How is the air cleaned?Įven with all this air coming into the aircraft from the outside, it only accounts for 50% of the air in the cabin. The air conditioning system then uses this number to optimize the humidity of the air being directed into the cabin creating an environment much more like that on the ground. On the Dreamliner, the crew are able to set exactly how many passengers are on board. The air on the 787 is much moister than on other types, particularly compared to the 777. It is also limited during times of low aircraft electrical output to ensure that there is enough power available to run other critical systems.įrom here, the supply of air to the cabin is much the same as other aircraft, except when it comes to another important factor - moister air. CAC output is automatically increased during periods of high demand, for example, to compensate for a failed pack. This airflow is controlled by regulating the cabin air compressors. Each pack has two dedicated CACs, however, a single CAC is enough to power a single pack. The air is pressurized and sent to two identical air conditioning packs. This air is then directed into four electrically operated Cabin Air Compressors (CACs). (Photo by Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto/Getty Images) The 787 takes air directly from the outside via inlets which can be seen on the body of the aircraft, just in front of the leading edge of the wing. Read more: 8 of the most challenging airport approaches for pilots This stops large contaminants such as stones and birds from being taken into the air conditioning system. To protect these inlets, two deflector doors deploy in front of them during normal ground operations and the landing phase of flight. More efficient engines equal lower carbon emissions.Īir is taken into the aircraft by two dedicated inlets just below where the front of the wing meets the fuselage. As the engines aren't then losing energy to power the air conditioning system, it also makes them more efficient. This means that the ambient air on a 787 has come fresh from the outside. Instead of using air from the engines, Boeing designed the aircraft to use air taken directly from the outside. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, however, is different. This means that despite being filtered before entering the air conditioning systems, the air you breathe has still come via the engine. The Boeing 787 DreamlinerĪs I mentioned, most aircraft use bleed air to pressurize the cabin. It is here where the temperature required in the cabin is created.įinally, the conditioned air flows into the cabin, providing the air to pressurize the cabin at a temperature that keeps you comfortable. After this, it heads toward another unit where it is mixed with some of the original hot air. Once it has been cooled to an acceptable temperature, it is then directed toward a unit that removes moisture. Using a combination of heat exchange methods, utilizing cooler (think -76 degree Fahrenheit) air from outside, the hot bleed air is cooled. On an aircraft like the Boeing 777, high-pressure bleed air is directed to the air conditioning packs, which sit in the belly of the aircraft. (Photo by Ethan Steinberg/The Points Guy) On most aircraft, bleed air from the engines is used to pressurize the cabin. So how do the pilots' actions and the aircraft systems keep the air so clean? Even during the SARS outbreak in 2003, the risk of transmission on aircraft was found to be very low. Other studies have shown that there are low cases of bacteria and fungi, often less than is found in public places and private homes. In fact, due to the regular changing and cleaning of air in an aircraft, passengers on a flight are likely to be breathing better quality air than that on a train or bus. Are you more likely to get sick on a flight?Īccording to the World Health Organization, research has shown that there is no greater risk of communicable diseases being spread on a flight than any other type of transport. Not only in the ability to breathe easily, but also keeping that air fresh. As a result, the cabin of an aircraft is designed to keep the occupants comfortable. You only need to look at climbers on the 29,000-foot Mount Everest to understand the challenges humans face in these conditions. The atmosphere outside the aircraft at 43,000 feet is a pretty hostile environment. So why are pilots and cabin crew not always sick? "It's all that stale air everyone is breathing." Sure. I often hear people say that they always get sick after a long-haul flight.
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