Airplanes do not have windows that can be opened for safety and technical reasons. However, they can still provide sufficient oxygen for passengers during long flights thanks to modern air conditioning systems.
1. The Secret Behind Airplanes Never Running Out of Oxygen
When outside air is drawn into an aircraft’s engine through the propellers, it can be compressed multiple times by compressors inside the engine. After compression, the initially thin air will have a significantly higher oxygen content.
However, the high temperature and pressure conditions inside the engine can easily cause living organisms to “explode.” Therefore, the oxygen supply system for the cabin must be capable of functioning normally in environments with temperatures reaching several hundred degrees Celsius while also considering high pressure and large air flow.
Outside air is drawn in and can be compressed multiple times by compressors inside the engine.
Airplanes fly at high altitudes where the air is thin and the oxygen levels are much lower than at ground level. Opening airplane windows during flight is impossible due to the significantly lower atmospheric pressure outside compared to the pressure in the passenger cabin, leading to potential sudden decompression which could have serious consequences.
Therefore, developing such an excellent system is a major project that encompasses many fields and takes considerable time.
Aircraft design experts have installed small generators on airplanes, whose primary task is to charge the cabin and ensure that the air inside can maintain high pressure.
To ensure that these generators operate normally, various methods have been devised, such as integrating the generator and engine to address their overheating issues.
When an aircraft flies at high altitudes, the oxygen supply system will automatically activate. The air compressor will draw air from outside the airplane and compress it to high pressure. Filters will remove dust, moisture, and other impurities from the compressed air. Coolers will reduce the temperature of the compressed air. An oxygen diffuser will separate oxygen from nitrogen in the compressed air.
The air compressor draws air from outside the airplane and compresses it to high pressure.
Airplanes are equipped with modern oxygen supply systems that ensure sufficient oxygen for passengers and crew throughout the journey. Additionally, to ensure passenger safety during long flights, the crew frequently checks the oxygen supply system and instructs passengers on how to use oxygen masks in emergency situations.
The air in the passenger cabin is drawn in, filtered to remove dust and bacteria, heated, and then returned to the cabin. This process occurs continuously, ensuring fresh air and adequate oxygen for passengers.
Moreover, oxygen masks are provided at each seat on the airplane. In an emergency such as sudden decompression, the oxygen masks will automatically deploy, supplying pure oxygen to passengers while waiting for the crew to execute an emergency landing.
2. The Safest Mode of Transportation in the World, Yet Not Without Potential Dangers
As human demands for air travel increase, airplanes are flying at higher altitudes in the atmosphere, facing growing challenges.
In fact, if an aircraft loses oxygen at high altitude, the lives of passengers and crew would be at significant risk.
In an emergency such as sudden decompression, the oxygen masks will automatically deploy.
Take the flight N47BA as an example. When taking off, a malfunctioning flow control valve that was not repaired resulted in the aircraft losing a significant amount of oxygen at high altitude, ultimately crashing in Serbia and killing everyone on board.
Such tragedies are, in fact, not uncommon. If an aircraft loses oxygen at high altitude, the survival chances of those in the cabin are extremely low. Therefore, many countries have established extremely strict regulations regarding the design, manufacturing, maintenance, and other aspects of aircraft to reduce the likelihood of aviation incidents.
As part of these policies, there are many scientific research tasks. For example, it is necessary to understand when chemical reaction-based oxygen masks can be most effective. Or it could involve researching the time and extent of oxygen deprivation that humans can tolerate at high altitudes.
It can be said that the issue of oxygen deprivation at high altitudes will become increasingly safer with the collective efforts of everyone involved.
Airplanes fly at high altitudes where the air is thin and the oxygen levels are much lower than at ground level. Opening airplane windows during flight poses a series of serious risks, including:
Sudden Cabin Pressure Loss: When a window opens, the pressure in the cabin will drop rapidly, potentially causing passengers to suffer from oxygen deprivation, loss of consciousness, or even death within minutes.
Structural Instability: The significant pressure difference between the inside and outside of the cabin can exert stress on the aircraft fuselage, leading to a risk of cracking or deformation, severely affecting flight safety.
Airflow Disturbance: Opening a window will create turbulent airflow, impacting the aircraft’s aerodynamic performance, making control difficult and dangerous.
Flying Objects Entering: At high altitudes, debris or even birds can be sucked into the cabin through an open window, posing a danger to passengers and crew.
For the above reasons, opening airplane windows during flight is completely prohibited.
