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Aviation vocabulary · Emergencies & Abnormal Situations

Decompression

Meaning in aviation, with examples

/ˌdiːkəmˈpreʃən/nounCommon term

In aviation, decompression means: A loss of cabin pressure at high altitude, which can be slow or very fast. Without extra oxygen, people soon lose the ability to think clearly.

In Turkish: dekompresyon, kabin basıncı kaybı

How it is used

Pilots put on their masks and make an emergency descent to a safe altitude, usually around 10,000 feet. Crews talk about rapid, explosive and slow decompression. Signs include a loud noise, mist in the cabin and the masks dropping.

Example sentences

  1. After the decompression, the crew made an emergency descent to 10,000 feet.

  2. A slow decompression can be hard to notice, which is why the cabin altitude warning matters so much.

Common collocations

  • rapid decompression
  • slow decompression
  • explosive decompression
  • emergency descent
  • cabin altitude
  • oxygen maskA mask that supplies oxygen to the nose and mouth when cabin pressure is lost at high altitude. Passenger masks drop automatically from above the seats.
  • descentThe phase of flight in which an aircraft leaves its cruising level and goes down towards the destination before the approach begins.
  • MaydayThe international radio distress call, used when an aircraft or ship is in grave and immediate danger and needs help at once. It is said three times.
  • cabin crewThe team of trained staff who look after the safety and comfort of passengers in the cabin during a flight.

More terms: Emergencies & Abnormal Situations

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