Hidden Features On Board A Plane

Bright Side

Do you love traveling?  Plane is one of the fastest types of transport to get from point A to point B. But did you pay attention to all the details on board a plane last time you flew somewhere? For example, plane wings: they're meant to be smooth in order to let the air flow easily and reduce resistance. So why did they add those yellow hooks? Obviously there was a reason for it!   In this video we're exploring different aspects of planes and features we previously failed to pay attention to. You'll also find out why your seat is your safe heaven on board a plane. By the way, I'm gonna show you a pretty extraordinary way to use a tray table in the seat in front of you. And you'll find out what type of oxygen there is in the masks.  #brightside  Preview photo credit:  Airbus 320 airasia: By ADSKrongsawat/Shutterstock.com, https://enterprise.shutterstock.com/image-photo/bangkok-thailand-june-23-2019-airbus-1435673153 Animation is created by Bright Side.

Transcript

00:00They make plane wings smooth to let airflow easily around their surface and reduce resistance during the flight.

00:06So why did they add these convex yellow hooks?

00:10They obviously worsen the aerodynamics.

00:13Yeah, they do, but they're also necessary for your safety.

00:17Imagine a plane making an emergency landing in the open sea.

00:21Everything's going well.

00:22The aircraft is sliding on the water.

00:24Then rescue boats sail to this place to evacuate the passengers.

00:28They leave the plane through emergency exits located above the wings.

00:33Before the door opens, the escape slide inflates.

00:36Passengers need to walk on the wing and go down the slide, but the wing surface is slippery because of water.

00:42They might fall and get hurt.

00:44To prevent this, the stewards install a rescue rope.

00:48They attach one end to the door and the other to the edge of the wing, passing it through these hooks.

00:54During the evacuation, people hold onto this cable like a railing and don't fall.

00:59They can also attach rescue boats to the wing with a rope and these hooks, so the sea won't take people far away from the plane.

01:07By the way, the plane can stay on the water for 10 minutes to 60 hours, depending on the model, weather conditions, and the pilot's skills.

01:16Both the main and emergency exits have extra handles for crew members.

01:20During an evacuation, people may panic and accidentally push the flight attendants off their feet.

01:26To avoid a fall, they hold onto these handles.

01:30A seat belt on an airplane has a slightly different purpose from that in your car.

01:34The one in the vehicle protects you from a horizontal hit.

01:38When a plane is going through turbulence, it's shaking up and down.

01:41Your waist belt keeps you from hitting the ceiling.

01:45Crew members have handcuffs for problem passengers.

01:48If someone behaves badly and interferes with the flight, flight attendants have the right to chain them to their seats.

01:54To do this, they use police handcuffs or plastic ties.

01:59This is the maximum that can be done during the flight.

02:02Then, they report a rowdy person to the airport and hand them over to the police after landing.

02:08During an emergency, oxygen masks drop automatically.

02:12They have an extra purpose you might not know about.

02:15To equalize the pressure and prevent panic.

02:18Air pressure can change because of turbulence.

02:20So, among other things, the masks help passengers stay calm.

02:25Your seat is your safe haven.

02:28That life jacket under it won't let you drown.

02:31Also, the seat's surface is made of waterproof material.

02:35If water gets into the cabin, the seat will save you from freezing, since it won't get wet.

02:41It's also fireproof.

02:43The cover can prevent the fire from spreading through the cabin.

02:46But, more importantly, it can save you from the flames.

02:49Of course, you'll most likely never have to use this feature.

02:53But, it's nice to feel safe, isn't it?

02:56You can use the tray table in the seat in front of you like a hammock.

03:00Just tie a belt, a blanket, or a towel around the table and stretch your feet out.

03:06You might have noticed black triangles on the wall above the seats.

03:10For you, as a passenger, they may indicate the seats that have the best view of the wings,

03:15where you can take the most beautiful flight photos.

03:17But, the triangles weren't created for your camera.

03:21The crew members monitor the condition of the aircraft through windows under these signs.

03:26Suppose the wings freeze, the engine catches fire, or the pilot receives a signal about some problem.

03:32In that case, the crew will quickly move to the triangles and assess the situation.

