Why do you have to shut blinds on a plane?

It's for your own safety. If anything happens during take-off and landing - the most risky stages of every flight - then your eyes will already be used to the dark or the light outside, and you'll be able to react more quickly. That's also the reason why the lights in the cabin are dimmed for take-off and landing.

Why can't you open a window on a plane?

Pressurization only works in an airtight fuselage. Were you to open a plane window, the compressed air inside would rapidly rush out, atmospheric conditions inside and outside the plane would equalize, and everybody would die.

Can a plane fly with a window open?

If a window were opened on a typical commercial flight, the cabin would quickly lose pressure. Oxygen levels and temperatures would drop dramatically. Without oxygen masks, the crew and passengers would likely die. Most commercial airplanes feature fixed windows that cannot be opened.

Why lights are dimmed during takeoff?

The lights are dimmed in order to reduce electrical load. At takeoff, you want all the power possible in order to shorten the takeoff roll and the more electrical load, the more engine power is sapped off to generate electricity.

Why are planes pressurized to 8 000 feet?

The higher the altitude, the less oxygen there is in the air and the lower the overall air pressure is. If flights were not pressurized, passengers would be at risk of various physiological aliments. Because of this, federal regulations require that all commercial flights over 8,000 feet be pressurized.

Why You Close Airplane Window Shades Before Takeoff

Why does every plane have a hole on the window?

The hole helps regulate how much pressure from inside the cabin is exerted on the plane's windows. It ensures that if a plane's window is going to break (heaven help!), the outer pane goes first. Most commercial aircraft window panes have outer, middle and inner panes, all usually made from acrylic.

What happens if a window breaks on a plane?

In brief, it's all to do with air pressure in the cabin. Without compressed air, passengers would be unable to breathe due to a lack of oxygen at over 10,000ft. When a window breaks, the seal holding this compressed air inside it breaks, and it rushes out to equalise conditions inside the cabin with those outside.

Do pilots look out the window?

This really depends on the type of aircraft and the seating position of the pilot. In smaller aircraft, you will have a good view of the area around you, depending on the canopy. In larger aircraft, the instrument panel and cockpit design can restrict your outside view a bit more.

What is the hardest thing to pilot?

Learning to safely land is the most challenging aspect of basic flight training. Takeoffs are always optional. Landings are mandatory. Most pilots who want further training find that getting their IFR (instrument rating) is the hardest part of becoming a professional pilot.

Do pilots ever get scared?

Pilots are trained to handle all sorts of nerve-racking situations, but that doesn't mean that they don't get scared—especially in these real instances, told by the pilots who experienced them, of serious in-flight fear.

Do pilots get nervous before a flight?

A: People who are prone to getting nervous usually do not make it through flight training. Pilots are extensively trained and this training provides the confidence to fly in adverse conditions. The training and confidence overcome any nervousness. I would say a nervous pilot is a rarity.

Has a wing ever fallen off a plane?

A Federal Aviation Administration pilot's report states the plane encountered moderate to severe turbulence resulting in the loss of a portion of the wing. The plane was flying at an altitude of 36,000 feet when the portion of the wing, known as a winglet, was lost.

Have two planes ever hit each other?

On December 16, 1960, two airplanes collide over New York City, killing 134 people on the planes and on the ground. The improbable mid-air collision was the only such accident to have occurred over a major city in the U.S.

Do airplanes fly in heavy rain?

Yes, planes can fly in rain. Nowadays, airplanes are designed to fly in most weather conditions, even heavy rain. Even small planes can comfortably fly in heavy rain. Rain only becomes a threat when associated with other weather conditions, such as snow, thunderstorms, or ice.

What is the dirtiest part of an airplane?

A Miami-based flight attendant revealed the grimiest places on airplanes and it turns out that the dirtiest place on an aircraft is not the tray table or toilets — it's actually the seat-back pockets.

What happens if a plane gets struck by lightning?

Summer is the season for thunderstorms, and sometimes lightning can strike an aircraft that is flying. However, a lightning strike on an aircraft is not dangerous, as aircraft are designed to withstand lightning strikes.

Why is there a triangle on the plane?

An especially astute passenger will notice that these little triangles throughout the cabin line up with the wings outside the plane. If flight crew need to check the wings, these triangles let them know the best vantage points for the slats and flaps outside.

What is the most brutal aircraft accident?

Deadliest accident in aviation history

On March 27, 1977, two Boeing 747 passenger jets collided on the runway at Los Rodeos Airport (now Tenerife North Airport), on the Spanish island of Tenerife, Canary Islands. The crash killed 583 people, making it the deadliest accident in aviation history.

How do planes avoid birds?

Birds can detect airplane landing lights and weather radar and avoid the airplane. Airplane colors and jet engine spinner markings help to repel birds.

Can a plane break up in mid-air?

Not every airplane explosion is deliberate, however. TWA Flight 800 broke apart in midair in 1996 after a fuel tank explosion that weakened the plane's structure.

Can turbulence flip a plane?

In most cases, turbulence will not be powerful enough to completely flip an aircraft.

Can a plane fly with 1 wing?

A plane needs balance to be stable. When it has two wings, it has lift on both sides, and it is pushed straight up into the air. But if you remove one wing, suddenly the plane is out of balance. It would have a huge weight in the middle and lift on only one side, causing the plane to lift unevenly, and stall.

Has an airplane ever crashed in the ocean?

TWA Flight 800 | July 17, 1996

Flight 800, a Boeing 747 flying to Paris from New York's JFK International Airport, plunged into the ocean off Long Island, New York, after a catastrophic break-up shortly after take-off.

What pilots don t want you to know?

Do pilots get first class food?

"Usually the pilot gets the first-class meal and the co-pilot the business class meal. This is just in case one of the meals might cause food poisoning."