Flights have always been one of the most fascinating subjects. Right from its construction to its methodology, one has a lot to think about the subject and ponder thoughts over it. Right from the round windows, to how a flight function during a thunderstorm, there are some secrets which the people don’t know. These little secrets will help you know the functioning of the flights better and put an end to your meandering thoughts.
- Harmless lightning strikes: Often you might have seen lightning strikes as you travel by air. When people on the flight panic and lose their calm, the crew are always patient and encouraging. There’s a reason behind their calm composure. These days, flights are made with metal mesh and it is laid out in the entire plane. It keeps the lightning away and conducts electricity. The mesh also protects from all electrostatic discharges. Along with this, the mesh protects the interior of the flight from the electromagnetic radiation which comes from the outside.
- Uncommon bird strokes: Following lightning strikes are bird strikes. It is not common but it can cause huge damage to the plane and its engine, leading to an emergency landing. These days, such incidents are not regular as most of the engines are tested against such strikes. Failing to do so can lead to potential damage but it is highly unlikely to happen.
- Lavatory entrance: The lavatory in the flight is usually locked from the inside when it is occupied. In such a scenario, the person standing outside cannot use it. However, there’s a little trick you can put into action. Under the lavatory sign, there’s an external lock system hidden. It helps the person standing outside to use the lavatory. However, it should be used only in the case of an emergency.
- Chimes or tunes: Secrete codes with random tunes and chimes are another thing about aeroplanes. These are not the usual signs of removing your seatbelts or putting them on. It is the random tunes you hear on the flight. These are codes used by the flight crew to its cabin members often as means of communication. These codes can also indicate the remaining snacks or turbulence warnings. On extremely rare occasions, the chimes can also mean an emergency landing or change in route. It is difficult for passengers to decipher the chimes as it used exclusively by the flight attendants.
- Boarding at the end: When the boarding process starts, a lot of people tend to gather, leading to a lot of rush and a huge line. By boarding at the end, you will save a lot of time by not standing in long queues. Tickets have already been assigned and the plane will not leave until all the passengers are on board.
- Dimming of cabin lights: When the plane dims the light, it is not a cue to sleep. It is done for the passengers to adjust their eyes to the darkness. This is helpful during the time of emergency landings or takeoffs. During the emergency landing, passengers can be easily evacuated in the dark with the help of exit lights which shines brighter in the dark.
- Dropping of emergency oxygen masks: During the safety demonstration, the flight attendants demonstrate how to use the oxygen masks when it drops. Oxygen masks are dropped as cabin level drops to unsafe levels. It is advised to put on the mask as quickly as possible. However, there’s a slight twist to it. When the masks are dropped, the oxygen present will last for 12 to 15 minutes. This is the required time for the pilot to steer to a safer altitude and to carry out a safe evacuation process. It is a safely pressurised cabin with no potential damage whatsoever.
- Why not square window: Looking out from the window, you can see the blue wide sky with endless clouds. But, how often have you asked yourself why the windows of the plane are round and not square? Way back until the 1950s, windows were square in design. During a series of air crashes, the corners of the windows were the ones that stood out as they were severely damaged. The sharp corners of the window acted as the weak point on the plane and the metal which surrounded the window had to pressure two or three times greater than any of the fuel usage. Hence, round windows replaced the square ones as they are not easy to break and crack.
- Colour of the seats are mostly blue: If you have noticed carefully, the seats of the plane are usually blue. It is because blue is related to coolness and clearness. It helps in creating a calm environment and passengers can feel relaxed and stress-free. This is also the reason why the hospitals also prefer using blue. Some airlines also prefer using bold colours or muted tones to make passengers feel at home.
- Sanitise your tray table: The dirtiest things a flight has, despite cleaning it at regular intervals are, tray tables, rubber armrests and the handle of the lavatory. Keep an eye on these things when you begin your journey.
- Food secrets of pilots: For pilots, they don’t eat the same frozen food as the passengers eat. They devour luxurious food. It is one of the essential rules to follow. They have different food to avoid food contamination. At the same time, two pilots are not allowed to have food together. One has to finish it first and the other one has to wait for an hour. This is done to prevent food poisoning.
- Secret beds and chambers: It is given that pilots work for almost 16 hours a day and are not allowed to sleep in the cockpit. Hence, to catch up on some sleep and rest for a while, secrete chambers with beds are provided for pilots. They can relax in that chamber when they are not working and gather energy for the next trip.
These little secrets will help you enjoy your journey a bit more and know more about how the flight works.
