Keywords
Citation
(2002), "CabinAir takes to the skies", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 74 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.2002.12774dab.014
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2002, MCB UP Limited
CabinAir takes to the skies
Keywords: Flight, Aircraft, Air flow
EC funded research project CabinAir is taking to the skies to begin inflight monitoring. A team of researchers has recently started analysing cabin air quality on 50 BA, SAS and KLM flights to destinations such as Rome, Nairobi and Beijing.
Measurements are being taken throughout each flight from taxiing to landing, and will focus on humidity, temperature, airflows and other constituents of the cabin air. To establish patterns across a range of aircraft, four types of aircraft will be studied: small narrow body; long narrow body; wide twin aisle and twin deck.
The work will establish for the first time, a structured and true picture of conditions on short, medium and long haul flights in the commercial sector of the airline industry.
These studies follow on from investigations carried out last Autumn at Munich Airport by some of the partners, led by Fairchild Dornier. To establish air quality conditions on the ground, measurements were taken in an aircraft following in the wake of another as it taxied along the runway until the point of take off. The external air was measured and compared with conditions in the cabins of the tracking aircraft.
Running alongside these monitoring exercises, CabinAir is investigating two other important issues: (i) improving the performance of environmental control systems in respect of air quality and (ii) reducing environmental impacts (e.g. minimising engine bleed and reusing pressurised air). Work has already begun on the development of draft European Pre-normative Standards.
Details available from: BRE. Tel: +44 (0) 1923 664300; E-mail: aircraft@bre.co.uk; website: www.Bre.co.uk