Swine Flu in Mexico reaching Pandemic level?

[Eisemann]

I flew B727-MD80 aircraft for many years for a major carrier in the US. The cabin air in most transport category aircraft is maintained, at cruise altitude, at a pressure of approximately 5000 feet regardless of the plane's altitude and adjusted in descent to match the landing field altitude.

This cabin air pressure is obtained by bleeding air from the compressor section of the engines and introducing it to the cabin after passing through temperature mixing pack valves (air cycle machines) where it is mixed with conditioned or cooler outside air. The pressure in the cabin is maintained by modulating outflow valves in the aircraft which open and close as required to keep cabin altitude constant. Simply speaking, there is little if any recirculation of air in the cabin and in fact there is a constant change of air as the outflow valves open and close. Clearly, the air is very dry as a result of being bled of the hot compressor section, but hardly stale.

The eyeball outlets or Gasper Fans do nothing more than take cabin air in and blow it as a stream of air as directed. As such, directing the air stream to your face will possibly have a detrimental effect by forcing possibly infected air directly on mucus membranes which is how, I am led to believe, the disease is transmitted.

 

[Dale Allyn]

Very interesting info. Thank you. It makes sense, and still differs from what the Boeing engineer claimed, but context of his remarks may have been misunderstood (on my part). I had always assumed that the "eye-ball" vents did exactly as you say, until I had been told by more than one person in the field that the mixture is different. Obviously, the pressurization of the cabin must be maintained, which is why it confused me, but I'm not an aircraft engineer.

It's interesting to me that it has been emphatically suggested to me on several occasions to leave the vents open for better air quality. Perhaps an urban legend then? Or perhaps some aircraft pass the forced "eye-ball vent" air back through filters so that the "legend" was supported there and then morphed. (?)

As another note: on regional jets the eye-ball vents blow air of the same temperature as the cabin which would support Elsemann's comment, but on the long-haul flights (where I have been told this "legend") the air from the eye-ball vents is discernibly colder. I wonder if there are different systems on these different equipment, depending on application.

 

[Oxide Blu]

... I'll open my vents above seats 7-B or 7-C, 8-B or 8-C (lower deck), or all of row 15 (upper deck) on United's 747-400 (biz class); or seat 9-B on the 777 (also biz class cabin). All of these seats have the vents I mention, as does the rest of the entire section. Same goes for UA's regional jets with single-class service.

It may be the aircraft interior package. The planes I'm on (across the pacific, biz class) haven't had those air vents for quite some time. I also noticed the overhead storage is smaller -- a person with an isle seat can stand up if they lean slightly toward the isle -- nowhere to put those air vents, any air vent would be offset, would have to be blowing across 5-ft of open space.

There is a lot of air circulation but it is through venting system the length of the cabin, under the windows. And it gets cold in there.

I can't remember seeing those overhead vents on local aircraft either, but I couldn't say for sure.

 

[Eisemann]

From what I remember, the Gasper Fan system was designed to be used on the ground with one pack operation in hot weather for the purpose of increasing the already low airflow and make it slightly colder. I have noteced however that some operators will leave the gasper fan on until reaching 10,000 ft in climb and then switching it back on at 10,000 ft in descent. There is sufficient airflow coming through both packs when the aircraft is airborne and there is nothing to be gained by switching on the Gasper fan. Essentially, you will have gasper fan cooling available below 10,000 ft (aircraft altitude) as well as on the ramp (in warm weather).

 

[Oxide Blu]

Why not a picture.


Note the only thing above the seats is a worthless light, one for each passenger. If you look between the seats you see another lamp, hi-intensity, on a black goose neck. That's what everyone uses.

You can also see how the isle passenger can stand up and stretch. Anyone in the middle part of the plane can stand and stretch with their hands over their head. No way to blow air from the top down with eyeball vent thingies. You'd need a ladder to adjust them.

 

[Dale Allyn]

Sort of similar (in terms of height) in the UA equipment, though there are the vents, plus overhead lights which are slightly pivot-able, and the gooseneck reading lamps between the seats. Obviously just boils down to the different packages ordered.

I've flown Thai Airways as well, though don't recall their setup. I've not used them in a while, and their equipment may have changed. Same for Cathay. And never flown JAL, though I do fly through Narita several times per year.

Cheers.

 

[cam]

i'll report back on Air France planes.... unfortunately, i travel cattle class usually.

