o2 drug of choice??

[houstondan]

followed a thread here into pretty good info about leaky exhausts:
detectors of and the need for same. and, if the detector goes off i
should then....?

also, i've read here about how cool it is to hit the o-bottle at night
and watch the lights get bright.

also, today i was doing my 5th heavy crosswind citabria landing and
dance-of-1-wheel (did one where it was a one wheel landing then 1
wheel all the way down(1500 - 2000 ft.) to takeoff except for one drop
where i thought she wanted it down. shortly thereafter performance
nosedived as i got tired. i think that if i had o2 handy i would have
taken a hit or 2.

whats the deal with o2. it doesn't really seem all that expensive and
it seems like it should be the pilots drug of choice. wrong(again)?

dan

[Mike Rapoport]

It isn't going to help much if you are at sea level already, which I am
inferring from your name.

Mike
MU-2

"houstondan" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> followed a thread here into pretty good info about leaky exhausts:
> detectors of and the need for same. and, if the detector goes off i
> should then....?
>
> also, i've read here about how cool it is to hit the o-bottle at night
> and watch the lights get bright.
>
> also, today i was doing my 5th heavy crosswind citabria landing and
> dance-of-1-wheel (did one where it was a one wheel landing then 1
> wheel all the way down(1500 - 2000 ft.) to takeoff except for one drop
> where i thought she wanted it down. shortly thereafter performance
> nosedived as i got tired. i think that if i had o2 handy i would have
> taken a hit or 2.
>
> whats the deal with o2. it doesn't really seem all that expensive and
> it seems like it should be the pilots drug of choice. wrong(again)?
>
> dan
>

[[email protected]]

houstondan wrote:
> whats the deal with o2. it doesn't really seem all that expensive and
> it seems like it should be the pilots drug of choice. wrong(again)?

The hemoglobin in a healthy person at low altitude is approximately 98%
oxygenated. Hitting on pure oxygen in Houston doesn't stand to gain
you very much. :-)

-Dave Russell
8KCAB / N2S-3

[Mike W.]

> detectors of and the need for same. and, if the detector goes off i
> should then....?

open the windows, close the cabin vent and shut off cabin heat so that no
air from the engine area gets routed into the cabin. get it on the ground
asap.
>
> whats the deal with o2. it doesn't really seem all that expensive and
> it seems like it should be the pilots drug of choice. wrong(again)?

the O2 itself isn't expensive, but a small bare-bones o2 bottle with
regulator and cannula will run about $500. which is worth it if you need and
use it frequently, but kind of a luxury item if you don't, just be aware of
situations where hypoxia is possible and avoid them.
>

[Dale]

In article >,
"Mike W." > wrote:

> > detectors of and the need for same. and, if the detector goes off i
> > should then....?
>
> open the windows, close the cabin vent and shut off cabin heat so that no
> air from the engine area gets routed into the cabin. get it on the ground
> asap.
> >
> > whats the deal with o2. it doesn't really seem all that expensive and
> > it seems like it should be the pilots drug of choice. wrong(again)?
>
> the O2 itself isn't expensive, but a small bare-bones o2 bottle with
> regulator and cannula will run about $500. which is worth it if you need and
> use it frequently, but kind of a luxury item if you don't, just be aware of
> situations where hypoxia is possible and avoid them.


I had this happen just out of Haines Junction enroute to Northway, AK.
Engine backfired on startup, didn't think anything of it, took off and
started noticing exhaust smell. Opened the side window and vent, stuck
my nose up next to the vent and boogied ahead to Burwash landing...10-15
minutes or less. OAT was about 40F, all I was wearing was a nomex
flight suit...was rather "brisk". <G>

Landed Burwash, disconnected the heater scat-tube, put on a T-shirt
under the nomex and continued to ANC...was a long cold flight.

