Date: Wed, 6 Mar 2002 11:26:52 EST
Subject: Re: PUPT: Airplane animals + freight storage



In a message dated 3/6/02 6:09:30 AM, omlemedia-AT-omlemedia.com writes:

>There's a separate hold for the animals in most larger 
>>commercial aircraft, Jim.  That part of the cargo bay is 
>>pressurized and temperature controlled. The rest is not.

Dear Andrew:
    You are partially correct.  Unless they are building aircraft differently 
now and have changed the Federal Regulations required of the manufacturers 
for certification, one or more cargo areas are heated for shipments of live 
animals...and even humans who have been inadvertenly left inside...it's true! 
 But the entire aircraft is pressurized, including all cargo holds.  There is 
little or no condensation at altitude, but when compressed air, bled from the 
engines (from the outside, of course) is fed into the aircraft, changes in 
temperature as a result of the pressurization will cause some condensation.  
Most of the condensation occurs after the aircraft lands and encounters 
relatively warmer air.  From the cockpit, there are no temperature controllers
 for  cargo, only for the cabin and cockpit.  It is automatic depending upong 
cabin temperature.

    This is probably more than anyone wants to know, but absolutely..unless 
something goes wrong, like catastrophic depressurization, and even then it 
only exists until the aircraft descends...the cargo hold will be held above 
freezing.  If your shipment froze, it could have been because it was left on 
the ramp in wintertime.

    My sources are from 12,000 hours logged as a pilot in DC10, B727, B707, 
as well as B.S. Aero/Space Engineering, M.S. Systems Management.  Retired 
Airline Capt,  Jim Gamble


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