Another slow depressurization?

[Squaretail]

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/world/un ... 140f&ei=48

From my experience more pilots who fly at high altitudes need better experience with hypoxia and its symptoms, and most don't realize how quick it can be.

[digits]

Hard to train for it though. Unless you experience it and survive, I don't think you'd be able to recognize it.

What would help enourmously is to lower the treshold of using the oxygen mask. Only using it once every year in a sim is not the same as putting it on during flight in a real airplane with all the noise and headset cords etc it entails. IMO you should put on the mask once ever month in the actual airplane, while flying. Perfect opporunity to test if it works in flight.

I've had a few depressurization warnings (very minor things at the time), but it's surprising how much mental resistance you have to actually take that mask in the plane, because you've never really done it in flight and it will make a mess and it's just awkward. Getting rid of that treshold by making mask usage routine would help in that regards.

But that won't help if you don't recognize pressurization issues of course.

[Squaretail]

Ugh, just read there was only one pilot.

I fly around on oxygen a lot, and been subjected to hypoxia a few times. Its really not fun, but if you know what some of your warning symptoms are I think its a big life saver, and everyone has different ones that stand out. I do wish there were more practical ways to experience it.

[David MacRay]

Canada Forces used to let pilots go to Namao and take a course that included a session in their hypobaric chamber. They would depressurize it to simulate 18,000 feet. Then they had you draw pictures or something and look for symptoms.

It was rapid depressurization.

A few of us had no noticeable symptoms.

I struggled to draw a house until I finally went on oxygen a bit too late. One of the observers said he couldn’t believe I didn’t pass out. Then I hung out for a while breathing supplemental oxygen until they were certain I didn’t have the bends. Good times.

I’m older and less active now, I bet I would pass out.

You can buy a chamber off these guys. https://www.amst.co.at/aerospace-medici ... n-chamber/

[Nark]

There’s a chamber at the base I learned to fly choppers. Since we don’t fly pressurized aircraft, it’s not part of the curriculum. You could go through the course if you’d like, but the issue became we are prohibited from flying 48 or 72 hours after a visit.
It never jived with my schedule.

I’ll be down there on a course later. Perhaps I’ll sign up for a go.

[Colonel]

Back in the day, it was pretty common to do a ride in a hypobaric chamber, to get your high altitude (24k) endorsement.

See FAR 61.31(g)

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/c ... p-61.31(g)

(cough cough) Payne Stewart. Helios 522 (cough)

"There will be no new causes of aviation accidents in 2023"

[TwinOtterFan]

Canada Forces used to let pilots go to Namao and take a course that included a session in their hypobaric chamber. They would depressurize it to simulate 18,000 feet. Then they had you draw pictures or something and look for symptoms.

Not sure they have one anymore, its all rotary here now. I have seen that test though, even the easiest of math questions becomes almost impossible.

[Scudrunner]

Nearest one to Alberta I have heard of is Washington State McCord AFB

[Colonel]

Update: windows were not iced over.

Pilot was slumped over. We are not allowed to ask why.

I might humbly suggest that the wisdom of single-pilot ops in a post-COVID world be reviewed.

Even GA should consider two pilots, if pax are carried. This is the "new normal":

https://www.fox21online.com/content/upl ... REPORT.pdf

[Squaretail]

For that to be the theory though Colonel, you have to believe that the two adults with cel phones in the back didn't notice that he was slumped over, until perhaps the airplane was already headed to the ground, and didn't make some attempt to call for help.

I do lots of flying unpressurized into the flight levels. I learned a while ago that you can very quickly at altitudes where you need O2, and stuff is busy in the cockpit flying SPIFR. It always seems that if you plan to don the mask in the climb, ATC is going to take that opportunity to bug you, so I've gotten in the habit of putting the mask on from the get go. Its uncomfortable, but not as uncomfortable as that sudden headache and gasping for air. So I can see how this kind of thing happens. One mistake can go sideways quickly. SPIFR is a lot of workload on the pilot, and its easy to miss critical things like O2 settings, or pressurization issues, until you're in a trouble spot.

That said, if you got the money for Jets and nannys, surely you got the money for a second pilot if you got the cash to ferry your family around. Pilots are cheap.