--
Dale L. Falk

There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing
as simply messing around with airplanes.

http://home.gci.net/~sncdfalk/flying.html

[Dave S]

Mike W. wrote:
>>detectors of and the need for same. and, if the detector goes off i
>>should then....?
>
>
> open the windows, close the cabin vent and shut off cabin heat so that no
> air from the engine area gets routed into the cabin. get it on the ground
> asap.
>

As additional info, I want to add that Carbon Monoxide has a MUCH
greater affinity for human hemoglobin than oxygen... so in the presence
of ONGOING CO poisoning, adding supplemental oxygen isn't as effective
as REMOVING the source of CO production.

So.. getting out of the contaminated environment is key.. (fixing the
leak, etc)

Dave

[houstondan]

thanks y'all. your responses are appreciated. a lot!

i remember during the checkride we got into a discussion of hypoxia and
i allowed as how, being sealevel saturated (yes, i'm in houston and no,
it's not sea level. one lorance gps says my altitude is about 50 ft and
the other one says 100or so. is there a reason these things are not
ifr-certified?)

i'm working myself around to buy a plane and i expect i'll probably
hide a bottle somewhere just in case.

in talking about exhaust leaks, izzit true you can have it where it's
coming in the window??


thx

dan

[Mike W.]

> in talking about exhaust leaks, izzit true you can have it where it's
> coming in the window??
>
depends on the design of the exhaust and where the leak is. most cases where
exhaust/CO gets into the cabin is from there being a leak between the
muffler and the shroud, the gases get mixed with the warm air and get vented
into the cabin.

[Mike Rapoport]

Great photos on you site! I am looking forward to spending some time in AK
in my Helio this summer!

Mike
MU-2


"Dale" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> "Mike W." > wrote:
>
>> > detectors of and the need for same. and, if the detector goes off i
>> > should then....?
>>
>> open the windows, close the cabin vent and shut off cabin heat so that no
>> air from the engine area gets routed into the cabin. get it on the ground
>> asap.
>> >
>> > whats the deal with o2. it doesn't really seem all that expensive and
>> > it seems like it should be the pilots drug of choice. wrong(again)?
>>
>> the O2 itself isn't expensive, but a small bare-bones o2 bottle with
>> regulator and cannula will run about $500. which is worth it if you need
>> and
>> use it frequently, but kind of a luxury item if you don't, just be aware
>> of
>> situations where hypoxia is possible and avoid them.
>
>
> I had this happen just out of Haines Junction enroute to Northway, AK.
> Engine backfired on startup, didn't think anything of it, took off and
> started noticing exhaust smell. Opened the side window and vent, stuck
> my nose up next to the vent and boogied ahead to Burwash landing...10-15
> minutes or less. OAT was about 40F, all I was wearing was a nomex
> flight suit...was rather "brisk". <G>
>
> Landed Burwash, disconnected the heater scat-tube, put on a T-shirt
> under the nomex and continued to ANC...was a long cold flight.
>
> --
> Dale L. Falk
>
> There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing
> as simply messing around with airplanes.
>
> http://home.gci.net/~sncdfalk/flying.html

[Colin W Kingsbury]

"houstondan" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> whats the deal with o2. it doesn't really seem all that expensive and
> it seems like it should be the pilots drug of choice. wrong(again)?
>

An old friend of mine who was a corporate pilot swore by O2 as a hangover
cure. He said anytime he'd have to fly the day after a bad night he'd show
up a little early, preflight, then sit there with his mask on and marinate
for a while.

-cwk.

[George Patterson]

Colin W Kingsbury wrote:
>
> An old friend of mine who was a corporate pilot swore by O2 as a hangover
> cure. He said anytime he'd have to fly the day after a bad night he'd show
> up a little early, preflight, then sit there with his mask on and marinate
> for a while.

The groundcrew personnel in both the RAF and Luftwaffe during WWII said they
could tell which pilots had tied one on the night before by the amount of oxygen
consumed on the first flight of the day.

George Patterson
He who would distinguish what is true from what is false must have an
adequate understanding of truth and falsehood.