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Uhmm, dumb question maybe, but aren't oxygen masks supposed to drop down automatically if a pressure drop occurs? Or is that only in the cabin of the plane and not in the cockpit?

Any pilots out there know?

7 posted on 09/07/2005 10:28:14 AM PDT by Bear_in_RoseBear ("Usually we try to go break things. Here we're trying to fix things." --Gen. Honore 09/07 press conf)

Masks are supposed to drop. But realistically...if you have a massive loss of pressure...you have barely 1 gulp of air to conclude that this requires the mask and to grab it. If you fail on that first gulp of air...you probably won't get a second gulp...and you will get just enough air to survive...but thats about it. And if you count in the temperature situation...you probably are freezing by the end of 20 seconds. A guy in great shape, might be able to eventually grab enough air and get the mask on...and perhaps move forward through the cabinet although you are talking about 10 minutes to walk 10 steps.

I'm not an airline pilot, but based on this site the crew oxygen doesn't auto-deploy. It's a mask that's stowed away in a compartment.