A modern airliner is a complex piece of machinery. Fitted with sophisticated navigation equipment, it can take off in near zero visibility and climb to altitudes seven miles above the ground. It hurtles through the sky at nearly 600 miles per hour in an atmosphere where the temperature can drop to as low as -94°F while maintaining comfortable conditions for the passengers inside. As the aircraft nears its destination, the pilots are able to guide their way down toward a runway typically only148 feet wide, landing safely in even the worst weather conditions. However, the flight deck isn't the only place where there’s a wealth of technical equipment designed to augment flight attendants' training in order to keep everyone on board safe. At first glance, the cabin of an aircraft may seem to be made up only of rows and rows of seats, overhead bins and a number of galleys where the flight attendants prepare the food. Yet, hidden out of sight are a number of safety features — from fire extinguishers and smoke masks to survival equipment and portable oxygen.
Some might think that flight attendants are on board to work in the galleys keeping us fed and supplying us with our favorite drink of choice. While that is part of their role, it’s the least important aspect of their responsibilities. The main reason for their presence is to manage any emergencies which may occur in the cabin that the pilots cannot respond to themselves. For example, flight attendants are trained to deal with any cabin fires. All modern aircraft feature a wealth of fire detection and firefighting equipment to help the crew deal with this potentially catastrophic danger. Each airplane restroom is fitted with a smoke detector in the ceiling, as well as a heat detector in the waste bin compartment. Should smoke be detected in the cubicle, or heat sensed in the bin, the system activates alarms in both the cabin and the flight deck. Upon hearing the alarm, flight attendants must immediately check out the situation and take any appropriate action as per their training. The fire detection systems are so sensitive that sometimes, should the lavatory door be opened at the same time as an oven in the galley, the steam from the oven can trigger the smoke detection system. Even though this false alarm may get the heart rate going, it's good to know that these systems are sensitive enough to detect even the smallest traces of smoke.
If fire does break out in the cabin, flight attendants must deal with it without delay. As a result, a number of fire extinguishers are stored at various locations around the aircraft. This means that no matter where the fire is situated, the closest fire extinguisher is never far away. If additional extinguishers are needed, other crew members can quickly collect them and bring them to the site of the incident. Other threats when it comes to fire are smoke inhalation and the heat generated by the fire itself. It's no good giving a crew member a fire extinguisher if they’re unable to get close enough to the blaze. As a result, normally under or in the area around each crew seat is a smoke hood and a pair of fireproof gloves. The smoke hood is stored in a quick-access box, meaning crew members can grab it quickly and put the hood on in a matter of seconds. Once on, the hood provides full respiratory protection, preventing smoke from entering the hood, and supplies a constant flow of oxygen into the mask. The fire gloves allow the crew member to get the extinguisher close to the fire, without burning their hands in the process.
If you sit near a galley during a flight, you'll no doubt hear a near-constant clicking and snapping sound for the duration of your journey, particularly around the time when the crew gets ready for takeoff and landing, or when conducting the drinks and meal service. What are these odd noises? They’re from the carts and boxes that flight attendants snap open and closed and are used to store all the food, drinks, plates, glasses and other sundries for hundreds of passengers for the duration of a flight. These items, and the storage boxes, are heavy. If they were to come loose during takeoff, landing or turbulence, they could inflict serious injury. This means that any time the crew needs access to these stowages, they must unlock the latches, remove the cart or item that they need and then lock the latches again. It may be noisy and distracting, but it ensures that the risk of injury to crew and passengers is kept to a minimum at all times. Because of this, all stowages on the aircraft have some form of latch or lock to ensure that any stowed box, cart or any other item stays firmly in position, no matter how rough the ride. The default position for all latches on the aircraft is the locked position as turbulence could strike at any time.
Fire is a hazard in the galley as well as the cabin, so there are only a few items in the galley with electrical power. These include the ovens and brewers for heating meals and making hot drinks, and the chillers that keep the food and beverage carts and their contents cold, even on long-haul flights. Should any of these items malfunction or the crew sense that there is smoke or a fire, the first course of action is to remove the power from the appliance. All the equipment is wired into the aircraft's electrical supply, so there is no plug to disengage from an outlet. Instead, an electrical panel is located in the galley which contains an electrical master switch for all the appliances and a number of circuit breakers. Turning off this switch and pulling the circuit breakers cuts electrical power to the equipment, removing a likely source of the fire. Taking these actions is fully reversible, so should it be a false alarm, the crew can always reconnect the appliance(s) in question and resume their service. It's better to be safe than sorry. Remember, the galley of an aircraft is as close to a fully functioning restaurant kitchen as you can get seven miles above the ground. Yet, it would be extremely dangerous without some of the exceptional features designed to address the dynamic nature of the aircraft: In other words, this kitchen is constantly moving, and so is everything in it.
Passengers traveling in the flight levels, are a long way from urgent medical care. For this reason, flight attendants are also trained in advanced first aid, including use of the defibrillator which is located on all US-registered aircraft. Since 2004, the US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) has required all US commercial airlines to carry defibrillators on passenger flights that have at least one flight attendant and to train cabin crew how to use them. Should a passenger be unfortunate enough to suffer a heart attack during a flight, the crew is trained to use the defibrillator, providing vital care that may make the difference between life and death.
So will supplemental oxygen. We’ve all heard flight attendants say, ”If the aircraft should experience a sudden loss of cabin pressure, an oxygen mask will drop from a compartment above your seat. Pull the mask toward you, cover your nose and mouth and breathe normally.” This phrase may be second nature to most of us frequent flyers. But, in the event this does happen, what role will flight attendants play? At the first sign of masks dropping in the cabin, the crew will stop what they’re doing and immediately grab a mask. It doesn't matter if every seat is taken as every other compartment has an extra mask, which ensures there's always one available nearby for flight attendants. However, if the loss of pressurization occurs at high altitudes, it may be some time until everyone is able to remove their masks. In the meantime, the crew may have to move about the cabin to tend to passengers. To enable them to do so, portable oxygen bottles are stored at various locations around the aircraft. Cabin crew can take one of these bottles, sling it over their shoulder, fit the attached mask to their face and continue to care for their passengers. The portable oxygen bottles can also be used if a passenger becomes unwell at any stage of the flight. Sometimes, particularly for elderly passengers, airplane travel can become a little too much. A few minutes of breathing 100% oxygen from one of these portable oxygen units may be enough to have them feeling fine once again.
Travelers may book flights based on their favorite airline, the quality of their inflight food or the comfort of their seats. But, these are secondary to the safety features of the aircraft. From fire detection systems, firefighting equipment or circuit breakers, the systems are in place to ensure that fire never becomes a serious threat to the airplane. Even seemingly insignificant things such as latches and locks keep heavy carts stored in the galley from injuring passengers during turbulence. For those with reduced mobility, a special wheelchair is also kept on board to help them get around when needed. Comfort is surely nice to have on long flights, but safety will always be the number one priority.
Until next time…safe travels.
Wow, ! Each airplane restroom is fitted with a ssmoke detector in the ceiling, as well as a heart detector in the waste bin compartment ... Very impressive to have the heart detectors but are they in the waste bins to detect stowaways... ?