Aithre turbo oxygen maker portable

[dfurst]

Has anyone tried one of these in their Mooney? I don't fly that high but as I get older I find my pulse ox is lower at 8K now adays. 

This solution would solve most of my needs without the hassle of install or keep a bottle topped off. Again, not looking to fly above 12.5K, just something to keep my oxygen levels above 90% when I spend 2 or 3 hours above 8K.

portable Aithre turbo oxygen maker

[toto]

No idea about the Aithre product, but many MSers are happy with the Inogen G5. 

Search for “oxygen concentrator”

[McMooney]

think id prefer an innogen , that thing looks huge

[NickG]

Those Aithre products look awesome. Just not sure where I’d mount that thing. Looks like it needs to be adjusted by that knob while in flight for altitude, so I couldn’t have it mounted it the baggage area as I’m not Stretch Armstrong. I’m very interested in the Inogen, as my ox saturation isn’t great above 8k and I find myself using my O2 quite a lot, and I do a lot of XC at 10k-16k

[dfurst]

Thanks.  Saw those.  Price point is the same or close.  Wanted some feed back on this one, if anyone has tried it. 

[dfurst]

23 minutes ago, NickG said:

Those Aithre products look awesome. Just not sure where I’d mount that thing. Looks like it needs to be adjusted by that knob while in flight for altitude, so I couldn’t have it mounted it the baggage area as I’m not Stretch Armstrong. I’m very interested in the Inogen, as my ox saturation isn’t great above 8k and I find myself using my O2 quite a lot, and I do a lot of XC at 10k-16k

Adjustments can be made on the ground based on flight plan. Also, the change is minute. You could set it to 1.5 and leave it.

Edited September 3, 2024 by dfurst

[201Mooniac]

I haven't used that one but the idea of an O2 concentrator is a great one, I use the Inogen G5 and it works well and is much easier than filling bottles.

[Will.iam]

I have the inogen 5 it produces 1.2L max compared to Aithre 1.0L the inogen is less than 5lbs with battery so if you took out the battery to be like the Aithre it would be less than half the weight. The inogen is designed to be carried so you could use it other than your airplane if needed wheee as that Aithre doesn’t look very portable. Inogen makes a new version 6 that has an app connection capability but the max output was closer to 1L so i went with the 5 because i could get a used one for half the price and it was small enough to fit behind the pax seat where i can keep an eye on it stats wise and increase or decrease the output level based on my o2 saturation needs. No need to work the machine any harder than what’s required. At 12.5k level 1 bumped my o2 1 point up level 2 got me 3 points up level 3 got me 5 points which got me to my same level at sea level. 

[Pinecone]

For the Inogen, Main Clinic Supply will sell to pilots without needing a prescription.  You just send a picture of your pilot certificate.

[varlajo]

+1 vote for Inogen. Have now been using the G5 for about a month, and love it. At setting 4 at 17,500 ft my blood oxygen content never drops below 93. With large capacity battery, I am getting approx. 6 h of use at said setting. I am now using this thing at all altitudes above 10,000. At this time, the unit is hanging behind the co-pilot's seat, but I am thinking about a bracket for more or less permanent placement. 

[MikeOH]

Dang! Didn't realize those Inogens were nearly 3 AMU!

The CB in me thinks I can pay for a lot of refills for that amount

[varlajo]

17 minutes ago, MikeOH said:

Dang! Didn't realize those Inogens were nearly 3 AMU!

The CB in me thinks I can pay for a lot of refills for that amount

I paid 2,100 for a new G5 with large battery

[varlajo]

18 minutes ago, MikeOH said:

Dang! Didn't realize those Inogens were nearly 3 AMU!

The CB in me thinks I can pay for a lot of refills for that amount

You _may_ be able to use your HSA/FSA funds

[MikeOH]

Curious if one of these G5 Inogens provide enough O2 for both pilot and ONE passenger at, say, 16,000 feet?

[MikeOH]

1 minute ago, varlajo said:

You _may_ be able to use your HSA/FSA funds

Good idea, but those funds are otherwise spoken for

[varlajo]

1 minute ago, MikeOH said:

Curious if one of these G5 Inogens provide enough O2 for both pilot and ONE passenger at, say, 16,000 feet?

Quite likely, but the battery life will be more like 3-4 h, I think

[201Mooniac]

1 hour ago, varlajo said:

I paid 2,100 for a new G5 with large battery

Mine was $1800 from Pure Medical.

[Utah20Gflyer]

1 hour ago, MikeOH said:

Dang! Didn't realize those Inogens were nearly 3 AMU!

The CB in me thinks I can pay for a lot of refills for that amount

I just bought an Inogen one G3 for 425 used.  I’ve used it for the last couple flights at 10.5-12000 and it easily keeps my oxygen levels in the mid to upper 90s.  
 

If you want to keep your CB status then keep an eye out for a used one for a good price.  Many are 1200-1500 but it’s not unusual to see them around 500.  
 

So far I am liking it.  I’m feeling less fatigued after cross country flights.  

[M20F]

2 hours ago, MikeOH said:

Good idea, but those funds are otherwise spoken for

Viagra?

[Pinecone]

9 hours ago, MikeOH said:

Curious if one of these G5 Inogens provide enough O2 for both pilot and ONE passenger at, say, 16,000 feet?

Lot's pf info on them over on BT.  The consensus seems to be 14,000 for 2, 18,000 for single user.

[LANCECASPER]

I bought a used Inogen 3 in 2017 and have been pleased with it. 

[Will.iam]

From the guy that sells the 2 person canula for the inogen, said it’s 14,000ft for 2 because both people are sucking from the single port and the inogen is a breath demand not continuous flow of oxygen and thus if both people breathe at the same time you will get half of the oxygen or if one person breathes right behind the other person the inogen will not have had time to make another oxygen puff before that person breathes and they get no oxygen in that breath. Now the odds that you stay in that exact same rhythm is very low, at 14,000ft you have time to breathe a few breaths without oxgen supplement (FAA allows 30 mins at up to 14,000) before you get another breath that is ahead of the other person or far enough between to where the inogen does make an oxygen puff in time. The spec for inogen is something like 20 breaths per min which is breathing in every 3 seconds at that rate i would be hyperventilating and something is wrong if im breathing that fast so more that sufficient to keep a second person with oxygen even when they miss a shot of O2 when you average out over a minute. Now 3 people on one output port? Guess it depends how physically fit everyone is and how often they are taking breaths. Also would have to find a 3 way divider that evenly divided by 1/3 or someone will get less than the other 2 people. 

[Will.iam]

I just noticed the Aithre has 2 physical ports so each person has their own port. I would think it would allow the 2nd person to go higher but maybe the limitation is in the pump making of the O2 not the delivery system of the canula. Would be hysterical if you opened up their box to see a y fitting from the 2 ports on the outside going to a single port on the pump on the inside. 

[Max Clark]

I had a few people send me photos of the Aithre Turbo Oxygen Maker after EAA this year. I'm putting this on my list of things to investigate down the road instead of replacing my O2 bottle in the tail.

 

[1980Mooney]

33 minutes ago, Max Clark said:

I had a few people send me photos of the Aithre Turbo Oxygen Maker after EAA this year. I'm putting this on my list of things to investigate down the road instead of replacing my O2 bottle in the tail.

 

Their “no battery advantage” is just the opposite. If you lose power to the 14v plug in outlet circuit, then you also lose Oxygen. 
 

You have to carry a portable oxygen tank as backup. With an Inogen you can just toss in an extra battery.