212034: Extending CabinAir - Extending CabinAir measurements to include older aircraft types utilised in high volume short haul operation
Overview
Background & policy context:
This is a study undertaken by the Building Research Establishment Ltd (BRE) for the UK cross-departmental Aviation Health Working Group ("AHWG") to monitor cabin air quality aboard older aircraft types utilised in high volume short haul operations.
The purpose of this work is to address two key recommendations made in the House of Lords report on Air Travel and Health with regard to in-flight measurements of air quality parameters.
The AHWG acknowledged that the current European CabinAir project would satisfy most of the elements with regard to these recommendations.
CabinAir has monitored key air quality parameters on board 50 flights representing the four generic commercial passenger aircraft types. However, the choice of aircraft types and operators in that project excluded older, classic types and operators other than "flag carriers".
Objectives:
To determine whether the cabin air quality of the older aircraft - specifically the BAe 146 and Boeing 737 Classic aircraft - was in any way an issue, and whether they differed significantly from newer types of aircraft.
Methodology:
Two aircraft types, the BAe 146 (ventilation mode selected to provide 100% outside air to the cabin) and Boeing 737-300 (supply into the cabin is a mixture of outside and recirculated air) were selected.
The intention of this current study was not to compare the two aircraft types with one another, nor to carry out detailed statistical analysis of the monitored data, nor to monitor the air quality during any "unusual circumstances".
The emphasis was on obtaining data from scheduled flights, reporting the results, and comparing with any health-based guidance levels that exist. In total, fourteen flights (8x BAe146, 6x B737) were monitored. These comprised both UK domestic flights and flights between the UK and other European countries. The flight times ranged between approximately 1 and 3 hours. Air quality parameters were monitored not only during passenger boarding and disembarkation, but also during all phases of flight - from take off, through cruise, and then to descent.
The measurements were carried out not only at specific stationary locations within the cabin, but also through traverses across seat rows and along the aisles.
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