Parts inside the Aircraft

Flying can be an exciting as well as a jumpy and stressful experience for those flying for the first time. While you may be excited about travelling by air, there is also this lurking fear that you may not know what to do. Knowing what to expect as you enter the cabin can be reassuring.

When passengers enter the aircraft they are seated in what is called the cabin area. This area is divided into different sections for business and economy class passengers. The first row and the emergency exit rows are generally preferred by tall people who need more leg room. Front rows are also preferred by those who do not want a bumpy ride since the movement of the aircraft is exaggerated in the rear rows.

EMERGENCY EXIT

The cabin area also includes the galley where the food is prepared, seating area for flight attendants and storage space that is used to carry food and beverages and other essential items. The space in between the seats is known as the aisle and is used for walking up and down the aircraft. Depending on the specific kind of aircraft that you are flying in, there may be one or two aisles.

The galley area is usually accessed by flight attendants to prepare the food and drinks that are served to passengers.  In larger aircrafts lavatories or toilets are arranged in the front, the middle and at the back of the aircraft for the convenience of passengers. There are also overhead bins that are provided to store any small hand baggage that the passengers may be carrying.

When you are seated you will be able to raise the shutter of the window if you are lucky to have a window seat. Each seat has a seat belt that can be adjusted and worn. This is something that you will necessarily need to do during take-off and landing and also when the pilot indicates turbulence. Above each seat is a panel that has individual reading lights, air conditioner fan control and a bell that you can use to beckon the flight attendants in case you need anything. The panel also contains oxygen masks that drop automatically when the cabin pressure reduces. Below each seat you can find floatation devices in most aircrafts that need to be used in case of an emergency landing.

The area that is not accessible to the passenger is the cockpit. This is located in front of the aircraft from where the pilots control and manage the aircraft. For security purposes, this area is enclosed and completely separated from the cabin area and only authorized personnel are allowed inside. In the good old days when airline terrorism was not so rampant, children were often taken by flight attendants to give them a firsthand look at the dials.