Keeping Commercial Flight Safe
5th Jan 2023
The Flight Environment
Flying commercially now feels so natural to most of us that we forget how extreme the environment can be at that altitude. At the typical cruising altitude of 35,000 feet, the air pressure drops by more than 75%; the outside temperature drops to negative 60 degrees Fahrenheit. That seems like an inhospitable environment to be traveling in, but every part that goes into manufacturing an airplane is protected to prevent failure.
What's in an Airplane?
You wouldn't know it to look at an airplane but there are thousands of feet of harnesses installed throughout its body. These assemblies allow you to turn on your overhead lights, allow the crew to talk to the passengers and even smoothly move the landing gear into position, all in a safe manner on each aircraft.
How are Harnesses Protected?
Once the harness is assembled a final protective barrier can be applied to help prevent damage. In general, sleeving is used to provide this protection. The particular sleeving used is dependent on what the cable needs to be protected from. For general abrasion / mechanical protection Expando 686 DM is a great choice. For more complex EMI / RFI protection Roundit EMI FMJ would be the first choice.
Whatever the specific application and protection need there is a solution available. As air travel continues to grow so will the innovative technologies that keep air travel safe.