People are stunned after learning scary secret about plane oxygen masks

PEOPLE have been left stunned after a man revealed a scary-sounding secret about plane oxygen masks.

Most passengers might assume that the masks that drop from the ceiling would be connected to a large tank of oxygen, stored safely somewhere on the aircraft.

However, it turns out there's a much safer and more practical way of getting oxygen to people, should the cabin lose its pressure.

A Tiktoker named Joe () explained the system they actually use on planes and why there could well be a burning smell, if people have to use the masks.

In, he said: "You guys know those oxygen masts on Aeroplanes? You know, the ones that drop down in case of an emergency and you're supposed to put yours on before you help anybody else with theirs?

"Those masks are not connected to an oxygen tank or any kind of air tank at all.

"What they are connected to, I think, is far more interesting and, as it turns out, safer and more reliable.

"The device is called an oxygen generator, and it's able to pack a lot of oxygen in a tiny space because the oxygen is stored as a solid in the form of sodium chlorate."

Anyone who's been on a flight will know that flight attendants always ask people to pull down hard on their masks - this, according to Joe, is to ignite a primer, which heats up the sodium chlorate.

Once heated up, it turns into oxygen, which you are then able to breathe through the mask.

He continued: "When you pull the mask down, a firing pin goes off and ignites the primer, which heats up to over a thousand degrees Fahrenheit.

"Under this extreme heat, sodium chlorate decomposes into mostly oxygen, gas and table salt.

"The oxygen passes through a filter and down the tubing to your mask where you breathe it in.

"The device is sometimes called an oxygen candle because it slowly burns up and eventually runs out of oxygen.

"The ones in Aeroplanes are designed to last long enough for the pilot to descend to a safe altitude."

Joe's video has been seen more than five million times, with people stunned by the revelation.

One said: "Wow this is so interesting, I never knew."

Another said: "I had no idea! That’s crazy!"

An airline mechanic confirmed that Joe's information was correct, adding: "United mechanic, can confirm this is true.

"Only pilots have true compressed oxygen inside of a large cylinder."

Meanwhile, this is how far your plane can fly after engine failure.

And this is why it's completely safe if your plane looks like it's taped together.