View Full Version : Was cabin air quality better in B377, DC6, DC7, Super Constellation than today?
The reason offered for only partly recycling cabin air is that with modern fan engines it impacts fuel burn.
What was the situation in the 50s and 60s at the height of pressurised cabin piston air travel; was air quality any better? Engine driven cabin air compressors were used I pressume.
OutOfRunWay
24th Feb 2009, 16:20
By necessity, the compressors were close to the engines, so you can be sure that they ingested more oil vapours, exhaust &c than is common today.
regards!
tonytech2
25th Feb 2009, 18:44
The piston engined airliners and the L-188 Electra's cabin compressors were either mounted on the engine or driven by it thru an extension shaft. However the air intake for the cabin compressor was out on the wing clear of exhaust and oil leaks. I think the air was cleaner from them than from engine compressor bleed air. Best of all though was turbo compressors as on DC-8 and early B707. They sucked in clean air, had better oil seals than on the engine.