Is the tail cone area a pressurized compartment?

Is the tail cone area a pressurized compartment?

• A. Yes
• B. Depends on flight phase
• C. Only when configured
• D. No

Answer: (D)

The pressurized area of an A320 is the cabin and cargo spaces, contained within the pressure vessel whose aft boundary is the rear pressure bulkhead. The tail cone region lies behind that bulkhead and is not part of the pressurized volume. It houses equipment such as the APU bay and other systems that don’t require cabin pressure, so it remains unpressurized in normal operation. This is true regardless of flight phase or configuration, since only the cabin and cargo areas are designed to be pressurized to maintain a safe flying environment.

The pressurized area of an A320 is the cabin and cargo spaces, contained within the pressure vessel whose aft boundary is the rear pressure bulkhead. The tail cone region lies behind that bulkhead and is not part of the pressurized volume. It houses equipment such as the APU bay and other systems that don’t require cabin pressure, so it remains unpressurized in normal operation. This is true regardless of flight phase or configuration, since only the cabin and cargo areas are designed to be pressurized to maintain a safe flying environment.