Because the fellow onMythBusterscan’t spend every episode disprove outrageous claims people make about airplanes , we reached out to pilot , air travel blogger , and generator ofCockpit Confidential , Patrick Smith , to help us bust 11 of the most pop flying myths .
Planes dump human waste while flying
This one has been around for ages – and with no virtue . It ’s simply impossible . The tank hold waste until the aircraft lands , and they are empty bythe most badass sheik at the airport . However , in an incident geezerhood ago , a faulty valve permit toilet water to leak out into the airstream , form a sort of high - elevation icicle along the side of the sheet . “ The ice eventually broke free and was go down on into an engine , have the entire engine to separate from the aircraft , ” Smith read . " This give rise to the phrase ' When the sh*t hits the turbofan . ' "
Cabin air is full of germs
You would retrieve a small , enclosed space with any mad mortal would lead to a hotbed of germs , correct ? I intend , we did show youthis crude video of a sneeze disperse through a planeand point outhow flight is destroying your wellness .
However , the air on planes is astonishingly clean . It ’s plumbed in from the compressor sections of the engines , Smith say , and while some of it ’s reuse , it all runs through high - efficiency particulate matter air ( HEPA ) filter . But beware of surfaces . " If you get sick after flying , there ’s a smashing hazard that it ’s from something you touched – a lavatory handle , your armrest , or tray tabular array – rather than something you breathed in . " And if you want to know precisely what NOT to touch , here arethe eight muddy parts of the plane .
You get more intoxicated when flying
Only if you step up the number of drinks you enjoin ! Or startmixing your own disturbed cocktailsat altitude . Many people take they feel more inebriated while drinking in flight of stairs , mostly because the pressurise air get the cabin feel like you ’re sitting between 5,000 and 8,000 ft above ocean level . It ’s like drink in Denver . But there ’s dead no difference of opinion in a person ’s blood - alcohol content .
You can open the door on a plane
We already addressed this one in detailhere , but lo and behold , the myths continue ! No doubt everyone on board would jump into action mechanism if they saw a rogue rider messing with the doorway handle , but fear not , there ’s no getting it open . Not by deal , at least . When the planing machine is pressurise in flight , the door is lock against the fuselage bythousands of pounds of pressure . " You ’d need a hydraulic shit [ to pry it open ] , and TSA does n’t allow those , " Smith says .
Planes pretty much fly themselves at this point
This one is , understandably , one of the most frustrating myths for pilots . It ’s a mistake about what autopilot and cockpit automation are in reality able of , and how pilots interact with those restraint . Smith compare it to the engineering in a surgeon ’s operating way : while it take a leak certain tasks prosperous and safer , it does not number even remotely close to getting free of the need for the surgeon . " A plane can no more fly itself than an operating way can do an organ transplantation . " It ’s that simple . Ninety - nine percent of landings , and 100 % of takeoffs , are still performed manually , with either the captain or first officer ( co - pilot ) physically at the controls .
One hole in the plane will suck everything (and everyone) out
Not quite – thanks for nothing , Hollywood ! It all depends on the sizing of the hole , what caused it , and the floor of cabin pressurization ( i.e. , the sheet ’s altitude ) at the time , Smith enounce . An explosive decompressing – a fuselage rupture make by a geomorphological failure or a turkey – could indeed " draw out " passengers . The good news is that the vast majority of decompressions are gradual and perfectly realizable . Now if you want to know the mystery behind those tiny hole in airplane windows , you ’ll need toread this .
You can get high from oxygen masks
Again , thanks to Hollywood ( specifically Brad Pitt inFight Club ) , some people trust that oxygen mask are there to " get you high-pitched " and keep you calm . Not for breathe clean oxygen . plain , science dictate otherwise : if the plane loses cabin pressure , people will run out when the air becomes thin and oxygen - wretched . The masks are necessary until the airplane pilot can bring the plane to an height where passengers can suspire normally again . It ’s kinda that simple .
You can get stuck on a plane toilet
Your body would rightfully have to form a double-dyed seal to the seat , which we ’re hoping none of you are trying to do on a populace , tiny airplane toilet . This is one thatAdam Savage tested onMythBusters , and while he managed a " substantial " suction , he bring up no trouble .
Cellphones interfere with the airplane’s electronic systems
The fact that everybody can use their cellphones in airplane musical mode during takeoff and landing now moderately much seems to have put this motion to rest , right ? And Smith agrees , the answer is probably no , wireless contagion from cellphones does n’t interfere , but the FAA would still rather play it dependable than dreary .
The aeroplane ’s electronic systems are heavily shielded , but if the shielding is previous or the system of rules is faulty , there could be a problem . Then again , if it was of fully grown concern , cabin crew would inspect or compile phones before take off , considering how many of them are impart on during trajectory . " If this really was a recipe for catastrophe , I think we ’d know about it by now , " Smith pronounce .
Planes have an onboard corpse locker in case somebody dies in flight
Myth ? Urban caption ? Actually , it was true for a while – but only on Singapore Airlines ' fleet of A340 - 500 plane that flew between Singapore and Newark until 2013 . Those planes did , in fact , have a corpse compartment . But they ’re now out of service , and no other commercial-grade carrier wave flies planes with those lockers . That said , if you ’re wondering what does happen when somebody dies on a aeroplane , you’d probably be pretty surprised / embarrassed .
Flying is getting more expensive
Actually , when adjusted for pompousness , the average cost of an airway ticket has declined about 50 % over the past three tenner . Ticket prices are well below what they were 30 or 40 years ago . " In my parent ' generation it cost several thousand dollar in today ’s money to trip to Europe , " Smith read . " Even coast - to - glide trips were something relatively few could afford . The idea of air travelling as a variant of mass transit , with college youngster jetting home for a long weekend or to Mexico for natural spring break , is very new . "
sign up up herefor our daily Thrillist email , and get your fix of the best in food / drinkable / fun .
IM_photo/Shutterstock
Katherine Welles/Shutterstock
withGod / Shutterstock.com
IM_photo/Shutterstock
withGod / Shutterstock.com
Shestakoff/Shutterstock
conejota/Shutterstock
