Air Canada flight from Vancouver to Toronto diverted due to 'uncomfortably cool' cockpit

An Air Canada flight from Vancouver to Toronto was forced to turn around about 45 minutes into the journey because of an issue with the heater in the flight deck. AC104, which makes the cross-country jaunt daily, returned to Vancouver on Tuesday as the cockpit had become “uncomfortably cool,” Air Canada said. Air Canada maintains a major hub at Vancouver International Airport. The heater has since been repaired and the aircraft is back in service. While seemingly mundane, the temperature control system that provides conditioned air also provides cabin pressurization. The conditioned air is essential for maintaining a comfortable and safe environment inside the cabin, especially at high altitudes where the outside air pressure and oxygen levels are much lower than at sea level. The air inside the cabin is typically exchanged completely every three to five minutes. This ensures that the air pressure and quality inside the cabin are maintained at optimal levels for comfort and safety. The cabin pressurization system also includes safety mechanisms to prevent over-pressurization or under-pressurization. Most commercial jets simulate the air pressure at an elevation of around 8,000 feet at cruising altitudes, which is a balance between the external pressure and the pressure that can be comfortably sustained within the aircraft’s fuselage​​.<br/>