What is the window on an airplane called? Why are portholes round? It is possible that the body of a deceased person or organs that someone needs for a transplant may be flying on the same plane with you.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney in 2012, at a meeting with potential donors, was outraged by the fact that passengers could not open “windows” on the plane.

The plane carrying presidential candidate Romney's wife landed after experiencing smoke in the cabin. There was no fire (everything is made from non-flammable materials), but, of course, the plane was quickly landed. Commenting on the incident, the Republican said:

“If there is a fire on the plane and you have nowhere to go, ... you cannot breathe, because outside air cannot enter the cabin, since the windows do not open. I have no idea why they won't open. This is a real problem. And this is very dangerous. She gasped and rubbed her eyes. And it would be much easier for the wife to cope with stress if she could breathe fresh air during a fire. Fortunately, there was enough oxygen for the pilot and co-pilot to make the safe landing in Denver. But she’s fine now,” he concluded.

So why can't you open the windows and doors on an airplane?

US presidential candidate regrets that airplane windows cannot be opened

What happens if you open the door on an airplane? Let's start with the fact that after takeoff, the aircraft doors are under great pressure. The door area is at least half a meter. Those. 5000 sq. cm. Even if the difference is only 0.2 Atm, then 1000 kgf must be applied to open the door. More precisely - 500kgs, since the handle is on the edge of the door, and the other side is on hinges

That is, to open such a door, you will need the strength of Superman. Not a single person can do this task. So if you are afraid that some tipsy passenger will decide to open the door during a flight and passengers will start flying overboard, you have nothing to worry about. This is completely out of the question.

In addition, a barometric relay is built into the door lock, which, as soon as the plane begins to gain altitude, automatically locks the lock tightly. The lock is unlocked only when the pressure inside the aircraft is equal to the outside pressure (that is, on the ground).

But still...

Up to about 4 km - nothing particularly terrible will happen, it will blow strongly, things will fly around the cabin. :) It will get colder. -6 Celsius for every kilometer of altitude. That is, at an altitude of 4 km it will become 24 degrees colder than at this time on the surface of the earth. In theory, there may be minor structural damage - but this depends on the specific circumstances of the unfortunate incident, the speed of the aircraft and the direction and speed of the wind.

At 10 km and above it will be worse - a sharp (explosive) decompression (pressure drop), up to the effect of a blast wave. Things from the cabin and unfastened passengers can be carried overboard by the air being sucked out. Objects flying around the cabin can seriously injure passengers (for example, a camera or video camera). A blow to the ears (due to changes in pressure) - both sharply and strongly and painfully - may cause bleeding from the ears and/or nose. There is very little oxygen at this altitude. You need to immediately put on an oxygen mask (be sure to first yourself, then help others, including children).

The pilot must have time to descend to a safe altitude (4 km) - so that passengers can breathe - because The oxygen supply is only enough for about 10 minutes. But “falling” 6 km in 10 minutes is not a problem, it can be done faster, the main thing is that the passengers do not become hypothermic, because The difference in temperature on the ground and at an altitude of 10 km is 60 degrees Celsius. The probability of damage to the structure is somewhat greater - but nevertheless - not great.

There is such a thing as an emergency descent in less than 10 minutes. you can descend to a height of 3-4 km. But the sensations during such a descent will not be very pleasant; here on the ground your ears will ring from the sharp pressure drop, and even more so in the stratosphere.

Here are some more interesting points:

Airplanes spend most of the flight at high altitude, for good reasons: safety, comfort, economy. If an emergency occurs, the crew of an aircraft located at a high altitude has a greater reserve of time and opportunities to cope with it. In cold, rarefied air there is less resistance to movement, fuel is saved and engines are cooled better. On high altitudes there are no insects and birds, there are fewer strong and multidirectional air currents that cause turbulence (for example, when the air around cumulus clouds goes down and between them goes up).

In simple words, turbulence can be explained as follows: the plane moves through the air, as if on a tightly stretched carpet. Under favorable conditions, the pressure on the surface of the “carpet” is distributed evenly; it is even and smooth. But as soon as conditions change, folds and wrinkles appear along the “carpet of air.” Passengers feel this and it seems to them that the plane is diving into a hole. But their sensations deceive them: the plane does not fall and does not fail anywhere, but glides further (only not on a flat surface, but on a wavy surface).

