17,000 in an M20F

[thinwing]

The increased heart rate is pretty typical at altitude...92 % perfusion is also typical...you were just feeling apprehensive due to the new experience...still kind of low for magneto misfire..or time for magneto inspection..or automatic rough..kpc

[Parker_Woodruff]

It's definitely easy to feel apprehensive your first few times at higher cannula O2 altitudes. Once you get settled in, it starts feeling normal.

I wouldn't hesitate to get up there again and enjoy an eastbound tailwind.

That misfire could be the result of spark plugs or unpressurized mags. I had an occasional misfire at 17,000 and above in my M20K till I switched to Tempest Fine Wire plugs.

[Seth]

I have increase pulse on O2 at altitude.  It's the heart trying to compensate for the lower oxygen levels in the blood (same amount of O2 delivered, by speed vs saturation).  Take deep breaths with your nose (mouth closed) as opposed to shallow breaths and it helps up your O2 levels and thus lower your hear rate.  Also, use your pulse-ox number more than the designated line to determine how much O2 per altitude.  If you should only have the little ball floating at a certain height for a certain altitude, but your O2 reading is 92, up it as if you were higher and your O2 saturation will increase to a more desirable level.

 

Very cool to have the F up to 17000.  Had my Missile that high getting tailwinds coming back from the west coast in 2013.  Highest I took my fomer F was 12,600 and it flew great with plenty of climb left.  That was before I started carrying portable O2 and for less than 30 minutes.  I usually can "feel" a slight heaviness on my chest and very little labored breathing (I have asthma and am very cognizant of my chest and breathing) usually once I pass 9000 feet.

 

-Seth

[RobertGary1]

Its funny that the East coasters see the benefit of these higher altitudes as being winds aloft. While those of us on the West coast see the benefit of not ending up black and blue after an afternoon Sierra crossing.

 

-Robert 

[chrisk]

Yesterday at 17000 in my 231. The altitude is definitely nice for the tail wind! 206 kts ground speed. It was also nice not to be stuck in the soup too. But even at 17,000 I was skimming the tops only by 1000 feet.

[Urs_Wildermuth]

I was at 17000 with my C model a few years back, worked fine even in high summer temps with just about 0° C OAT. No problems with the engine or myself DA was considerably higher that day, more like 20k.

[aviatoreb]

I was at 17k yesterday, as I often go, yesterday to stay in sunshine, well clear of ice.  With cannula and flow on high, I kept O2 sat up at 98.  I probably could save some o2 flow, but heck, O2 is not hard to refill.  At those levels, there is absolutely no feeling of discomfort.  My guess is that if you were at 93 as you said, that it was anxiety, which albeit is very real.

 

P.S. 14k is an altitude I have hiked to several times in Colorado.  14k is high, but not crazy high.

 

P.P.S.  This tv-show is lots of fun - Top Gear - here are the guys trying to drive over a Volcano in Bolivia.  They get up to 17k (but feet still on the ground) before they get so altitude sick (no supplemental O2) they they can't stand it anymore, and their non turbo charged engines are struggling too.

 

 

Can you imagine Jeremy Clarkson, the cigar smoking, drinking good-ol'-boy Englishman up at 17k w/o o2?