So, when the cabin is sealed, the interior pressure is equal to the atmospheric pressure at sea level. When the plane lands, the exterior pressure is equal to the interior pressure. So why does the plane need to be pressurised for the duration of the trip?
In: Engineering
Smarter everyday did a video on this very subject, and it very enlightening:
Another way to think about this is climbing Everest (or any 8000m peak). Above 8000m is the death zone. If you could fly a helicopter from sea level to Everest peak, you would pass out in a few minutes (and die soon after). Climbers acclimate themselves to the altitude over WEEKS by going up partially and down many times (base camp is already ~18,000 ft).
I have experienced this to a much lesser degree by traveling from my home which is only about 400 ft above sea level to Breckenridge Colorado at a house about 11,000 ft above seal level. Taking a set of stairs or two, or climbing up a hillside is excruciating the first couple of days because your lungs and blood are used to “thick” oxygen rich air and are now have much less oxygen.
OK, BOT, is that ENOUGH?????
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