A Breath of Clean, Fresh Air

For the safety of the passengers on a private jet flight, the air quality is very carefully controlled, with recent advances making it even more clean and fresh

BY ROHIT GOEL

The air we breathe – particularly in an enclosed space – has a huge impact on our health and wellbeing. Cabin air quality on an aircraft carries the risk of communicable diseases transmission. The overall risk of contracting a disease from an ill person onboard an airplane is similar to that in other confined areas for a similar time of exposure.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a significant shift towards flying private to avoid getting infected. However, how clean is the cabin air on a private jet? Given the enclosed nature of an aircraft cabin, some people worry that it is somehow more prone to holding onto pathogens or viruses than a larger or naturally ventilated space. But that’s not necessarily the case, especially in a private jet. On a private jet flight, the air quality is very carefully controlled, with recent advances making it cleaner still. There are a number of ways to ensure high quality cabin air on a private jet, but most private jet aircraft fall into one of two categories – 100 per cent fresh air systems or recirculated air systems.

In a 100 per cent fresh air system, air from the outside is brought in through the engines on a continuous basis, then compressed and sterilised before it enters the cabin. Vents and valves are used to extract air out of the cabin at the same time –typically resulting in the cabin air being replaced entirely every two minutes. As the air being brought in is continually refreshed, the circulation minimises the spread of viruses and bacteria.

Some private jets recirculate air within the cabin, which provides for better humidity control and temperature control. A recirculated aircraft air system still takes in some fresh air but then mixes it with air already in the cabin that is cleaned before being re-used. The proportion of recirculated to fresh air can vary from aircraft to aircraft, as does the speed at which the cabin air is replaced.

Some private jet aircraft manufacturers have introduced HEPA filter systems, which capture bacteria, viruses and other particles, before air is recirculated. A HEPA filter captures a minimum of 99.97 per cent of contaminants at 0.3 microns in size. These are the same filtering systems that are used in hospitals and other environments where sterile air is a priority.

CLEAN AIR, SAFE TRAVEL

Aviation Clean Air’s (ACA) NeedlePoint Bi-Polar Ionisation process is proven to immediately purify the air and surfaces and neutralise pathogens throughout the aircraft interior. ACA’s airborne

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CHAPTER 9