Video| Incident on Airpeace Los-Enugu bound flight

 

 

Over the weekend 2 versions of a video clip were being circulated on the social media. This particular one shows a woman who is obviously crying and  looking traumatized onboard Air Peaces’ Enugu bound flight.

This news was trending over the weekend and as usual, there was an outburst of reactions on the social media platforms. These reactions were all encompassing: emotional, objective and subjective.

According to her narration “I tried putting my oxygen mask but it cut and I saw small smoke from where it cut. Luckily nobody was seating near me, so I pulled the next one… most of the masks were not working, like my neighbor’s own wasn’t working. So after some time, that phase passed. We calmed down a bit. That was when I made this video. Next phase was the fainting phase as some people were losing consciousness so they called for medical personnel’s and we showed up and tried our best. Next and scariest part was the last one which I knew nobody recorded. The pilot announced we will be landing in 5 mins or 15mins (can’t remember), next thing I don’t know how to describe it but I think the plane lost control. I can’t even say this part. The plane was playing in the sky. I can’t describe it. This lasted for about 17mins I guess. I can’t describe this part but people called God and he answered and we landed. I don’t know how to say it, but there is God, just take it from me, that moment you look everywhere and there is no hope,that is when he proves himself God.”

Air Peace reacted swiftly in a statement issued by the airline’s Corporate Communications Manager, Mr. Chris Iwarah, who confirmed that some of the carrier’s scheduled flights were disrupted due to a depressurisation challenge on its Lagos-Enugu flight, which compelled it to declare the aircraft unserviceable in line with its uncompromising stance on matters of safety. Whilst acknowledging that depressurisation was a common occurrence in aviation, he however sincerely regretted the incident and he apologized for the resultant inconvenience caused their esteemed customers.

What has been established here is that there was an emergency situation, a decompression and Oxygen masks dropped. How they were utilised is another issue on its own.

First, I want to empatise with the lady in the video and all the passengers who went through that ordeal. It could actually be scary in the true sense to experience a decompression or any emergency onboard. Truth be told, most passengers are actually scared of being confined in an Aircraft Cabin and anything thing that create anxiety further makes it more scary for them.

However, decompression is not peculiar to Nigerian Airlines, it is a global and this is verifiable.

Irrespective of what has happened, this is a festive season and ironically more people will travel by air. Whilst we may not be able to rule out emergencies, a bit of knowledge will make the ordeal less traumatic. So here are some things we all need to know about Decompression.

What is Decompression?

Decompression is loss of Cabin pressure. Each time you are onboard an aircraft and your hear over the PA that the Aircraft is flying above 10,000 feet, that means the Aircraft is pressurized. The pressurisation system of the aircraft is used to create a denser atmosphere within the cabin so that crew and passengers are kept comfortable and continue to breathe normally.

What causes decompression?

Decompression occurs whenever cabin altitude exceeds the pre-set altitude in an uncontrolled way. It could be slow, at which time remedial action such as descent to a lower level is taken, with little chance of causing damage to the cabin or its occupants.

Types of decompression

Slow decompression

This is a gradual loss of cabin pressure that can take more than 10 seconds to equalise with the outside pressure. The air will leave the aircraft slowly caused by a defective pressure system or defective pressure seals at doors or window exits.

Rapid/Explosive decompression

There is always a remote possibility of a rapid loss of cabin pressure in any pressurised aircraft. In a rapid decompression, it takes between 1 and 5 seconds for the pressure to equalise in and outside the aircraft. In an explosive decompression it is less than 1 second. Both of these will occur at higher altitudes if the pressurisation system fails suddenly or if part of the fuselage structure is damaged (i.e. loss or crack of window, bomb explosion, weapon firing, metal fatigue, etc.).

Decompression Signs – Aircraft

Changes in noise levels and vibration will occur, firstly due to increased wind noise, and also due to Pilot’s actions, which are to extend speed brakes, reduce engine power, turn and descend RAPIDLY. The first action will cause a sensation of slowing down, and the last will cause the cabin floor angle to become very steep. With the loss of cabin air pressure, masks will drop down from the stowage in the Passenger cabin when the cabin altitude exceeds 14.000 feet. These signs may cause fear.

What happens to the passenger and crew in a loss of  Cabin Pressure?

There will be lowering of the atmospheric pressure at altitude, which also results in lowering constituent gases.

The telegraph uk news reported that in 2007, Airbus issued a “cabin decompression awareness” note that said that at 40,000 ft, people have as little as 18 seconds of “useful consciousness” if they are starved of oxygen. It stressed the risks of hypoxia – oxygen starvation – are all the greater as people may not realise they are suffering until they can no longer breathe and fall unconscious. So at this stage, it is very expedient that oxygen. The reduced level of oxygen results in a condition known as Hypoxia.

What is  Hypoxia?

Hypoxia (lack of oxygen)

Oxygen is essential to life; it is required by every tissue and cell of the human body to carry out its function. The lowering of the atmospheric pressure at altitude also results in lowering constituent gases. The reduced level of oxygen results in a condition known as Hypoxia.

Hypoxia is the main hazard faced by crew and passengers following decompression. The term of “useful consciousness” refers to the time a Crewmember and passengers will have available to take positive action to prevent them from becoming hypoxic. The positive action is donning of oxygen masks and the inhalation of oxygen. Crew and passengers flying unpressurised aircraft will experience the following signs and Symptoms:

0 to 10.000 ft. Increased breathing rate, Vague mental anxiety,Impairment of night vision Fatigue.

10 to 20.000 ft. Impairment of judgment, Headache, Light-headiness, Sleepiness, Confusion, Mental impairment.

20 to 30.000 ft. Muscular un-coordination, Muscular twitching, Major fit, Collapse

30 to 40.000 ft. Unconsciousness, Death

Treatment: Give Oxygen. OXYGEN REVERSES THE EFFECTS OF HYPOXIA IN 15 SECONDS

Pilot Actions

Once a depressurisation warning is received passengers have just 12 minutes of oxygen available to them from the masks and the pilots must immediately bring the aircraft to a lower altitude of 10,000 feet so everybody can again breathe normally and safely descent to a safe altitude is done pretty hastily.

This usually means putting the aircraft into a steep and rapid descent which can alarm passengers as well as subjecting them to conditions which often result in serious discomfort, including severe ear pain. The pilots will also don their own masks and commence a rapid descent to an altitude no higher than 10,000 feet. The sharp descent is not an indication that the plane is crashing, rather because the crew is doing what’s it’s supposed to do.”

What are your actions?

As a passenger, your action is to stay calm, when the mask drop, pull sharply downwards, place over your nose and mouth. The action of pulling the mask activates the flow of oxygen. This is a crucial moment to keep safe. Not the time for videos or selfies if you must stay safe.

Most importantly, please always pay attention to Crew safety briefing and demonstration. Clearly there is a reason the pre-flight safety briefing is made and demonstrated by the Crew.

“In the unlikely event of a loss of cabin pressure, an oxygen mask will drop automatically from the panel above your head. Pull the mask firmly down towards you, the action of pulling the mask activates the flow of oxygen, fit it over your nose and mouth, adjust the elastic strap to fit and breathe normally. If you are accompanied by children, first fix your mask and then assist.”

 

Wish you safe skies always.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Best Regards,