Mitt Romney: Why don't aircraft windows open?

Pherekydes

So the next leader of the "Free World" has wondered (aloud) why aircraft windows don't open?

So, what answer should AH give him?


"Windows with hinges are too expensive to install." :pac:

Link

GLaDOS

Pherekydes wrote: »

So the next leader of the "Free World"

I would hope not, there are justified criticisms of Obama's first term, but he's still a far superior option to Romney

davet82

i voting for mitt, planes should be able to open their windows!

Sir Pompous Righteousness

Pherekydes wrote: »

So the next leader of the "Free World" has wondered (aloud) why aircraft windows don't open?

So, what answer should AH give him?


"Windows with hinges are too expensive to install." :pac:

Link

Pretty obvious answer really, windows don't open mid-flight because there would be a massive drop in cabin pressure which could tear the plane apart.

charlietheminxx

Sir Pompous Righteousness wrote: »

Pretty obvious answer really, windows don't open mid-flight because there would be a massive drop in cabin pressure which could tear the plane apart.

But that's the truth.... why waste facts on a fool like Romney?

Seaneh

He also believes this ****.

http://listverse.com/2008/02/04/top-10-bizarre-mormon-beliefs/

FatherLen

because all the helium which keeps the airplane in the air would get out.

Feeona

Mitt Romney should never be misunderestimated!

Pherekydes

Sir Pompous Righteousness wrote: »

Pretty obvious answer really, windows don't open mid-flight because there would be a massive drop in cabin pressure which could tear the plane apart.

Apart from that, and the probabilty that everyone on board would be sucked out, except for Wesley Snipes, what's the harm in installing windows that open? How many times have you sat upstairs in a stuffy bus, wishing you could open a window?

33000ft? The air would be really fresh. Apart from the furniture and bodies flying out the window, it's win-win.

Ste-

Then Ryanair couldn't charge us for their air.

Biggins

Feeona wrote: »

Mitt Romney should never be misunderestimated elected!

Slight typing error, corrected.

ejmaztec

Sir Pompous Righteousness wrote: »

Pretty obvious answer really, windows don't open mid-flight because there would be a massive drop in cabin pressure which could tear the plane apart.

That's about as far from an AH response as you can possibly get, but it would be okay in the Conspiracy Theory forum, mainly due to it being complete lies.:P

The Beast of Bodmin

Cos the birds will get in and hijack the plane.

Dravokivich

So people can't hock out the window.

Imagine what a gobfull of spit would be like after coming down from so high? :eek:

:pac:

Mr Benevolent

Actually most commercial airliners do have windows that can open at up to 200mph. Thankfully, they're in the cockpit. I'd love to see what'd happen if someone decides they're too warm and opens it at FL390 though.*

*It'd go from 22c to -57C in one tenth of a second.

krudler

the fairy dust would blow out, duh.

BillyMitchel

Confab wrote: »

Actually most commercial airliners do have windows that can open at up to 200mph. Thankfully, they're in the cockpit. I'd love to see what'd happen if someone decides they're too warm and opens it at FL390 though.*

*[SIZE="1"]It'd go from 22c to -57C in one tenth of a second.[/SIZE]

Planes are way to warm and stuffy anyway!

Angron

Those windows aren't real windows, they are just mini tv screens to make everything look normal. Really, the plane is strapped to a flock of seagulls, like in James and the Giant Peach.

endabob1

Denny M wrote: »

Those windows aren't real windows, they are just mini tv screens to make everything look normal. Really, the plan is strapped to a flock of seagulls, like in James and the Giant Peach.

Really, I never thought they were that good, although they sold quite well in the US, so maybe there's something in it after all.

CardBordWindow

Imagine if a cloud got in and started raining! :eek:

Adyx

endabob1 wrote: »

Really, I never thought they were that good, although they sold quite well in the US, so maybe there's something in it after all.

It's the hair that gave them the power of flight.

freyners

so there is a fire, and he want to introduce even more oxygen,

that'll end well

Fr_Dougal

CardBordWindow wrote: »

Imagine if a cloud got in and started raining! :eek:

Or imagine if a bee got in and stung the pilot.

I thought this was obvious, no?

Anyone who has a car can tell you that air conditioning doesn't work with the windows open. Same on planes.

Jimoslimos

I wonder if all this is a clever ruse, to make us believe he's a bumbling GWB Mark II. After all, the common person is intimidated by intelligence and rational thinking.

Duckworth_Luas

You should also be able to open the windows on submarines, it gets very stuffy down there, would be good to let some fresh air in!

wandatowell

I thought it was to keep the midgets out

shopaholic01

He must be modelling his presidential style on George W. Bush, or even Prince Philip.

wandatowell

wandatowell wrote: »

I thought it was to keep the midgets out

Really? Didn't think Midgets could fly.

Fratton Fred

FatherLen wrote: »

because all the helium which keeps the airplane in the air would get out.

Aah, that's how they work.

I had a laptop once that ran on smoke. Unfortunately all the smoke escaped through the vents and it never worked after that.

--Kaiser--

Jimoslimos wrote: »

I wonder if all this is a clever ruse, to make us believe he's a bumbling GWB Mark II. After all, the common person is intimidated by intelligence and rational thinking.

