Flight Crews Reveal The Darkest Secrets of Flying

Oxygen Masks Only Last 15 Minutes

oxygen masks
Chris/Flickr

You would think that the emergency oxygen masks in airplanes have an ample supply of oxygen, but this isn’t the case as these masks only provide 15 minutes worth of oxygen. These masks are designed to only have a small supply of oxygen because 15 minutes is more than enough time for the pilot to adjust the altitude to a safe level so that everyone can breathe.

This is something that hardly happens as the technology on these airplanes is as advanced as it can be. Be sure to put these masks on immediately if there is a problem, as it only takes about 30 seconds for you to pass out without oxygen.

Written by Camille Moore

Camille has a master's degree from Saint Joseph University's Writing Studies program, and she currently works as the Writing Center Assistant Director at a small university in western Pennsylvania. Camille's writing has been published on several websites, and she enjoys writing articles and short stories in her spare time. You can follow Camille on Twitter @CamealAshley.