Just saw that this SWZ flight from Midway to Manchester was diverted to Cleveland. http://flightaware.com/live/flight/SWA1951/history/20071202/0223Z/KMDW/KMHT Appears to have droped several thousand feet fast. A decompression problem or someone foget to lock the door? Or medicao emergency?
They were making a funny video.
My best guess would be a decompression emergency. Correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t the altitude that airline pressurize to 10,000 feet? Getting the plane down for 34k to 10k in 9 minutes was needed for passenger safety. I’m guess the level off for 4 minutes was to allow the passengers to get used the pressure that the plane was at before begin the emergency landing. Correct? Did the Cleveland media covers this at all?
If I recall correctly, oxygen masks are required above 10,000. Most airliners are pressurized to about 6,000 to 8,000 feet.
In a non pressurized plane it is 12,500 for pilot. I know pilots that will jump over weather at 18k sans mask. For pax it’s 15k.
tried to provide link… its’s covered in FAR 91.121