What's that big sucking sound ...

[Smiles]

... when you flush "after using" a crapper at 38,000 feet?
I'd always assumed The Waste simply exits somewhere near the rear bottom (sounds about right ) of the aircraft, landing harmlessly with a plop in the great blue sea, or perhaps on the roof of a small neighbourhood sushi restaurant in Okinawa.
But no ... needless to say, it's more hi-tech than that.
For you frequent flyers (and presumed crappers), this for your edification: http://live.wsj.com/video/what-really-h ... F349ADF79A

For myself, I take an Imodium tablet 'just-in-case'. I have not seated myself upon a plane's throne in 20 years, and have no intention of doing so.

[bao-bao]

Interesting story. I'd always figured it was dumped over the ocean or something, too, but now I know. There are the occasional malfunctions that generate reports of chunks of blue ice landing in populated areas (and I don't mean the kind you'd want keeping your tuna salad sandwich chilled in your lunchbox) but I suspect there's a percentage of those that are merely urban myths.

The mechanical operation IS what I'd estimate to be ten times louder than God shouting if he caught his thumb in a doorway, and it's another reason (aside from the odor after 10 hours of flying) to avoid the seats adjacent to the restrooms if you have any thoughts of trying to sleep.

Although a link to Seat Guru is on my site reference list I'm listing it here, too: http://www.seatguru.com/. It's very handy.

PS - Cue the derogatory posts about "another poo thread" in three... two... one...

[pong]

No- the same you can hear in many new-style (hi-speed) trains. It is NOT thrown out-in normal circumstance. It is vacuum-ized. Advanced technology even takes out most/99%+ of the fluids- may even be recycled for a new ''wash''. hat why it cost such a lot to have planes servcied at outposts-all that waste has to be sterilised and taken out.
Yes- 1-2-3 times/year there is some accident when some clmups of ice fall off planes. Mostly this is not from the loos, but from ice-forming on wings etc in cold/damp wheather.

[bao-bao]

Yes- 1-2-3 times/year there is some accident when some clmups of ice fall off planes. Mostly this is not from the loos, but from ice-forming on wings etc in cold/damp wheather.

That may well likely be the case. I based my observation on news reports about chunks of "toilet blue"-colored ice found on the ground (or through a roof)... and those may have been - ahem - "enhanced" by the publications for media appeal.

Interesting about the new processing, though, thanks.

[christianpfc]

There is no mystery about what happens in toilets on Thai trains: you can usually look down through the hole and see the railway track.

[bao-bao]

There is no mystery about what happens in toilets on Thai trains: you can usually look down through the hole and see the railway track.

I can vouch for that, christian - this was on the line to Udonthani. That's not a light bulb down in there. . .

[Jun]

... when you flush "after using" a crapper at 38,000 feet?
I'd always assumed The Waste simply exits somewhere near the rear bottom (sounds about right ) of the aircraft, landing harmlessly with a plop in the great blue sea, or perhaps on the roof of a small neighbourhood sushi restaurant in Okinawa.

With all those planes criss-crossing Europe, exiting out the rear just isn't going to work is it?