How often do people die on flights?

Minstadave · 22 Apr 2011 at 23:47

hawker1986 said:
Do they have a chest drain kit? Id imagine not. I remember that story about the Orthopod who made one for someone using a catheter and a pop bottle on a plane, I do hope im never in that position.

Hawker

Also...Props for getting the commando link in.

Don't remember a chest drain but you can manage with a cannula and a syringe if pushed.

Commando link?

Philtor · 22 Apr 2011 at 23:51

It's usually the heart that's the issue given the altitude and pressure. Flight crew are trained to use equipment onboard to deal with such situations, but they are by no means doctors. On a long haul flight you are in serious trouble if your heart plays up.

hawker1986 · 22 Apr 2011 at 23:53

Minstadave said:
Don't remember a chest drain but you can manage with a cannula and a syringe if pushed.

Commando link?

Yeah but de-tensioning and pneumothorax for 8 hours would be tedious with a cannula.

Commando - post 33 unrelated to the medicine

.

Hawker

Biohazard · 23 Apr 2011 at 00:01

There was that plane that decompressed during flight in Greece (?) that flew for a few hours with everyone dead on it before it plunged into a hillside.

Pretty grim thinking to be honest.

He'sDeadJim! · 23 Apr 2011 at 00:04

Most flights now have onboard churches complete with a graveyard, new EU directive I think.

Al Vallario · 23 Apr 2011 at 00:08

Biohazard said:
There was that plane that decompressed during flight in Greece (?) that flew for a few hours with everyone dead on it before it plunged into a hillside.

Pretty grim thinking to be honest.

Later, the F-16 pilots saw the flight attendant Andreas Prodromou enter the cockpit and sit at the controls, seemingly trying to regain control of the aircraft. He eventually noticed the F-16, and signaled him. The pilot pointed forward as if to ask, "Can you carry on flying?" Prodromou responded by shaking his head and pointing downward. The cockpit voice recorder recorded him calling "mayday" multiple times. Within minutes, due to lack of fuel, the engines failed in quick succession and the aircraft began to descend. Prodromou grabbed the yoke and attempted to steer, but the plane continued, hit the ground and exploded, killing all passengers and crew.

— http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helios_Airways_Flight_522

Pretty grim indeed

Philtor · 23 Apr 2011 at 00:09

Biohazard said:
There was that plane that decompressed during flight in Greece (?) that flew for a few hours with everyone dead on it before it plunged into a hillside.

Pretty grim thinking to be honest.

Yup. Asphyxiation caused both the pilot and first officer to loose consciousness effectively leaving the aircraft flying on it's own. Under normal procedures they should have descended to 8,000FT (which we can breathe at) but that didn't happen. It eventually run out of fuel and crashed. Awful disaster

Philtor · 23 Apr 2011 at 00:11

He'sDeadJim! said:
Most flights now have onboard churches complete with a graveyard, new EU directive I think.

What age are you???

He'sDeadJim! · 23 Apr 2011 at 00:12

philtorrens said:
What age are you???

lighten up it's only death.

Westyfield2 · 23 Apr 2011 at 00:12

Never had anyone die on a flight I've been on.

Coming back from Vancouver last year someone else in the cabin got taken ill overnight - don't know what kind of ill though! I slept like a baby as I had been at the booze in the lounge (well that and the proper flat bed & mattress you get in First) but someone I was with told me that the Cabin Crew knew what to do.

Talbs13 said:
They can normally get the plane down within 20 minutes.

Have fun over the Atlantic!

Biohazard · 23 Apr 2011 at 00:52

Al Vallario said:
— http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helios_Airways_Flight_522

Pretty grim indeed

I hate air travel these days, used to love it as a kid too. I've grown scared

Had someone become ill, delay take off and had to be stretchered off to ambulance, making us miss our slot and made us quite late. Can't really blame someone to much for that though. No death as of yet.

theNude · 23 Apr 2011 at 01:10

yhack said:
I wish I could fly business class, it looks killer

i like this

shifty_uk · 23 Apr 2011 at 01:30

I've had ambulance and fire crews rush to our aircraft on two occasions now, both times after landing. The second time it happened, the women managed to walk off with paramedics so I'm not entirely sure what was up, even though the air crew were requesting doctors and nurses over the speakers.

Scuzi · 23 Apr 2011 at 01:39

philtorrens said:
It's usually the heart that's the issue given the altitude and pressure. Flight crew are trained to use equipment onboard to deal with such situations, but they are by no means doctors. On a long haul flight you are in serious trouble if your heart plays up.

IME one of the most common airborne medical emergencies is a stroke. I'm not sure how many deaths that would account for though.

Biohazard · 23 Apr 2011 at 01:44

Scuzi said:
IME one of the most common airborne medical emergencies is a stroke. I'm not sure how many deaths that would account for though.

The pressure I take it?

Scuzi · 23 Apr 2011 at 01:46

Biohazard said:
The pressure I take it?

No idea. My medical knowledge goes about as far as Anadin = less severe hangover

I had a stroke on a plane once. It upset the passengers sat next to me and apparently it wasn't enough to join the mile high club. Baddum tish.

Al Vallario · 23 Apr 2011 at 01:50

Scuzi said:
I had a stroke on a plane once. It upset the passengers sat next to me and apparently it wasn't enough to join the mile high club. Baddum tish.

Philtor · 23 Apr 2011 at 01:53

Scuzi said:
IME one of the most common airborne medical emergencies is a stroke. I'm not sure how many deaths that would account for though.

Yes Strokes can and do happen with people suffering from heart problems when they go on aircraft. I've been diverted twice over the years due to an elderly passenger taking sick through heart problems. Must be awful to have something go wrong with your ticker at 35,000FT. Bad enough on the ground never mind in the air!

Biohazard · 23 Apr 2011 at 02:18

Scuzi said:
I had a stroke on a plane once. It upset the passengers sat next to me and apparently it wasn't enough to join the mile high club. Baddum tish.

Seriously?? :eek:

can't tell if joke or not

Jokester · 23 Apr 2011 at 07:07

Reminds me of the story of a terrorist attack in the far East I think it was where a bomber put a bomb in the pouch in the seat in front which then exploded blowing the guy that was in front in two. His top half was left sticking out of whole in the floor, rather than panic the passengers anymore they just put a blanket over him and told them he was having a sleep or something!