What happens if a plane cabin is not pressurized?

The primary problem is low oxygen, says Professor Frances Ashcroft, a physiologist at Oxford University. Low pressure would cause little more than discomfort in the ears and eyes, but the associated drop in oxygen levels makes people pass out if they do not put their oxygen masks on within about 15 seconds.



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Federal Aviation Regulations say that without pressurization, pilots begin to need oxygen when they fly above 12,500 feet for more than 30 minutes, and passengers have to use it continuously above 15,000.

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Is it at all even possible for it to just drop? According to my company's training materials, an FAA study in the 1960s of depressurization events in business, airline, and military jet transport aircraft determined that the odds of experiencing cabin depressurization were one in 54300 flight hours.

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Most aircraft cabins are pressurized to an altitude of 8,000 feet, called cabin altitude. Aircraft pilots have access to the mode controls of a cabin pressure control system and – if needed – can command the cabin to depressurize.

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On the ground, the airplane is unpressurized and the outflow valve is wide open. During preflight, the pilot sets the cruise altitude on a cabin pressure controller. As soon as the weight is off the main wheels at takeoff, the outflow valve begins to close and the cabin starts to pressurize.

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after the flight. Even if you are flying a pressurized aircraft, altitude DCS can occur as a result of sudden loss of cabin pressure (inflight rapid decompression).

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Most commercial airplanes have a certified maximum altitude of about 40,000 to 45,000 feet. Regardless of its certified maximum altitude, if an airplane flies too high, it may fail in one or more ways. For starters, the engine may suffocate from a lack of oxygen.

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If the plane is somehow kept pressurized, the cabin pressure is usually equivalent of 6000–8000 ft, which is lower pressure than the outside at sea level. Which means as soon as you unlock the door, it will swing inwards with a lot of force, as air from outside rushes in to re-pressurize the cabin.

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Pilot and Vietnam War veteran Pete Jordan knows exactly what happens when a pressurized cabin decompresses 30,000 feet in the air at 300 to 600 mph: There's no oxygen, and it gets damn cold in a hurry. An open door would release the cabin's ball of pressure, causing an immediate suction explosion.

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The inner pane basically safeguards the load from the passengers during flight. When both the outer and middle panes break, then all the pressurization in the airplane would escape leading to decompression in the passenger cabin. A plane is pressurized for passengers' comfort as it climbs to a higher altitude.

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When an aircraft experiences turbulence, the plane can drop or change altitude suddenly. This is why pilots always caution passengers to buckle up and stay seated when they are experiencing flight turbulence. The sudden movements put passengers at risk.

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As stated in other answers, in steady flight there is no pressure difference along the length of the cabin, and only a miniscule one during lognitudinal acceleration.

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This is because landing can place additional strain on a jet. When a plane lands heavily, it can hit the ground too hard and damage itself. During an emergency, a jet may be forced to land earlier than anticipated. This is where fuel dumping comes into play.

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Use the Valsalva maneuver during ascent and descent. Gently blow, as if blowing your nose, while pinching your nostrils and keeping your mouth closed. Repeat several times, especially during descent, to equalize the pressure between your ears and the airplane cabin.

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On most long haul aircraft there are hidden beds where the pilots and Cabin Crew are able to sleep out of the view of passengers. Some long haul flights require there to be 3 or 4 pilots due to the length of the flight and to allow a suitable sleep/rest opportunity for the pilots.

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On many aircraft types, pilots can open the side windows in the cockpit. The main reason for this is not for ventilation or vision; it is related to aircraft safety law.

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