Aircraft cabins are artificially pressurized to ensure passenger comfort and safety. This is done by pumping compressed air into the cabin, which is heated and pressurized by the engines. Without pressurization, passengers would lose consciousness due to lack of oxygen. The cabin must be airtight for this to work, and new air is constantly pumped in while old air is released. The level of pressurization is equivalent to an altitude of 8,000 feet, which may cause some passengers to feel like they are not getting enough oxygen. Some aircraft use independent air compressor systems for pressurization.
To make sure that all passengers on the plane are comfortable and also that the journey is sustainable, most aircraft cabins are artificially pressurized. This pressure is caused by a number of different processes, but the primary way aircraft cabins are pressurized is by pumping compressed air into the cabin. Without this air pressure, passengers would likely lose consciousness or become very lethargic.
Most airplanes are artificially pressurized once the aircraft reaches an altitude of over 10,000 feet (3,048m). With a cruising altitude closer to 30,000 feet (9,144m), passengers would likely lose consciousness within seconds without the cabin being pressurized. This would probably lead to death, simply from lack of oxygen.
In order for an aircraft cabin to be artificially pressurized, it must first be airtight. If there are places where air can escape, the aircraft loses pressurization very quickly. This is why in movies, for example, once a plane’s hull is breached, the pilot will immediately attempt to move it to a lower altitude.
Once you have an airtight cabin, the easiest way to pressurize is to use the aircraft’s engines to do most of the work. The air passing through the engine is heated to a very high degree and then naturally becomes artificially pressurized. This pressurized air can then be cooled and the pressure reduced to the desired level.
The fact that all commercial jets have artificially pressurized air also helps disprove the misconception that all air in airplanes is stale. In fact, to achieve the desired pressurization, new air is constantly pumped into the cabin and old air is released. While airplane air may be unique, it’s not actually stale.
One reason many may think airplane air is stale is because it’s easy to feel sleepy on an airplane, as if an individual isn’t getting enough oxygen. In fact, that may very well be the case, especially for those who live near sea level. While aircraft are artificially pressurized, the level to which they are pressurized is roughly equivalent to an outside altitude of 8,000 feet (2,500m). Therefore, those who feel they are not getting as much oxygen as they would get off the plane may be right.
While using engines is the best way to get artificially pressurized air, there are other options as well. Some aircraft will use an independent air compressor system to achieve the necessary pressure. This technique usually bypasses some of the health issues that can arise from using air from the engine, even if it has been purified before entering the cabin. The Boeing 747 often uses independent air compressors for cabin pressurization.
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