Mr Romney may look like an idiot and act like an idiot, but don't let that fool you, he realy is an idiot

ChippingSodbury

You can't open the windows: the plane would crash becuase the fuselage would get too heavy with the drool of all of the dogs who'd stick their heads out and happily wag their tails...

Dyr

If you left the windows open the jihadis would get in. :eek:

Oh noes

jsn.peters

The same reason they dont come as convertibles

CardBordWindow

jsn.peters wrote: »

The same reason they dont come as convertibles

Next week on Dragon's Den......

Hacuna Matata

Still a genius compared to George Bush Jr

Fenian Army

He's a dick and I don't agree with him, but he is far from stupid.

Laois_Man

Is it very wrong of me to be very excited about the prospect that this man could become US President?

The 6 O'Clock news is gonna be a howl for the next 4 years if he wins!!

Cienciano

According to the OP's link it was a joke. So non story. If fox news jumped on a line that obama said as a joke as if that's what he really believed, we'd be taking the piss out of fox news

twinytwo

Pherekydes wrote: »

Apart from that, and the probabilty that everyone on board would be sucked out, except for Wesley Snipes, what's the harm in installing windows that open? How many times have you sat upstairs in a stuffy bus, wishing you could open a window?

33000ft? The air would be really fresh. Apart from the furniture and bodies flying out the window, it's win-win.

Explosive decompression to the extent that they show in the moves is a myth, it dosent really happen like that.

Aphex Tim

Obama is his biggest fan

http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/pp25/Marc-Barr/643874_355294834558105_1785679035_n.jpg

Manic Moran

freyners wrote: »

so there is a fire, and he want to introduce even more oxygen,

that'll end well

Duckworth_Luas wrote: »

You should also be able to open the windows on submarines, it gets very stuffy down there, would be good to let some fresh air in!

Interesting that you should choose the submarine example as a response, as it's the most significant example to actually back up Romney's thought. Fire is far and away the most dangerous enemy to a submarine, because it is a confined, pressurised, metal tube (kindof like an airplane) in which people are breathing oxygen, the same oxygen which the fire is consuming. If there's a fire on a submarine, the chances are that the people in it will die of asphyxiation long before they get burned if the fire isn't brought under control, it's why they have such massive fire-fighting capabilities. Water can be pumped out again, oxygen is a bit tougher as you can't just open a window. With an airplane, if the worst comes to the worst, you can just open a window, such as the ones in the cockpit.

There's a grain of truth behind his joke.

NTM

Laois_Man

Cienciano wrote: »

According to the OP's link it was a joke. So non story. If fox news jumped on a line that obama said as a joke as if that's what he really believed, we'd be taking the piss out of fox news

It doesn't read like an intended joke though

I appreciate the fact that she is on the ground, safe and sound. And I don't think she knows just how worried some of us were," Mr Romney said, according to the LA Times. "When you have a fire in an aircraft, there's no place to go, exactly, there's no – and you can't find any oxygen from outside the aircraft to get in the aircraft, because the windows don't open. I don't know why they don't do that. It's a real problem. So it's very dangerous. And she was choking and rubbing her eyes. Fortunately, there was enough oxygen for the pilot and copilot to make a safe landing in Denver. But she's safe and sound."

Jimoslimos

Don't oxygen masks drop down in this situation anyway, or is that only in loss of cabin pressure?

Pherekydes

twinytwo wrote: »

Explosive decompression to the extent that they show in the moves is a myth, it dosent really happen like that.

Huh? But Gert Frobe was sucked out through a tiny window at the end of Goldfinger.

Jeez, next you'll be saying they can't outrun explosions or dodge bullets. But we've all seen those things happen on film.

Pherekydes

Fenian Army wrote: »

He's a dick and I don't agree with him, but he is far from stupid.

Just ignorant, I guess. Many ordinary people wouldn't have a clue either.

I'm sure the Brain trust, that is the Romney election team, could come up with a viable solution to [mid-air] fire emergencies, like flooding the cabin with carbon dioxide.

Biggins

Fenian Army wrote: »

He's a dick and I don't agree with him, but he is far from stupid.

Just a massive flip-flopper, a HUGE liar and very unsure and uneducated about a number of very serious matters.

rossie1977

there is a reason sportingbet are offering obama at 1/6 on to win the election

Capt'n Midnight

CardBordWindow wrote: »

Imagine if a cloud got in and started raining! :eek:

If you open a window at 36,000 feet you get instant cloud all through the cabin.

Pottler

Any chance we could all club together and install a plane window that does open, and get Mitt to test it at 20,000 ft, with George Bush, Dick Cheyney and Donald Rumsfeld as on the spot observers? They do say seeing is believing.

Capt'n Midnight

Manic Moran wrote: »

Interesting that you should choose the submarine example as a response, as it's the most significant example to actually back up Romney's thought. Fire is far and away the most dangerous enemy to a submarine, because it is a confined, pressurised, metal tube (kindof like an airplane) in which people are breathing oxygen

AFAIK if a sub at depth limits suffers catastrophic hull failure it's possible for the inrushing water to behave like the piston in the sense that all the air is compressed in a very short time. So it gets hot. Very very hot, like being in a fire piston. Not a pleasant way to go