December 17th 2013 marks the 110th anniversary of the first ever flight by the Wright Brothers. However, there has been much speculation over the years as to whether the Wright Brothers were indeed the first to take flight. Reports claim that Gustave Whitehead flew his Condor plane in August 1901, two years before the Wright Brothers’ recorded first flight. Whitehead designed his aircraft, which transformed from a car into a plane, drove it in to a field outside Connecticut, and gave two demonstrations of his unique flying machine.
To mark this anniversary, we’ve taken a closer look at some of the stranger mysteries associated with flying and unveils the truth behind these myths.
Is it possible to get sucked down the toilet when flushing?
Airlines have always denied the possibility; however one case was documented 10 years ago. A woman travelling across the Atlantic to the U.S experienced getting stuck to the toilet bowl due to suction and ended up spending the whole flight in the bathroom. Not until the flight had landed on the ground could the woman be rescued. She did, however, receive compensation for her toilet-trip across the Atlantic.
Are there really no parachutes for emergencies on board – even for the pilots?
No commercial flights have emergency parachutes on-board, and there is a reason this. Firstly, passengers are unable to operate parachutes properly, and with the air pressure at 10,000 meters, it would be impossible to open the aircraft doors. If someone did manage it, the temperature outside the aircraft would be minus 50 degrees, making anyone wearing a parachute more like a dangling icicle.
Can passengers be sucked through a broken airplane window?
It happens a lot in movies and on TV, but can a broken aircraft window really result in passengers getting sucked through? The truth is that it can’t. All windows in a plane are multiple-glazed and far too small for passengers to fit through. However, the superstitious amongst us might want to keep their seatbelts fastened.
Is it true that oxygen inside the aircraft cabin is reduced in order to calm down passengers during the flight?
Actually, it is the complete opposite. During a flight, additional oxygen is pumped into the cabin as the air pressure is about the same as on a 2,500 meter high mountain top, making it a health hazard to reduce passengers’ oxygen.
Does the aircraft empty the toilet mid-air?
No one has to worry about any ‘heavenly’ surprises, as all debris is collected in tanks on board. However, in some cases, small amounts of fluid can leak to the outside. These liquids freeze instantly to the plane and are known as ‘Blue Ice’. There have been a number of documented incidents of Blue Ice impacts and earlier this year a “football sized” ball of blue ice smashed through a conservatory roof in Clanfield, Hampshire, causing around £10,000 worth of damage.
(Preview photo cred: iStock.com/serjo74)
