50 aeroplane facts you’ve always been curious about

You may want to hold your breath for this one. The air you’re breathing on the plane is compressed air from the engines, according to Boeing. That air in the compressors warms and pressurises the air from outside the plane before it’s circulated into the cabin for you to breath.

Move quickly – once they drop, those oxygen masks can only supply air to you for 12 to 15 minutes, according to the Telegraph. That should be enough time, however. Be sure to wear the mask, as when the cabin loses pressure, you’ll start to feel nauseous and will get a headache without the additional oxygen. Within seconds, you’ll lose consciousness, and you could even die. Find out what would happen if the aeroplane door were to open mid-flight.

This would be one complicated LEGO model: There are 6 million parts in this commercial airliner, according to the BAA Training Aviation Academy. It was the first large body aeroplane ever made – and those poor pilots have to control the entire thing with those buttons and switches you see in the cockpit.

It’s filled with bacteria, apparently. A Wall Street Journal study found that tap water from 14 flights had bacteria of up to hundreds of times above the United States government limits. So make sure you either ask for bottled water or bring your own water bottle to the airport and fill it before you get on your plane. It’s also safe to say that you should avoid the coffee and tea, which is made with that tap water. Here’s more on why you should avoid the plane water.

Here are some other things that smart travellers do before a flight. 

If you’re afraid of flying, you’re not alone. More than 80 percent of the population has some degree of fearfulness when it comes to flying, says the BAA Training Aviation Academy. It could be related to acrophobia (fear of heights) or simply the fear of the unknown (how exactly does a plane fly?).

Here’s a dirty little secret: fresh blankets are doled out to passengers on the first flight of the day, if they’re lucky, according to Travel & Leisure. After that, they’re folded and reused and folded and reused again. And a Wall Street Journal report found that the airlines only clean the blankets every five to 30 days.

The plane’s cabin is pressurised to resemble a 6,000- to 8,000-foot altitude, according to Bustle. But at this altitude, your body can’t absorb as much oxygen. Since your body needs oxygen to break down your food, your digestive system has to work harder to contract at this altitude. Essentially, your digestive system slows and struggles. It’s not your fault.

However, here are 5 ways to make long-haul flights more bearable.

It’s just in case one of them gets sick from the meal. This all stems back to an incident in 1982 when passengers and crew aboard a flight from Boston to London became sick after eating the same tapioca pudding and the flight had to turn around. Today, the pilot and co-pilot eat different meals just in case.

It’s turbulence. And most of these injuries are sustained by people who aren’t following the directions and refused to snap-in. That’s why you should always wear your seatbelt – even when the flight seems to be smooth – just in case, as turbulence can hit unexpectedly at any time.

Blame it on the air pressure. While the cabin is pressurised, the air pressure decreases after take-off, and the cabin’s air expands by 30 percent. As a result, gases in your stomach and small intestine are likely to expand and lead to bloating. If you want to minimise this effect, don’t eat foods that can cause gas, such as cruciferous veggies like broccoli and cauliflower.