Why do passenger jets have a hole in the back?

You may have noticed a strange phenomenon when looking at the rear of aircraft parked at the gate: they're venting out exhaust from a little hole in the tail. Through that hole is the Auxiliary Power Unit — the little engine that could. As with everything in aviation, it's primarily known by its acronym, the APU.



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The hole is the vent for the exhaust from the auxiliary power unit (APU), a small turbine that sits in the tail cone.

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The small hole you see on the back of airplane tails is part of the auxiliary power unit. Like other auxiliary power units, it's designed to produce power for airplanes.

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The empennage, also called the tail or tail assembly, is located at the rear of an airplane. The tail provides stability during flight. This is very similar to how feathers on an arrow provide stability.

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Why do the flight attendants touch the overhead compartment so often? Flight attendants don't just touch the ceiling for fun when they walk; the bottom of the overhead compartment has a scalloped area that provides a better grip when walking down a moving airplane.

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The first reason is your safety. If anything happens during a take-off or landing, your eyes will already be used to the day or night light outside, thus you will be able to react more quickly. Another reason for keeping the blinds open is visibility of aircraft outside.

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These tiny holes, also called breather holes, serve as a safety function, by making sure that the outer pane bears all the air pressure (the pressure inside the cabin is much higher than outside). This also ensures that in case the pressure difference becomes high enough, it is the outer pane that breaks off first.

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Pilots walk around the aircraft to ensure that the aircraft's exterior is safe and secure. Pilots are looking for various problems such as: Loose parts. Fluid Leaks, such as hydraulic or fuel.

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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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Having passengers weave around jutting seats as they shimmy into the aisle simply wouldn't do. Since most accidents occur during takeoff and landing, it is for the safety of everyone onboard the aircraft to have all seats in their upright and locked position, says Manning.

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