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Cabin Altitude
From SKYbrary Wiki
| Article Information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category: | General | 
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| Content source: | SKYbrary | 
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| Content control: | EUROCONTROL | 
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Definition
The cabin pressure expressed as an equivalent altitude above sea level.
Discussion
The Cabin Altitude is normally maintained at 8,000 ft as a compromise between the physiological needs of the crew and passengers and the structural limitations of the aircraft. At 8,000 ft the use of supplemental oxygen is not required.
There are times when the crew may wish to maintain the cabin pressure at sea level. This may be for a number of reasons including:
- The nature of the cargo. Some aircraft, military transport aircraft for example, may be transporting volatile chemicals such as specialist fuels or explosives which are sensitive to changes in pressure.
- The medical condition of a passenger whose condition may be worsened by changes in pressure or a drop in pressure, for example an aeromedical flight with a patient with internal injuries.
In such cases, the aircraft may have to fly at a lower cruising altitude than normal and this may have implications for the routing (terrain clearance) and range (higher fuel burn at lower cruising altitude).
Cabin altitude is displayed on a Cabin Altimeter which is often combined with a Cabin Differential Pressure Gauge.