Replace Oxygen Masks With Drop-Down Smoke Hoods

Most commercial flights cruise for extended periods at almost double the height of Mt Everest where the air pressure is very low. Aircraft are designed with pressurization systems that increase the internal pressure* to compensate for this so that people continue to live.

Pressurization turns the aircraft fuselage into something approximating a flying aluminum** balloon. Balloons pop, e.g. if a window falls out <link> or deflate if someone forgets to seal it <link>. In this situation, the humans on board will experience rapidly declining cognitive function before falling unconscious, possibly permanently. You have something like 10-30s of useful consciousness depending on the altitude situation.

The conventional solution to this is to fit passenger transport aircraft with an emergency oxygen system, usually stored in the panels above each seat. These systems usually use a chemical reaction to generate oxygen for long enough, approx. 10-30 mins. in this time, the pilots should have initiated an automatic*** descent to ~10,000ft or so where everyone should be OK to breath... but, oh no! the depressurization was caused by a fire started in a poorly labelled shipment of lithium batteries**** in the cargo hold! The fire suppression systems work through displacing oxygen, and lithium batteries don't care about that. The hole in the side allows the CO2 to escape and now other things ignite.

The pilots have diverted and are now on approach to a closer airfield, but acrid burning plastic fumes begin to fill the cabin, the oxygen masks do not seal and chemicals in the plastic smoke (ironically, many of them chosen because they do not burn) are horrific irritants to the lungs and eyes. Despite the fact the aircraft makes it to the ground in one piece, the smoke and panic kill many.

So, the solution to this is to replace the oxygen mask with a smoke hood<link>. These are hoods that go over the head, as hoods are wont to do, and are equipped with a similar oxygen generating system + CO2 absorber, this inflates the hood and prevents acrid smoke from being inhaled/reaching the eyes. Same advantages in a decompression scenario but with the benefit of being useful in a fire.

*but not humidity **or plastic, for the 787 fans. *** in case they pass out too **** Another one for the 787 fans.