[NerdDad]

I've wondered the same thing--useful for would-be terrorists too. Not being an aero-engineer, I haven't worked out the details of opening and closing the lower hatch. I would think the wind turbulence would make it difficult to purge the compartment if it opens to the bottom of the plane. You wouldn't want a "blow-off" type hatch. Might need it for multiple uses. I am thinking more in the line of a compartment that opens to the back. Kind of a mini version of military cargo plane openings. Hang a small drogue chute on the offending cargo/terrorist and let the wind do the rest.

[jennyp]

I've wondered the same thing--useful for would-be terrorists too. Not being an aero-engineer, I haven't worked out the details of opening and closing the lower hatch. I would think the wind turbulence would make it difficult to purge the compartment if it opens to the bottom of the plane. You wouldn't want a "blow-off" type hatch. Might need it for multiple uses. I am thinking more in the line of a compartment that opens to the back. Kind of a mini version of military cargo plane openings. Hang a small drogue chute on the offending cargo/terrorist and let the wind do the rest.

Interesting... But simpler still would be a compartment that's heavily reinforced on all sides except the outer skin, so that the blast would become a shaped charge that only blows away that weaker portion of the outer skin. It'd be cheaper - fewer moving parts - but still safer than finding the least-bad part of the passenger cabin in which to have the bomb go off.