![]() Using a combination of heat exchange methods, utilizing cooler (think: negative 76 degrees Fahrenheit) air from outside, the hot bleed air is cooled. On an aircraft such as the Boeing 777, high-pressure bleed air is directed to the air conditioning packs, which sit in the belly of the aircraft. This is called "bleed air" and, depending on the aircraft type, this air is then fed to the various systems - one of them being the pressurization system. When these two are at their highest level, a certain amount of this air is "bled" off to provide a supply for a number of aircraft systems. One of the other functions is to provide air to pressurize the cabin.Īs air progresses through the stages of the engine, the pressure and thus the temperature also increases. The engines on a modern jet airliner provide more than just thrust to drive the aircraft forward. The 777 uses air from the engines to pressurise the cabin (Photo by Alberto Riva//The Points Guy) That's why climbers who ascend to the peak of Mount Everest (more than 29,000 feet) usually require supplementary oxygen. ![]() Untreated it can lead to unconsciousness, cardiac arrest and death. In this state you become disorientated, confused and start to lose control of your coordination. If your oxygen saturation becomes too low, you become at risk of suffering from hypoxia. This decrease in air pressure makes it increasingly difficult to breathe, reducing the oxygen saturation in your blood. The system is so advanced on aircraft such as the 787 Dreamliner that you can experience the same air composition as being on the ground in Denver, Colorado.Īs you climb higher into the atmosphere, the air pressure also decreases. It's for these reasons that airliners have a pressurization system to ensure you're kept comfortable in the cabin. Temperatures are a frigid negative 76 degrees Fahrenheit and the air is so thin that breathing unassisted is impossible. The outside atmosphere at 39,000 feet is a pretty inhospitable place. How could such an accident occur, and what has the industry done since then to stop this from happening again? Here's how Helios flight 552 made flying safer for everyone.įor more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. It transpired that the 737 had lost cabin pressurization and the pilots had become unconscious.Ī short time later, both engines flamed out and the aircraft crashed in the hills near Marathon, tragically killing everyone on board. ![]() Fighter jets were scrambled to intercept the aircraft but they were unable to make contact with the crew. Operating a flight between Larnaca, Cyprus, and Athens, Greece, the Boeing 737 performed an uneventful departure on that August morning.Īs the aircraft neared its cruising altitude, however, Air Traffic Control (ATC) lost contact with the pilots. Last week marked the sad anniversary of the 2005 accident of Helios flight 552.
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