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What Happens If You Get Sucked Out of a Plane?

astroengine writes "We've all wondered about it. When flying at 30,000ft, you look around the cramped economy class cabin thinking 'I wonder if I'd survive being sucked out of this plane if a hole, say, just opened above my head?' That's probably around the time that you should fasten your seat belt. According to medical experts interviewed by Discovery News in the wake of the Southwest Airlines gaping hole incident, the rapid depressurization, low oxygen levels and freezing cold would render you unconscious very quickly. Assuming you don't get chopped in half as you exit through the hole and hit the tail, you'd be long dead before you hit the ground. Nice."

5 of 327 comments (clear)

  1. It's pretty well known... by Lord_of_the_nerf · · Score: 4, Funny

    ....you spend six confusing years on an island with a bunch of strangers and a polar bear.

    Hopefully you adapt quickly and learn to hate flashbacks and flashforwards.

  2. Re:I've actually thought about this by r.stallman · · Score: 3, Funny

    Correct, in fact this same thing happened to me once. I whipped out my Win7 Mobile device and thanks to it's superior 3G coverage was able to quickly refer to VirtualEarth on the way down. I then used the great new SQL/Server spatial extensions to work out the best trajectory and walked away with only a few scratches. After my smooth landing MapPoint guided me to the nearest pub so really it turned a potential disaster into a great day out, thanks again Microsoft!

  3. Re:News by JustOK · · Score: 3, Funny

    yah, but Real people was finally cancelled in 1984 because of low ratings.

    --
    rewriting history since 2109
  4. Re:Not really by Intrepid+imaginaut · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'd rather be thinking "Hey I can see my house from here, wheeeeeeeee" than spending my last few minutes in blind animal terror. Sure, the last thing going through my mind would probably be my feet, but that's no reason to quit!

  5. Re:Not really by th1nk · · Score: 3, Funny

    You don't get bonus points for "but he survived to feel the impact" on your autopsy report.

    No, but if you're already a goner you might as well have some fun with it.

    I've decided that if I manage to survive the exit and the falling, I'm going to aim for someone's swimming pool and then yell CANNONBALL during my last few seconds. Hopefully someone is around to witness it.