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GoldenPotatoRequiem -2 points ago +3 / -5

The movies got it from somewhere

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Phil_Selway 8 points ago +9 / -1

Their imagination.

Planes don't explode if a round penetrates the fuselage, it just leaks air. The pilots are warned about the drop in pressure and they fly the plane at a lower altitude.

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GoldenPotatoRequiem 1 point ago +1 / -0

There’s an extreme air pressure difference between a small airplane cabin tens of thousands of feet in the sky, and air surrounding it. EXTREME. And what makes you think that pilots would be warned in a sudden terrorist attack?

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uvic 1 point ago +1 / -0

They get an automated cabin pressure warning.

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GoldenPotatoRequiem 1 point ago +1 / -0

Even so, in most cases where the plane is just having some structural problems, or maybe a cracked window, there isn’t a sudden drop in pressure, which gives time for pilots to drop down it altitude safely.

When a bullet rips through the thin exoskeleton of a plane, it’s not gonna be such a gradual change. The pressure will dramatically change up in the air, piloting the plane will become extremely difficult, and breathable oxygen will deplete from the cabin. And sure, there are oxygen masks on the plane. But does that situation sound like a nice flying experience compared to using a simple glaser round?