Erika Armstrong’s Post

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444,448 Followers | A Chick in the Cockpit Author | Airline and Business Aviation Captain | Pilot Trainer | Keynote Speaker | FRAeS | #1 to Follow - LinkedIn Aviation | NBAA Professionalism in Aviation Award | FAASTeam

PASSENGERS! I'm going to empower you with this knowledge; This guy probably needed restraining, but if he wants to try and open an emergency exit while you're at cruise altitude in a commercial airliner, just sit back and watch him be an idiot (and it will also wear him out). You cannot open an emergency exit once the aircraft is pressurized. You can open it on the ground, shortly after takeoff, and maybe on the descent moments before landing, but depending on the airplane, the PSI on the door is higher than any human can open at cruise altitude. At a typical cruising altitude, up to eight pounds of pressure is pushing against every square inch of the interior fuselage. That's + 1,100 pounds against each square foot of the door. Even at lower altitudes, the differential is still more than anyone can overcome. I think he had other mental issues going on, but for your own peace of mind, now you know... (thanks Ray Bozzer for the clip) #aviation #airline #airlineindustry #airplane #aircraft #passengers #commercialairline #pilot #pilotlife #airlinepilot #flightattendant #achickinthecockpit #information #knowledge

Erika Armstrong

444,448 Followers | A Chick in the Cockpit Author | Airline and Business Aviation Captain | Pilot Trainer | Keynote Speaker | FRAeS | #1 to Follow - LinkedIn Aviation | NBAA Professionalism in Aviation Award | FAASTeam

4mo
Bob Petrovich

The Right Questions for Your Answers my opinions are my own

4mo

Erika Armstrong last year one deranged person managed to open the door during descent. "An airline official said a man in his 30s who was sitting at the emergency seat seemed to have opened the door when the aircraft was about 700 feet (213 meters) above the ground and about two to three minutes from landing in the city 150 miles (240 kilometers) south of Seoul."

Glenn Schalk

President at GlennCo Aviation Training Company

4mo

Erika you are absolutely correct , there is also a shear rivet on the handle designed to shear if you try to open the door when the aircraft is pressurized

Scott Blair

Client Relations Manager at KCAC Aviation

4mo

I've been asked that question many times and say the same thing, let em try! It's just not going to happen.

Creedence Dengre

Chair/CEO | Family Office | Wealth Preservation in the era of CBDCs | Finance & Economics | Private Equity | Engineering, Science & Technology | Real Estate

3mo

Erika Armstrong ; worth noting your advice is only true for Boeing A/C. This fool could indeed succeed on an Airbus, which do not use plug doors on the main doors. So yes; Restraint absolutely needed. Not familiar with what Embraer or others use.

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Had another event in Asia...with Korean Air

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Richard Sutherland

Founder & Partner @ Caledonia Financial Group | Redefining Banking with Agentic AI and Quantum-Grade Tech

4mo

Brilliant post—definitely reassuring to hear it straight from a pilot! I was silently nodding along because, as much as the physics make perfect sense, seeing someone try to open that door mid-flight is still very panic-inducing. Honestly, maybe the crew should start carrying a few tranquilliser darts just for these situations with lunatics... calm everyone down, including the guy trying his luck! 😅

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Vidura Stich

Results-Driven Consultant ➜ Program Management ● Organizational Design ● Product Portfolio

4mo

Love this. Great insight. 🤓

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