Definition
A small, battery-powered medical device that draws in ambient cabin air, separates out the nitrogen, and delivers a concentrated stream of oxygen to a user. Specific models are approved by the FAA for use aboard aircraft and are listed in the relevant Special Federal Aviation Regulation, allowing passengers who require supplemental oxygen for medical reasons to carry and use them in flight.
Plain English
A small machine that pulls oxygen out of the surrounding air and gives it to a person who needs extra oxygen to breathe. Certain models are cleared by the FAA to be used on airplanes.
Context Anchor
Pilots encounter this term when planning oxygen use for high-altitude flight, carrying a passenger who needs medical oxygen, or checking whether a device and its batteries may be used on board.
Derivation
From Latin portare, to carry, and concentrare, to bring to a center. A 'concentrator' here means a device that concentrates something — in this case, oxygen — by removing the other gases from ordinary air.
Why Pilots Care
Allows pilots to carry lightweight supplemental oxygen for high-altitude operations or medical passengers, improving safety and regulatory compliance without the weight and logistics of compressed-gas cylinders.
Intuition Check
Do not assume a portable oxygen concentrator is an oxygen tank. It usually does not store a large supply of oxygen; it makes oxygen-enriched air as it runs.
Example Sentence 1
The passenger in row 8 is traveling with an FAA-approved portable oxygen concentrator and has enough batteries to cover the full flight.
Example Sentence 2
Passengers with portable oxygen concentrators must receive approval before boarding to meet FAA requirements.