If you shoot a bullet at an airplane window, what will happen?

Question

I saw the movie Snakes on a Plane and I was wondering if what Samuel L Jackson did would really happen.

Answer 1

Assuming we are talking about a pressurized aircraft at altitude, you'll make a hole in the window, which may allow the aircraft to depressurize (some aircraft can maintain pressure with only a small hole, though).  The window might shatter, which can result in a much faster depressurization that the aircraft might not be able to compensate for. Objects may be sucked through the window in that case, and there is a possibility of a larger structural failure (and thus a larger hole) developing.

On small unpressurized aircraft, you'll make a hole, and the window might shatter.  Since the aircraft is unpressurized, there wouldn't be any other effects.

The cockpit windows are especially resistant to impact in pressurized jets and you might only crack them by shooting at them.  On small aircraft, the window would likely break, endangering the pilot.

Answer 2

It depends on the plane and the altitude. If you shot a window on a spitfire, it wouldn't do anything. A new pressurize plane at a high altitude would be bad.

Answer 3

on ground: you break a window, and possibly a skull.

in the air: if the hole is small enough, there is some pressure regulator on the floor that lets air out so the cabin is at a constant PSI pressure, if a hole in a window lets air out, the little regulators will make the regulator hole smaller(like a throttle) or close up completely for the air pressure going out of the window.

Answer 4

The plane would depressurize and make an emergency decent.  On the way down the other passengers would kick the c**p out of you and tie you up with zip straps.  You would then land at the nearest major airport and be taken to the hospital by the cops.  When you wake up from your coma, you will sit in jail for a long long time.

Answer 5

You will go to jail for a long time.

Answer 6

The plane will lose cabin pressure. Light objects will be sucked out.  

Answer 7

if the airplane was on the ground, and unpressurized, nothing. The window  would have a bullet hole and thats it,

at altitude, where the pressure difference between inside the cabin and outside is immense, if the window is damaged in any way, the rest will also give out instantly, creating the "explosion". the air inside would want to rush out, creating wind, and the "sucking" effect. the wind will try to bring out anything light enough but usually, everything just takes off but doesn't fly out because the wind isn't smooth.  

Answer 8

In addition to all the above answers you'd probably be arrested. (Unless you're working for an aircraft window test evaluation organisation).

Answer 9

No. In real life, very light objects might get moved toward the hole - the same way that papers in a car with the windows down get blown around.  

Answer 10

That depends on the airplane. if it is a pressurized plane at high altitude the plane would lose pressure and the pilots are gonna have a tough time controlling the aircraft. If the plane isn't pressured it wouldn't make a difference

Answer 11

Depending on the Altitude of the Aircraft it would lose Pressure. However things do not get "Sucked Out" like people say or how movies show they do.

There is no suction effect, what really is happening is that inside the plane turns into a wind tunnel due to the speed of the aircraft and the wind circulating inside of it. That causes things to be blown out. So Yes things can fly outside, but they are not being sucked out.

There have been studies on this and h**l even the mythbusters did a show about this. It was excellent !

Answer 12

Two factors will decide the result.

1) If the window is bullet proof, nothing will happen.

2) If the window is not bullet proof, the fired projectile will pass through and the inside pressure of the aircraft (if the aircraft is pressurised) will escape out. If the aircraft is not presurrised, nothing will happen, except a hole through which the bullet has passed.

Answer 13

The pressure we're talking about is around 8.6 psi for your average airliner.  There's no Dean Martin getting sucked down the aisle ala` AIRPORT.  There's wind, cold and usually some fogging with the pressure drop.  It's noisy too.

Light stuff, paperwork, blankets maybe will be moved toward the hole.  

It basically comes to the differential pressure (see above and that's an airfram limit when the Pressure Relief Valves open) and the size of the hole.