> 3000 fpm is nothing crazy, especially for an emergency descent with a depressurized cabin. Definitely not. Some quick googling suggests that 7000 fpm is no

> 3000 fpm is nothing crazy, especially for an emergency descent with a depressurized cabin. Definitely not. Some quick googling suggests that 7000 fpm is not uncommon in emergency situations, and really you are only limited by the comfort level of the passengers (as you come back to a lower pressure-altitude). If they drop spoilers and go for ground you can probably be on the ground within 5 minutes flat, assuming a nearby airport. (and with a depressurized cabin, the damage is really already done in terms of passenger comfort) A friend was on a flight where a passenger had a heart attack in-flight, he said it was like being on an elevator and his inner ear was screwed up for days.