Flight-Crew Oxygen
Thanks for your clear and succinct overview, Swedish Steve.
I wonder how many aviation people are as surprised as I am to learn that a B747-400 still uses an oxygen ring-main for the whole cabin; a feature I associate with the likes of the B707 and VC10.
One wonders what would have happened if the nearby flight-crew oxygen system had been taken out as a result of the explosion. It also highlights, however, the less than ideal concept of flight crews themselves having to rely on remote bottled oxygen systems, which I believe are still the norm on new types that use oxygen generators for their cabin systems. Fortunately, most types of flight-crew mask can be transferred to a portable (therapeutic) oxygen bottle, no doubt with limited performance. I dare say that crews on many aircraft types are rehearsing the procedure as I write.
As an ex-pilot, my recollection is that recharging (or exchanging) the bottles has always been a potentially hazardous operation. Are safer systems yet available?