Hypoxia...

[WardHolbrook]

One of the tricks I use after a long flight at altitude is to take a few drags on the O2 prior to descent. Most of our flights we're at FL390 or above and our cabin altitude is in the 6000' range. I'm a non-smoker and 6000 is pretty low, but I'm amazed at how a little O2 perks you up. At night the colors will get noticeably brighter. When in doubt, use it.

[aviatoreb]

Quote: robert14

I found my max altitude one evening during a practice IFR flight, at night, at 10,000 ft. After an hour of hooded flight, I began having trouble maintaining my altitude and heading. My instructor began nagging me. His nagging did not help. I struggled for about 10 minutes trying to maintain heading and altitude while blaming it on the weather. It only got worse. Then, my fingers starting starting tingling. I realized at that moment that I was experiencing hypoxia. I alerted my instructor who took over and immediately requested ATC permission for a quick descent to MEA, 6000 ft at the time. My symptoms continued to grow worse during the descent with general weakness, sweating, tingling fingers, and nausea. As we approached 6000 ft, the symptoms quickly went away and I resumed the flight as POC. I was lucky I had an instructor with me. My doctor claims that your max altitude and time at altitude are a function of your health and age. I am healthy and 64. I now use the O2D2 requlator and an O2 bottle strapped to the back of my seat whenever I fly above 6000 ft.

[robert14]

Hi Erik. I purchased the O2D2 with the large tank. The strap tie-down system that comes with the O2D2 works great for attaching it to the rear of the pilot seat. I store the O2D2 unit in the zipper compartment that is part of the strap tie-down system. I attached a small strip of velcro to the ceiling between the front seats for operational use of the O2D2 unit. Here is my operatioinal scenario: 1) During pre-flight, I remove the O2D2 unit from the zipper compartment, attach it to the velcro on the ceiling and verify "off" position on the unit (I leave the O2 tubes between the unit and the O2 tank always hooked up whether in storage or in use), 2) I open the O2 tank valve and verify the tank pressure,  3) I pre-flight the airplane, 4) I get into the airplane and attach the breathing tube device (starts with a c) around my head and nose, 5) I switch the O2D2 unit to "demand" to verify operation and then switch to "5K". As you pass through 5K ft, the unit will start working. As you descend through 5K ft the unit stops working. 6) After engine shut down, I coil the O2 tube up, verify tank pressure, and put the unit back in the zipper compartment. I can get about 25 hours from a tank. I use a local scuba store for refills ($25). You do not need to operate the tank valve while in flight although with some rearrangement in your seat you can get to the valve during flight and can read the pressure guage. I have verified, during flight, that I can open/close the valve and read the pressure guage but have never had a reason to do it. A passenger can easily open/close the valve or read the pressure guage (green, yelow, red).