Posted on 11/21/2005 8:11:40 AM PST by aculeus
A French woman has admitted attempting to open an aeroplane door mid-flight so that she could smoke a cigarette.
Sandrine Helene Sellies, 34, who has a fear of flying, had drunk alcohol and taken sleeping tablets ahead of the flight from Hong Kong to Brisbane.
She was seen on the Cathay Pacific plane walking towards a door with an unlit cigarette and a lighter.
She then began tampering with the emergency exit until she was stopped by a flight attendant.
Defence lawyer Helen Shilton said her client had no memory of what had happened on the flight on Saturday, and that she had a history of sleepwalking.
She pleaded guilty to endangering the safety of an aircraft at Brisbane Magistrates Court and was given a 12-month A$1,000 (£429) good behaviour bond - she will forfeit the money if she commits another offence.
The French tourist was at the start of a three-week holiday in Australia with her husband.
© BBC MMV
;-D
Air pressure in the cabin (around 14psi) would make it nearly impossible for a single person to do this. All commercial aircraft doors but up against the INSIDE jamb of the airframe. The pressure pushes the door out, so pulling it in would be very difficult/impossible.
Those crazy smokers... got to love em.
How did she endanger the aircraft if it is impossible to open the door in flight?
Of course.
I just didn't know if it would open in flight. Thanks for the explanation.
Thanks for the answer.
Muggs, since you were going to ask if you could open the door in flight, why don't you also ask if a few bullets through the door would reduce the pressure so you could open the door? </sarc>
A will o' the wisp. A clown. How do we solve a problem called Sandrine? How do you keep a wave upon the sand?
How do you hold a moonbeam in your hand?
Most of my friends don't smoke, but their parents did. I'm told that they've already smoked enough [secondhand] to do them for a lifetime. =)
Sandrine Bonnaire, a French actress. Stared in a French movie (excuse me, "Film") "Vagabond" ("Sans toit ni loi" 1985)
Interesting movie about French sub culture of hippie type bums and vagabonds.
I knew someone that did most every drug out there and she said kicking the smoking habit is harder than kicking drugs....
Hang in there and good for you for quitting smoking...I am not a smoker but I understand it is not easy
Whoa!
How do I qualify for that? I can think of a lot of misdemeanors I'd be glad to commit for a few of those bonds...after a year, I could retire...;-D
C&S--looks like I was wrong, too. ;-D
Meant to add, you were right! ;-D
To Australia! Any place where I can get a list of crimes that fetch a "bond"? I'd be glad to commit some... ;^)
I had a close friend who sleepwalked. One night he went out his trailer rear door that had no steps 6 ft down and broke both arms. It does happen.
what a dingbat this actress is ...
at that altitude and air speed, she'd never get her lighter to stay lit =)
This French woman had a few drinks before the flight. The story suggests that she followed her drinking with a few "uppers" This is the reason I laughed at her attorney's sleep walking story.
LOL, i doubt its true, probably just another example of bad journalism.
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