Measurement and Analysis of Temperature and Pressure in High Altitude Air Shipments

Sher Paul Singh, Michigan State University
Jay Singh, California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo
J. Stallings, Michigan State University
Gary J. Burgess, Michigan State University
K. Saha, Michigan State University

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Copyright © 2010 Wiley-Blackwell. The definitive version is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pts.877.

Abstract

This study was performed (at the request of the FAA) to measure temperature and pressure conditions observed by standard packages in the FedEx Next Day Air network and the environmental conditions of passenger aircrafts. To measure the single parcel environment, two destinations known to be served by non-pressurized feeder and pressurized aircrafts in the USA, San Luis Obispo, California, and Twin Falls, Idaho, were used to represent higher altitude paths. Test packages (0.30 × 0.30 × 0.30 m) containing one MadgeTech PRTemp110 recorder were shipped Priority Overnight by FedEx from East Lansing, Michigan. For 6 weeks, two test packages were shipped to each destination. To measure the passenger aircraft environment, test packages (0.14 × 0.11 × 0.06 m) were both carried in the passenger cabin and checked with luggage. Results show temperature ranges, pressure drop rates, and maximum altitudes observed from 52 flights (17 feeder aircrafts) in the FedEx environment and from eight commercial passenger flights. This study compares these results with the ASTM D6653-01 test procedure with respect to suggested test pressure, pressure change rate, temperature, and test duration.