When cabin altitude reaches ________ feet, the oxygen masks will automatically deploy.

• A. 8,000
• B. 14,000
• C. 10,000
• D. 12,000

Answer: (B)

Oxygen masks are designed to deploy when cabin pressurization is lost and the cabin altitude reaches a level where the air is no longer breathable. The system uses this threshold to ensure passengers get oxygen quickly after a depressurization. For the A320 family (and the E-190), that trigger is fourteen thousand feet of cabin altitude. Since the cabin is normally maintained around eight thousand feet equivalent during cruise, the masks stay stowed until the pressure change reaches this 14,000-foot point. Once that threshold is reached, the masks automatically drop so occupants can breathe comfortably while the aircraft descends to a safer altitude.