SWA Rapid Decompression
04-03-2011, 09:41 AM
#71
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Just want to chime in with a possible reason for the hole in the fuselage. Boeing assembly uses rivets and a "cold bonding" process on the fuselage stringers.
The nines I have flown at NWA are very old. Some of the 30's were from 1967 ! And they did have some corrosion problems.
The nines I have flown at NWA are very old. Some of the 30's were from 1967 ! And they did have some corrosion problems.
I'm a bit confused. Are you suggesting that Douglas also used the "cold bonding" process?
Tony
former DC-9 project employee at Douglas, Long Beach, CA
04-03-2011, 12:51 PM
#72
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Joined APC: Oct 2006
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Fuselage Flexing?
And so are the older Buses and MD's..... Guess what? No holes. I haven't read anything about an older Bus or DC or MD blowing a hole in it and they have "hundreds of thousands of completely safe and trouble-free flight hours" AND NO HOLES.
So the question stands -
Boeing 757 at American = Hole
Boeing 737 (x2 now) at SWA = Hole(s)
Maybe related or maybe not but 732 Aloha with no top
So what is happening with the Boeing narrowbody aircraft that they are having this issue at all. 3 (or 4) with holes and rapid decompression is 3 (or 4) too many.
I fly them, I don't build them. However, it seems to me that there is a fatigue issue with the Boeing that perhaps is unique.
This is not bashing on Boeing, this is my asking a question of why only Boeing narrowbodies??? 757 and 737 use the same barrel if I am correct.
So the question stands -
Boeing 757 at American = Hole
Boeing 737 (x2 now) at SWA = Hole(s)
Maybe related or maybe not but 732 Aloha with no top
So what is happening with the Boeing narrowbody aircraft that they are having this issue at all. 3 (or 4) with holes and rapid decompression is 3 (or 4) too many.
I fly them, I don't build them. However, it seems to me that there is a fatigue issue with the Boeing that perhaps is unique.
This is not bashing on Boeing, this is my asking a question of why only Boeing narrowbodies??? 757 and 737 use the same barrel if I am correct.
The only thing I can think or is the fuselage probably flexes most on the top above the wing. Think of a tetter-totter. Weight on both ends of the aircraft flexing over the pivot point (the wing). I am not sure narrow body is relevant other than that the wide bodies have huge service consols and baggage bins running down the center of the ceiling that may inhibit flexing.
Just a thought
04-03-2011, 01:00 PM
#73
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Hole porbably started small
Bravo Zulu to the whole crew, cockpit and cabin.
Now for the question...
I thought one tiny bullet hole would lead to everybody getting sucked out ... like in the movies
According to one report, it took some 45 seconds for the masks to drop. I'm guessing they drop around cabin alt of 15,000. So, by my calculation a 3ish square foot hole results in a cabin rate of climb of roughly 10,000 fpm? Does that sound reasonable?
I'm trying to imagine what it felt like.
Now for the question...
I thought one tiny bullet hole would lead to everybody getting sucked out ... like in the movies
According to one report, it took some 45 seconds for the masks to drop. I'm guessing they drop around cabin alt of 15,000. So, by my calculation a 3ish square foot hole results in a cabin rate of climb of roughly 10,000 fpm? Does that sound reasonable?
I'm trying to imagine what it felt like.
It probably started small and escaping preassure caused big tear. Preasurization system would try to maintain preasure by closing outflow valves, enhancing the problem. Mask dropping probably took a while because it took awhile to loose enough preassure to tigger their realease. I wonder if the crew flipped the switch to manually deploy masks.
04-03-2011, 01:50 PM
#74
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, I thought I'd go look and haven't yet found such an incident.
I hope the 737 doesn't become well known as a Bloeing.
Let's hope that SWA can get their planes back in the sky and safe. I read someone say that perhaps SWA would need 80 replacements. Maybe they can buy the old -9's from Delta
They are probably good for another 10 years or more!!!! LOLSerious note - Imagine the crew sitting up front and hearing the top rip open! Scary! Good job to the crew in getting their O2 masks on and getting the old girl down fast and safe.
04-03-2011, 04:20 PM
#75
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The NTSB actually had a very informative briefing this morning (Sunday).
One of the things they stated was all of the 02 generators did deploy and function properly. In a time of duress, time stands still and the masks may have not come down in a microsecond, but they did work.
Sounds like the crew did a great job. They initially talked about heading back to PHX, but landed at the closed suitable airport, Yuma.
One of the things they stated was all of the 02 generators did deploy and function properly. In a time of duress, time stands still and the masks may have not come down in a microsecond, but they did work.
Sounds like the crew did a great job. They initially talked about heading back to PHX, but landed at the closed suitable airport, Yuma.
04-03-2011, 05:06 PM
#77
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The NTSB actually had a very informative briefing this morning (Sunday).
One of the things they stated was all of the 02 generators did deploy and function properly. In a time of duress, time stands still and the masks may have not come down in a microsecond, but they did work.
One of the things they stated was all of the 02 generators did deploy and function properly. In a time of duress, time stands still and the masks may have not come down in a microsecond, but they did work.
04-03-2011, 05:33 PM
#78
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Posts: 115
News here in Dallas said that the inspections found cracks in additional airplanes.
Also talked to a friend of mine who's brother works in heavy maintenance at SWA and said that they had previously reskinned the tops of several of the 737s with slightly thicker metal and that the ones affected hadn't been through the process yet, so there's obviously some recognized weakness there.
Also talked to a friend of mine who's brother works in heavy maintenance at SWA and said that they had previously reskinned the tops of several of the 737s with slightly thicker metal and that the ones affected hadn't been through the process yet, so there's obviously some recognized weakness there.
04-03-2011, 06:46 PM
#79
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