FAO Scy11a, Crazyscot

[zotz]

------------------------------
Risks Digest 24.93
Date: Fri, 21 Dec 2007 21:24:51 -0600
From: Peter G Neumann Subject: Nitrogen Used To Fill Aircraft Oxygen Systems

Comments

[pseudomonas]

I thought that aircraft didn't carry oxygen but chemical oxygen generators, at least for the main masks-that-drop-down stuff; possibly they have other contexts for oxygen, like medical supplies.

[_nicolai_]

This varies between aircraft types, some use oxygen cylinders for the oxygen masks. If you need therapeutic oxygen (which I think is stored separately, in hand-carryable cylinders), I don't think one can substitute therapeutic nitrogen either.

Overall, who needs terrorists when we've got stupids?

[pseudomonas]

Ah, thanks for that.

The therapeutic oxygen was what I meant by medical. Either way, it'd be extremely bad news for anyone trying to breathe it.

[_nicolai_]

I could see airlines wanting to carry therapeutic oxygen for passengers with breathing problems and therapeutic (... from the crew point of view) nitrogen for really annoying passengers...

[ciphergoth]

on a stick.

I can't get the image of what would happen when the masks dropped down out of my head.

That is one magic fuckup.

[scy11a]

Actually, the passenger oxygen would've been fine as that produced from oxygen generators in the overhead passenger service units. The flight deck crew get their O2 from a bottle which gently depletes as we have to do daily checks on the supply and also tiny leaks. At EZY they have to send the bottles away and put in a new one for just this reason - to protect against f*ck ups! Also, to reassure all you nervous passengers, the first action cabin crew take in case of a pilot incapacitation is to administer their own therapeutic oxygen, so the chances of all of them being filled with N2 is quite remote.

[zotz]

I've told you that story about Chris Morris, haven't I?

[zotz]

A sketch involving filling a newsroom with helium.

[grendelis]

hmmmm, Australian air support crews strike again.... don't let them touch your baggage either!

[sclerotic_rings]

"The first rule of Project Mayhem is you do not ask questions, sir."