03:37And, there you are, sitting under the triangle, looking at the wing and thinking,

03:42why are the wings located in the lower part of the plane?

03:45They could install them above the windows, or right in the center.

03:49Actually, some planes have them in the middle and higher up.

03:53And, each location makes sense.

03:56The engine and turbines are under the wings.

03:58It's much easier to repair them, since they're close to the ground.

04:02And, in case of an emergency landing in the sea, the wings act as a rescue cushion.

04:07They help to keep the plane on the water.

04:10Empty fuel tanks under the wing can also help the plane stay on the surface.

04:14But, this position has certain risks.

04:17Debris can get into the turbines on the runway.

04:20Fortunately, this is unlikely to happen, since they carefully clean it.

04:25Planes with wings in the middle get the least air resistance.

04:28That's why they build fighter jets and supersonic aircraft this way.

04:33Big cargo planes have wings in the upper part of the hull.

04:36Thanks to it, the aircraft stays close to the ground.

04:39It makes it easier to load cargo.

04:42Also, it's safer to land on unprepared runways with high wings, since debris won't get into the turbines.

04:48The aerodynamics of these planes works better, thanks to such wings.

04:53They get less air resistance and deliver cargo faster.

04:57Oxygen inside the masks is a combination of chemicals.

05:00The transportation of oxygen tanks is too expensive for the airline.

05:04They take up a lot of space and increase weight, which leads to extra fuel consumption.

05:09Therefore, they use a chemical oxygen generator.

05:13It's located in the panel above your head.

05:16There's a small tank with barium, sodium, and potassium compounds.

05:20They mix and create a hot chemical reaction that releases oxygen and passes it into the mask.

05:26Small holes in windows save the glass from breaking.

05:31The air pressure inside the aircraft is much stronger than that outside.

05:36The difference is so big that the air can just break the glass from the other side.

05:40To prevent this, they drill small holes.

05:43The air penetrates there and reduces the load on the window.

05:47By the way, they have a round shape for the same reason.

05:51It's ideal for an equal distribution of air.

05:53If they were square or triangular, air streams with moisture would accumulate in the corners.

05:59It would lead to destruction.

06:01Plus, all water gets dried out, thanks to the hole.

06:05Windows are made of triple glass.

06:07The outer glass takes the pressure.

06:09The middle one works like a fuse.

06:12The third layer protects the second one from passengers who like to touch it.

06:16Technically, the plane could fly with one layer, but it would be dangerous.

06:20They also installed extra protection for the wheels.

06:24They experience huge loads during landing.

06:27But don't worry, they won't burst.

06:29The tires can withstand pressure five to seven times bigger than they actually get.

06:34See the toilet sign on the door?

06:37There's a secret latch under it.

06:39Crew members can unlock the door from the outside.

06:42So don't expect complete privacy.

06:44Of course, it's prohibited for other passengers to do that.

06:47The cabin crew can open it in case of emergencies.

06:52When flight attendants pass through the cabin during the flight,

06:54they always touch the upper shelves above the seats.

06:57They don't check if the luggage compartments are closed.

07:00Along the bottom of these compartments, there are handles in the form of jagged edges.

07:05Flight attendants hold onto them not to fall.

07:08It's a pretty convenient thing,

07:10especially for those who don't like touching the seats with sitting passengers on the way to the toilet.

07:14There's an important reason why they install turbines under the wings.

07:19Previously, they put them in the plane's tail to improve the aerodynamics of the flight.

07:24If one of the engines stopped working, the cabin wouldn't shake so much.

07:29Yes, planes can fly with one turbine running.

07:32Also, the wings were thinner and streamlined thanks to turbines in the tail,

07:36which was also good for aerodynamics.

07:38But it turned out that such a location meant additional costs.

07:43The engine in the tail was inconvenient to maintain.

07:46They used to place it high,

07:47so people needed special equipment and extra time to service it.

07:51And of course, it affected the ticket price.

07:54They started to install turbines under the wings to save money and time.

07:59Have you ever noticed the flashing light in the cabin before takeoff?

08:02This happens when the pilot disconnects a plane from the airport power supply

08:06and switches to the onboard one.

08:08This rapid transition may cause flashing.

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