If the engine fails, the plane does not roll or fall into a dive or spin - the thrust simply drops. The engines accelerate the plane, not steer it.

Even if all engines fail, they will still operate in autorotation mode (in this case, the energy required to rotate the engine is taken from the air flow incident on it). This allows the plane not to fall, but to glide (flying, if necessary, more than 100 km) and land safely at the nearest airport.

More about aviation: let’s remember about, but, well,

Round windows to provide access to light, built into the sides of airplanes and ships, are a common sight. It is difficult to imagine that they did not always have such outlines. So why are the portholes round? There are a number of explanations for this.

Portholes on ships

The windows built into the sides of ship hulls were not always round in shape. In historical photographs you can see ships with square and rectangular windows that look like regular vents.

The rounder shape that is more familiar to us is due to higher strength parameters. Roundness makes it possible to evenly distribute the load created by differences in pressure and temperature. This “negates” the risk of cracks and, as a result, rupture of the ship’s hull. For the same reason, all load-bearing parts of ship hulls, as well as doors and hatches, are rounded.

The second reason for the widespread use of round windows is ease of manufacture.

Previously, window frames were made from cast brass blanks, followed by processing on lathes. The round pieces were much easier to make. In addition, during installation it was easier to seal them, protecting them from leaks.

Modern round portholes on ships are completely waterproof. As additional protection in case of severe bad weather or rough waters, the portholes are equipped with storm covers made of metal or removable shields.

Windows on airplanes

Even before the middle of the last century, square windows were installed on passenger planes. Airplanes such as the Caravel even had triangular windows.

The turning point was the tragedy that occurred in 1953. In those years, the jet aircraft industry was actively developing. One of the first to enter the world market was a supersonic airliner called Comet. By technical specifications in those days he had no equal. But contemporaries remembered the supersonic airliner for the reason that it crashed at the moment of takeoff. 56 passengers died. Over the next year, two more similar disasters occurred. "De Havilland Comed" was removed from flights, discontinued and the causes of the accidents began to be investigated.

As it turned out later, the key cause of the tragedies was the depressurization of the aircraft body due to microcracks that appeared in the corners of the windows. To understand, as the plane climbed to altitude, there was a rapid drop in external pressure, while the pressure inside the plane remained more stable. The pressure difference provoked the expansion of the housing. As a result, tension was created in the body material, and it began to gradually change its shape. The square window acted as a kind of obstacle to the distribution of stress, forcing it to change its direction and thereby causing an increase in pressure. Peak stress points formed at the corners of the square windows, causing cracks to form in these areas.

After this, the windows on the plane are made exclusively round or oval. They distribute pressure along the entire curve, minimizing the risk of deformation.

Essentially the portholes of modern passenger aircraft, such as the wide-body twin-engine Boeing Dreamliner, are more likely not to have a round shape, but rather a rectangular one with beveled and rounded corners. This engineering solution allows you to “bypass” places where fatigue stresses are concentrated.

It is noteworthy that according to the instructions, the window curtains must remain open during takeoff or landing of the aircraft. This precaution allows you to solve two problems at once: it allows passengers to more easily and quickly adapt to the natural light outside, and crew members at any time, with a quick glance, visually assess the condition of the aircraft and, if necessary, take appropriate measures in a timely manner.

In addition, the polymer curtains should be pulled back for the reason that if emergency situations at the moment of mechanical damage, do not injure nearby passengers.

Today, the need to use curtains on windows has practically disappeared, since round windows on airplanes are made automatically darkening. The degree of darkening of the windows is determined by the crew. If it is necessary to dim by 99%, you can program in just a couple of minutes both all windows at the same time and selectively individual windows in the cabin.

Porthole (from Latin illuminator - illuminator)

a glazed window in the hull or superstructure of a ship for lighting and ventilation of interior spaces. Ship windows are round (side and deckhouse) and rectangular (wheelhouse), solid and opening, often with waterproof covers. The choice of type I. is determined by the location of its installation and the distance to the waterline (See Waterline). I. are also called round windows of an underwater research vehicle, airplane, helicopter, spaceship, etc.

Great Soviet Encyclopedia. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. 1969-1978 .

