Forms Of Oxygen

Oxygen may be on an aircraft in three basic forms:

·         As a gas

·         As a liquid

·         As a chemical (solid)

The oxygen may also be generated on board the aircraft by means of a special system. This is called On-Board Oxygen Generators (OBOGS).

Oxygen supply systems of any of the three types may be either permanently installed in the aircraft or may be portable in which there is no attachment to the airplane.

Gaseous Oxygen: Most of the aircraft in the general aviation fleet use gaseous oxygen usually stored in steel cylinders, under a pressure of between 1,800 and 2,400 psi. The main reason for using gaseous oxygen is its ease of handling and the fact that it is available at most of the airports used by these aircraft. It does have the disadvantage of all of the dangers associated with any high-pressure gas, and also there is a weight penalty because of the heavy storage cylinders.