Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine
Troubleshooting; Time Pressure; Training / Qualification; Situational Awareness; Physiological - Other; Other / Unknown; Confusion; Communication Breakdown
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; No Specific Anomaly Occurred Unwanted Situation
General None Reported / Taken
Company Policy; Chart Or Publication; Environment - Non Weather Related; Software and Automation; Manuals
I have a trip to ZZZZ scheduled in two weeks. I see the escape procedures for [this very high terrain area] require an initial escape altitude of 29;000 feet. Over XX years ago during my first Captain upgrade training it was strongly emphasized and imperative to descend to at least 25;000 feet as human lungs can't exchange oxygen unless there is a minimum amount of differential pressure. Based on that; if it is still accurate; there will be passengers and crew members actively dying or at least losing consciousness during the time at 29;000 feet. Has there been a change in physiology since the late 80's? How is this justified?I am pursuing a reasonable justification for this procedure.
Air Carrier Captain is questioning the logic behind the decision to descend to FL290 during the emergency decompression or emergency drift-down maneuver. The Captain believes the correct altitude should be FL250.