Airplane quirks decoded: Safety hidden in plain sight
Many tourists wonder about the small elements on airplanes and their functions. These include features like small holes in windows and yellow hooks on airplane wings. It turns out that everything serves a purpose, often crucial for safety. Here’s an explanation of what it's all about.
Frequent fliers who sit by the windows may have noticed three details: yellow hooks on airplane wings, black triangles on the walls, and holes in the windows.
The first element has an important safety application in the event of an emergency landing. Their purpose is to assist with evacuation via the wing and secure life rafts. In case of a water landing, safety ropes threaded through the hooks help passengers exit the plane safely.
Holes in the windows and black triangles on cabin walls
Many tourists are also puzzled by the small holes in airplane windows. These also have crucial significance for passenger safety and comfort. Small openings regulate the pressure inside the airplane. They are designed to mitigate pressure differences between the aircraft's interior and the external environment.
The vent holes in the windows have another function: allowing moisture to escape from the cabin, preventing the windows from fogging up.
The most observant travelers might have also noticed tiny black triangles above some windows on both sides of commercial airplanes. In short, these triangular marks indicate the spots with the best view of the airplane wings. They are used by the crew to inspect the wings, for example, before takeoff, to check the position of the flaps.
Ashtrays in the toilets
For some travelers, the ashtray in airplane toilets is also puzzling. Why is it installed when smoking is prohibited on board? Such ashtrays are a legal requirement to provide a safe place to dispose of cigarettes. A place to extinguish a cigarette butt is necessary in case a passenger doesn't follow the rules.
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