 

[Lars]

All this talk about the ventilation system is very interesting, but you still have to get through two crowded airports so there will still be plenty of opportunities to catch a bug when traveling by air.

 

[Dale Allyn]

Lars, I wish it was only two airports on my route. It's four for me. Ugh.

So it's probably best to just remain healthy to keep them buggers away. (Or, as in my case, remain bitter so the bugs go screaming off to infect someone else.)



Bitter Bob... errrr, I mean Dale

 

[Oxide Blu]

This swine flu appears to be a rerun of the swine flu of 1918, so far. It only kills people with healthy immune systems. Actually, the virus doesn't do the killing, it triggers a disproportional immune system response and the victim's own immune system kills them by attacking healthy tissue. You want to have as unhealthy an immune system as you can.

So, drink more scotch (lots more!), eat more junk food, get less sleep, you should be good to go. Well, at least that's my plan for a defense. :thumbs:

:ROTFL:

 

[Dale Allyn]

So, drink more scotch (lots more!), eat more junk food, get less sleep, you should be good to go. Well, at least that's my plan for a defense. :thumbs:

:ROTFL:

Yes! these relates to my "defense" of being bitter. Bitterness as well as highly toxic (read B.A.C.) makes one a less attractive target.

Perhaps we should open a clinic!

 

[waynelake]

This swine flu appears to be a rerun of the swine flu of 1918, so far. It only kills people with healthy immune systems. Actually, the virus doesn't do the killing, it triggers a disproportional immune system response and the victim's own immune system kills them by attacking healthy tissue. You want to have as unhealthy an immune system as you can.

So, drink more scotch (lots more!), eat more junk food, get less sleep, you should be good to go. Well, at least that's my plan for a defense. :thumbs:

:ROTFL:

Yes thats what I heard. Except for the scotch. Thats poison...
Like 1918, kills healthy 20-40 year olds.
1918 killed 20-120 million.
Todays one is a combination of 4 viruses.
Expert says doubts will turn out like 1918.
Same person said theres been similar viruses since 1600s...
1918 was very extreme...
A Kiwi got it in Mexico for a few days, now Ok.

 

[Oxide Blu]

I like the way one doctor that is an expert on pandemics put it; you are in a forest, and two trees are on fire. Either the whole forest can burn down, or those two trees can burn just themselves out. You have a 50-50 chance of surviving it.

The virus has mutated, as expected. In Mexico it is now resistive to Tamiflu. In the US Tamiflu is still working against it -- so far.

 

[cam]

can this get me out of jury duty?

 

[Georg Baumann]

can this get me out of jury duty?

Nope, but in the box.

 

[Georg Baumann]

Officially Level 5 now.

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/statements/2009/h1n1_20090429/en/index.html

 

[Oxide Blu]

Officially Level 5 now.

But it is only precautionary, we're still ok. :thumbup:

 

[gero]

This swine flu appears to be a rerun of the swine flu of 1918, so far. It only kills people with healthy immune systems. Actually, the virus doesn't do the killing, it triggers a disproportional immune system response and the victim's own immune system kills them by attacking healthy tissue. You want to have as unhealthy an immune system as you can.

So, drink more scotch (lots more!), eat more junk food, get less sleep, you should be good to go. Well, at least that's my plan for a defense. :thumbs:

:ROTFL:

they are still recomending eating lots of veg & fruts & vitamin C, but scotch is OK.:thumbs:

 

[stephengilbert]

So now we're fighting over aircraft vents? I think most planes have them and some don't, and they provide a source of fresher air, or perhaps not. Glad that's settled.

But there's no need to worry anymore: they've stopped calling it "swine flu," in what is an apparently belated attmpt to save the lives of millions of innocent pigs. (http://www.southtownstar.com/news/1552272,WHO-Swine-Flu-name-0430.article) It's now called "H1N1 Influenza A."

That should cut down on the hysteria; most TV talking heads (at least here in the US of A) won't be able to say "H1N1 Influenza A," and the absence of the term "swine flu" should entirely eliminate people's interest. :thumbup:

Of course, the media may still call it swine flu, to cove up their newsreaders' stupidity. We'll have to wait and see.

 

[Lars]

Of course, the media may still call it swine flu, to cove up their newsreaders' stupidity. We'll have to wait and see.

I'd vote for "HiNi Flu"