop Stop Stop
'...Hope everyone on board were ok and not too many reports of lives flashing before the passengers' eyes and the pilots struggling with the controls trying to miss the school and hospital...'
Sorry to pull you up on a technicality but surely that's 'grappling' with the controls?
Sorry to pull you up on a technicality but surely that's 'grappling' with the controls?
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'...Hope everyone on board were ok and not too many reports of lives flashing before the passengers' eyes and the pilots struggling with the controls trying to miss the school and hospital...'
Sorry to pull you up on a technicality but surely that's 'grappling' with the controls?
Sorry to pull you up on a technicality but surely that's 'grappling' with the controls?
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Sorry to disturb a good story, but the masks did not drop.
Engine bleed failure does not mean explosive decompression..
The pressure goes down, the cabin slowly rises.
In this case they got down quick enough to stop the masks dropping.
Engine bleed failure does not mean explosive decompression..
The pressure goes down, the cabin slowly rises.
In this case they got down quick enough to stop the masks dropping.
I really do wonder how long we would get down the back. Bearing in mind the small O2 tanks I can't imagine it would be more than 10 minutes, probably less, does anyone know?
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Oxygen chemical generating cannisters. They give 12 minutes. There are warnings at 10,000'. Automatic mask deployment at 14,000' Plenty of time even in a plane with no bleeds to sort out the situation.
This is mainly a professionals section where incidents may be discussed by professionals involved in the industry. It is of no help or interest having a series of laymen expressing astonishment or opinions on incidents they know little about. Come any incident and this place gets invaded by all and sundry. I would suggest if you are not a pilot or involved in a particular branch of the industry related to the subject under discussion, then this is not really the place for you. And that includes self-appointed 'experts' who feel they are asking cutting questions!
We have here a minor incident well handled expeditiously by the crew, now being blown up into something it is not.
This is mainly a professionals section where incidents may be discussed by professionals involved in the industry. It is of no help or interest having a series of laymen expressing astonishment or opinions on incidents they know little about. Come any incident and this place gets invaded by all and sundry. I would suggest if you are not a pilot or involved in a particular branch of the industry related to the subject under discussion, then this is not really the place for you. And that includes self-appointed 'experts' who feel they are asking cutting questions!
We have here a minor incident well handled expeditiously by the crew, now being blown up into something it is not.
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Well I learned 14 minutes Rainboe, as a JAA minimum, so I guess I lose big marks on that because my (hypothetical) passengers might be unconcious if I gave myself two more minutes to get down than were actually in their chemical whotsits 
Better revise my last question then, 12 x 300 =3600, plus 14000 = 17600.
Is 17600 in the cabin possible up to and during identification of the problem or before you get back down to 14000 actual altitude?
Better revise my last question then, 12 x 300 =3600, plus 14000 = 17600.
Is 17600 in the cabin possible up to and during identification of the problem or before you get back down to 14000 actual altitude?
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Look, you are on the wrong track. When the warning goes off, if it's a slow leak, it won't get much above 10,000'. If it's a rapid leak, it will be handled fairly quickly to stop it and get down. If it's an explosive leak, the cabin may get up high. The aeroplane will get down pretty rapidly. Ears might hurt. People get seasick at sea, it comes with going to sea. Very rarely there is an explosive decompression. It is not life threatening. You quote examples without really understanding what went on. I have had a cabin up at 14,000', without masks. We stabilised it and brought it down again relatively gently. I recall nobody in the cabin noticed anything apart from their ears popping. Total non-crisis.
It is 12 minutes. I don't know where you got 14 from. It is adequate.
It is 12 minutes. I don't know where you got 14 from. It is adequate.
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Well I learned 14 minutes Rainboe, as a JAA minimum, so I guess I lose big marks on that because my (hypothetical) passengers might be unconcious if I gave myself two more minutes to get down than were actually in their chemical whotsits
O2 can be available for a wee bit longer.............first example copied direct from A320 FCOM and the second from A330:
The generation of oxygen begins when the passenger pulls the mask towards the
passenger seat. The chemical reaction used for oxygen generation creates heat.
Therefore, the smell of burning or smoke, and cabin temperature increase, may be
associated with the normal operation of the oxygen generators.The mask receives pure
oxygen under positive pressure for about 15 minutes, until the generator is exhausted
The generation of oxygen begins, when the passenger pulls the mask toward the passenger
seat. The chemical reaction used for oxygen generation creates heat. Therefore, a smell
of burning, smoke and an increase in cabin temperature may be associated with the
normal operation of the oxygen generators. The mask receives pure oxygen under positive
pressure for about 22 minutes, until the generator is exhausted
O2 can be available for a wee bit longer.............first example copied direct from A320 FCOM and the second from A330:
The generation of oxygen begins when the passenger pulls the mask towards the
passenger seat. The chemical reaction used for oxygen generation creates heat.
Therefore, the smell of burning or smoke, and cabin temperature increase, may be
associated with the normal operation of the oxygen generators.The mask receives pure
oxygen under positive pressure for about 15 minutes, until the generator is exhausted
The generation of oxygen begins, when the passenger pulls the mask toward the passenger
seat. The chemical reaction used for oxygen generation creates heat. Therefore, a smell
of burning, smoke and an increase in cabin temperature may be associated with the
normal operation of the oxygen generators. The mask receives pure oxygen under positive
pressure for about 22 minutes, until the generator is exhausted
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ROD likely to lead to pax injury
There have been a couple of posts suggesting that excessive rates of descent might result in passenger injury. Whilst true in principle, it is not as applicable to airliner emergency descents as one might think. Barotrauma occurs during excessive rates of change of air pressure, which is not quite the same thing as excessive rates of descent.
It is usually considered comfortable to descend at 500fpm near sea level, representing an increase of pressure at the rate of about 20hPa per minute. At 30,000' and explosively depressurised, this rate of pressure change would require a ROD of about 1500fpm.
If the average healthy person can cope with 2000fpm at sea level without lasting injury, 5000 to 6000fpm at altitude should not cause injury for most.
It is usually considered comfortable to descend at 500fpm near sea level, representing an increase of pressure at the rate of about 20hPa per minute. At 30,000' and explosively depressurised, this rate of pressure change would require a ROD of about 1500fpm.
If the average healthy person can cope with 2000fpm at sea level without lasting injury, 5000 to 6000fpm at altitude should not cause injury for most.