DEFINITION:

Aircraft environmental control systems (ECS) provide the means to ensure a controlled environment within the aircraft interior, in terms of air supply, air flow, temperature, pressure and humidity. In addition to normal cabin-air requirements, certain areas of aircraft have special ECS-related operational and safety requirements, such as adequate cooling of equipment or removal of smoke or odours.

(Source: ACARE Domain 421)

SUBDOMAINS:

1. Provision of fresh air – bleed air, ozone converter, air conditioning/cooling packs (heat exchangers, turbines, compressors, air mix chambers)
2. Air filters – activated charcoal, HEPA, filter status monitoring
3. Exhaust of cabin air – pressure control, outflow valves
4. Recirculation system – CO, CO2 monitoring and removal
5. Temperature, humidity control
6. Cabin ventilation and ducting system – flow patterns analysis, tools and modelling, zonal distribution, avoidance of draughts and stagnant areas
7. Control systems – status indicators, parameter level and system warning indicators, manual regulators for emergency use
8. Air quality monitoring and analysis – development of comfort index
9. Ground operations of ECS – APU, external air conditioning units
10. Personal climate control facilitation (temperature, airflow, humidity)s – loading, handling, restraining, monitoring, integration