See what “Illuminator” is in other dictionaries:

- (Dead light, bull's eye) round window on the ship. I. consists of a cast frame that covers a round cutout in the outer skin and is attached to it with bolts or rivets. An internal frame is hinged to this frame, into which is inserted... ... Nautical Dictionary

- (by this, see next word). 1) coloring paintings, engravings, lithographic prints. 2) small windows, side or deck, used to illuminate cabins and decks. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N., 1910.… … Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

1. PORTHOLE, a; m. [lat. illuminator] A hermetically sealed round window (on a ship, on an airplane, etc.). Side windows. Batten down the portholes. Porthole glass. Ship and. ◁ Porthole, oh, oh. And oh hole... Encyclopedic Dictionary

Transilluminator, draftsman, illuminator, window Dictionary of Russian synonyms. porthole noun, number of synonyms: 4 porthole (5) ... Dictionary of synonyms

porthole- a, m. illuminateur lat. illuminator. Illumination specialist; pyrotechnician BAS 1. Since illuminations have now become spectacles, they call someone who practices the art of distributing light or illumination in such a way... an Illuminator. Historical Dictionary of Gallicisms of the Russian Language

- (from Latin illuminator illuminator) a glazed window on a ship, deep-sea or aircraft, round or rectangular, fixed or opening, with or without waterproof covers... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

- [il], ​​porthole, husband. (from Latin illuminator, illuminator). 1. A tightly closing round window on the side of a ship (marine). 2. The person in charge of the illumination device (special). Ushakov's explanatory dictionary. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 ... Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

PORTHOLE, huh, husband. A hermetically sealed window (on a ship, deep-sea vehicle or aircraft). Ship and. | adj. porthole, oh, oh. Ozhegov's explanatory dictionary. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949 1992 … Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary

- (lat. illuminator illuminator) a round or rectangular window on the side of the ship’s hull, the wall of its superstructure or in the upper deck for light access ... Wikipedia

- (lat. illuminator, from illummo I illuminate) glass. window on a ship (see figure), underwater research. apparatus, airplane, helicopter, spacecraft. ship, etc. Ship's porthole... Big Encyclopedic Polytechnic Dictionary

PORTHOLE- Count portholes on a ship nice trip. Open you will be entrusted with freedom of action in making important decisions. You will be able to get through the difficult competition and take a prestigious vacancy. You look through the closed porthole... ... Big family dream book

Books

• Earth in the porthole (collection), Yuri Ivanovich. Since ancient times, intelligent beings have loved to have fun by hunting, but sooner or later any civilized society recognizes hunters as poachers and mercilessly fights the destruction of nature. But… e-book

We love flying airplanes! But it turns out that in flight everything is far from so simple 😉 We will tell you a few interesting facts, which you've most likely never heard of before 😉 Let's go!

1. There is often an ax on board an aircraft, which is part of the safety equipment and is stored in the cockpit behind the captain's seat.

2. Flight attendants demand to raise the window shades not at all so that you can admire the take-off picture, but in order, in extreme cases, to see a fire.

3. An airplane wing is actually very flexible and can bend at enormous angles. So if the wing sways during flight, everything is fine 😉

4. On board an aircraft, the captain has unlimited power and can detain, fine, and much, much more.

5. You will never be able to land a plane on your own, even following the prompts of air traffic controllers. Most likely, you won’t even understand how to contact them... And the autopilot, by the way, does not work completely autonomously during landing.

6. It is possible that the body of a deceased person or organs that someone needs for transplantation may be flying on the same plane with you.

7. The porthole window is triple glazed to protect against pressure changes, regulate air flow and protect against internal damage, respectively.

8. A flight attendant or steward can always open the toilet door with ease, because... There is a secret handle hidden under the name of the room.

9. The pilot and co-pilot cannot eat the same food and share it with each other. This was done to avoid the possibility of poisoning both crew captains.

10. The table in front of you is not nearly as clean as it seems. We strongly advise against placing food or personal items on it!

Did you like the article? Scroll on and see a photo selection of those with whom you would definitely not want to be on the same plane! 😉

If you cannot afford to fly business or first class, there is nothing left to do but choose economy class... where, to be honest, it is not always convenient and pleasant. And all because there are many other unusual people and more flying with you.

WuzzUp brings to your attention the 20 most annoying passengers you can meet on an airplane.