In airplanes, every detail has a meaning. For the safety of the passengers and the smooth running of the flight. So the little hole in the window isn’t there by chance. In fact, it’s very important.
When traveling by plane, there are many things you may not know. While we now know why it’s forbidden to use electronic devices on planes, or what happens when you flush the toilet mid-flight, there are still a few mysteries to unravel, such as the purpose of that little hole in every plane window.
Did you notice a hole in the porthole?
If you’re a regular air traveler, you may have noticed a small hole on every aircraft window. If you’re under a lot of stress during the flight and don’t look at anything but the seat in front of you, you now know that an airplane window has a small hole in it. What’s that? A hole in a plane?! Help, panic!
No, there’s no need to get worked up. This little hole is not an oversight, fault or damage to the aircraft. In fact, it’s an ingenious system designed to prevent air disasters. We’re not hiding anything from you – here’s all the explanation.
Why the small hole in the porthole?
To understand the purpose of this small hole or « breathing hole », it’s important to look at the general appearance of the porthole. A porthole is made up of three separate panes. The first is made of plastic and is located on the inside, while the other two are made of glass and are located on the outside.
The small hole at the bottom of the porthole redirects the pressure from the appliance directly to the outer pane. This is an essential safety measure to prevent any destruction of the outer pane. With this system, even without the outer pane, the remaining pane is able to contain the pressure until the aircraft performs the appropriate maneuver.
Now you can fly with peace of mind. You can even show off by explaining to your fellow passenger the usefulness of the little hole in the window.
Main photo credit: Flickr – Chris Waits