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Why Do Airplane Windows Have These Tiny Holes?
Without them, flying would be dangerous
Next time you’re seated on an airplane, take a close look at the window next to your seat.
Not at the clouds or the wings.
Examine the window frame.
Close to the bottom, there is a small hole, invisible to most passengers. Looks like a manufacturing fault or scratch.
But that little hole is one of the most critical safety features on the entire aircraft.
If it weren’t for it, it would be much more dangerous to fly at 35,000 feet.
In order to know why that little hole exists, one must first develop an understanding of what occurs outside an airplane during flight.
The air is very thin at cruising altitude. The air pressure is reduced by about 25%. The weather is so cold that the temperatures drop below -50°C (-58°F), and with no oxygen to breathe.
If the cabin had the same pressure as the outside air, passengers would quickly lose consciousness.
That’s why modern airplanes are pressurized.
The cabin is filled with powerful systems that produce air, giving the impression of being on top of a mountain rather than in the upper atmosphere. The aircraft…
