There absolutely is a warning, from multiple independent systems, even. That presumes the failure is gradual enough that the warning provides useful time to descend. A catastrophic failure of a part could rapidly depressurize the cabin, and at 30,000ft that does not provide you with much more 30 seconds to correctly react.
Even on a rapid decompression scenario, 30 secs is plenty of time to don the mask, disengage auto pilot, pitch nose downs, throttles idle and extend the speed brakes…even then, the pressurization should have been checked with the after takeoff checklist, climb check cruise check and descent check.
Let’s just say they had a rapid decompression and the pilot wasn’t able to correctly react, why did the auto pilot turn the plane around on its own directly over DC airspace instead of continuing on its path at its last altitude until running out of fuel?
I think there's a more nefarious scenario at work in this case, but having admitted that...I nonetheless appreciate you sharing your obvious knowledge of aircraft systems. I learned a few things here!
There absolutely is a warning, from multiple independent systems, even. That presumes the failure is gradual enough that the warning provides useful time to descend. A catastrophic failure of a part could rapidly depressurize the cabin, and at 30,000ft that does not provide you with much more 30 seconds to correctly react.
Even on a rapid decompression scenario, 30 secs is plenty of time to don the mask, disengage auto pilot, pitch nose downs, throttles idle and extend the speed brakes…even then, the pressurization should have been checked with the after takeoff checklist, climb check cruise check and descent check.
Let’s just say they had a rapid decompression and the pilot wasn’t able to correctly react, why did the auto pilot turn the plane around on its own directly over DC airspace instead of continuing on its path at its last altitude until running out of fuel?
I think there's a more nefarious scenario at work in this case, but having admitted that...I nonetheless appreciate you sharing your obvious knowledge of aircraft systems. I learned a few things here!