[serfty]

If you're travelling on QF29 tonight; be prepared for possible delays.

Qantas mid-air emergency | Herald Sun

...
July 25, 2008 01:52pm

A QANTAS flight has just made an emergency landing in Manila following reports that a door 'popped' mid-flight between London and Melbourne.

... passengers ... say oxygen masks dropped from the ceiling when the door 'popped' in flight.

... the plan suddenly plunged from 30,000 feet to 10,000 feet.

Flight QF 30 was due to arrive in Melbourne around 10pm tonight.

It was one hour from Hong Kong when the incident occured.

The plane is currently on the tarmac at Manila airport with all passengers - the majority of them Australians - on board.

[serfty]

QF30 Hong Kong 19:55 21:45 Delayed

[Evan]

What were they doing at FL300 ? unless they were really heavy (or due to winds) would they not be higher than FL300 at this point in the flight ?
(And how heavy they were ? would they need to dump fuel to land ?)

Sounds not good in any case....

E

[maninblack]

I would say, thats a "big story" and a big save by the "keeper" thank goodness. I assume a 744. Wonder which one and which door?

[Oneworldplus2]

I thought that to open a door when a plane is in flight at cruising altitude, is impossible.
With the pressure at that height, it's the equivilant of trying to move a 5 ton door. I have spoken friends of mine (who are Qantas engineers) and they say that it's pretty much impossible for a door to pop open?

[serfty]

It was an hour out of HKG so perhaps had not reached the full altitude that happens later in the flight as fuel burns. (Perhaps the passengers were rounding )

MNL seems rather logical ...

GCM HKG-MNL/MEL

[Evan]

Makes sense... i was trhinking it was a bit more than 711 miles without checking.

Yes, impossible to open a door mid flights... but this was not opened, this would have been some sort of failure... I guess more news will filter soon.

E

[markis10]

Originally Posted by Evan

What were they doing at FL300 ? unless they were really heavy (or due to winds) would they not be higher than FL300 at this point in the flight ?
E

FL300 may have been the optimal crusing profile altitude for that part of the flight, quite normal. The airspace is also quite conjested over Manilla so it may have been an ATC limitation.

[markis10]

Originally Posted by Oneworldplus2

I thought that to open a door when a plane is in flight at cruising altitude, is impossible.
With the pressure at that height, it's the equivilant of trying to move a 5 ton door. I have spoken friends of mine (who are Qantas engineers) and they say that it's pretty much impossible for a door to pop open?

The pressure trying to equalise from a cabin altitude of 10K to that outside would assist and not prevent such an occurance if it were not for the fact the door is larger than the opening for the cabin, however there should be locks etc in place to prevent this regardless, cargo doors are a different issue.

There have been quite a few instances of doors opening inflight at altitude in a 747: AI 182, PA 103, UAL 811, and TWA 800 for instance. I suspect your friends are referring to deliberate door openings which are impossible as they are locked (hence the announcement "crew lock doors and cross check")!

[maninblack]

Originally Posted by markis10

The pressure trying to equalise from a cabin altitude of 10K to that outside would assist and not prevent such an occurance, however there should be locks etc in place to prevent this.

There have been quite a few instances of doors opening inflight at altitude in a 747: AI 182, PA 103, UAL 811, and TWA 800 for instance. I suspect your friends are referring to deliberate door openings which are impossible as they are locked (hence the announcement "crew lock doors and cross check")!

AI 182, PA 103 were bombed. UA 811 was an outward hinge cargo door. TWA 800 was a fuel tank explosion.