What is the purpose of the Portable Oxygen System, or PBE?

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The Portable Oxygen System is there to provide a personal source of breathable air for people on board when the cabin is smoky or when there’s a decompression. It delivers oxygen through a hood or mask, helping crew and passengers breathe clean air and reducing exposure to smoke and toxic gases so they can function and evacuate more effectively. It’s not used to power emergency lights, inflate life rafts, or pressurize the cabin—those tasks belong to other systems on the aircraft. In practice, activating the PBE releases oxygen for a limited time to support breathing in hazardous conditions.