Aircraft Systems

There are at least two back up systems for everything on a plane

All those noises, all those things and motors and pumps and instruments ... no wonder you have a fear of flying if you don't understand what it's all about! Here's a simple explanation ideally suited to a fearful flyer, who needs to understand enough to feel relaxed. An aircraft is like a house ... it needs things in it to make life comfortable,  but a plane has to take them along with it.
 

Aircraft systems are duplicated and triplicated

Fresh Air

The most important one from a physiological point of view is pressurisation, because we need to be able to breathe air to survive ... air is pumped into the cabin to supply enough oxygen at the right pressure for us to breathe. The pressurisation system in modern aircraft is very sophisticated compared with planes of the 80's and 90's. You shouldn't feel any change of pressure in the cabin with the possible exception of taking off and starting to descend. Modern systems are automatic and reliable.

Warmth

After that we need to be comfortable so we need to be warm ... we do that in connection with the pressurisation system. As the air is pumped into the cabin it goes through a heat exchanger to warm it. The outside air temperature is about -65 Centigrade ...  so the air certainly needs warming!

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