OT ?

I am grasping at straws about, the information I need know. I have been
looking on the Internet, regarding the the ceiling level of the flying
altitude of a Cessna.

I am needing to know the information because, my fiance n' I may have to
utilitize 'Angel Flight' for, her to get to Baltimore from our home in
Duluth(Minnesota). Angel Flight, is a non-profit flight service that
utilizes the personal Cessna planes of individual pilots.

She has a 'shunt'(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain_shunt) as a result
of a condition called Hydrocephalus. Because of this, we are concerned
about cabin pressure. I know that Cessnas' are not pressurized and, the
ceiling level could cause her to have a bad headache.

While she has never flown in one(with a shunt), I have(I have
Hydrocephalus too, knock on wood). When I was 9yrs.-old(1976), I flew
from LAX(Los Angeles International Airport), to the airport in the Grand
Canyon, in a Cessna-style aircraft.

Thankyou for your time.

Christopher

I have been looking on the Internet, regarding the the ceiling level of the flying altitude of a Cessna.

Cessna makes many aircraft, from trainers to jets. They have different
ceilings. Most can go above 10,000 feet (although some may take a while
to get there!).

I know that Cessnas' are not pressurized and, the ceiling level could cause her to have a bad headache.

Some are, actually. Voice your concern to angel flight, and to the
pilot. If there are no mountains to get over, and the weather is good,
then the flight can be made at a low altitude. In your case, you will
need to cross the Appelatian Mountains, which can get up to several
thousand feet, but there are (longer) routes that can take you around
them if necessary. The northerly route looks promising and can be done
below four thousand feet. Airplanes don't have to be operated at their
service ceiling.

Pressurized aircraft are often pressurized to about an 8000 foot equivalent.

Take a look at
http://www.runwayfinder.com/
and put the airport codes for the airports you wish to use, separated by
commas, and hit RETURN. You can plot a route that zig zags by listing
more than two airports, separated by commas. Once that's done, you can
even switch to other google views (the site is powered by google maps).

Jose
--
"Never trust anything that can think for itself, if you can't see where
it keeps its brain." (chapter 10 of book 3 - Harry Potter).
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

"Christopher Range" wrote:

I am grasping at straws about, the information I need know. I have been
looking on the Internet, regarding the the ceiling level of the flying
altitude of a Cessna.

Unfortunately, the answer is "it depends."

An unpressurized Cessna (or similar Piper, Mooney, Beechcraft, etc.) with a
turbocharged engine can fly above 20,000 feet. My unpressurized Cessna with
a normally aspirated engine can fly above 15,000 feet, though I've never
done it. But these airplanes can and do fly cross country at much lower
altitudes.

I am needing to know the information because, my fiance n' I may have to
utilitize 'Angel Flight' for, her to get to Baltimore from our home in
Duluth(Minnesota). Angel Flight, is a non-profit flight service that
utilizes the personal Cessna planes of individual pilots.

I'm an A F pilot myself. It's a very rewarding part of my flying. You will
probably fly in more types than Cessnas on your way there and back.

She has a 'shunt'(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain_shunt) as a result of
a condition called Hydrocephalus. Because of this, we are concerned about
cabin pressure. I know that Cessnas' are not pressurized and, the ceiling
level could cause her to have a bad headache.

Yes, so ask Angel Flight to help arrange for your pilots to flight plan for
lower altitudes and very gradual climbs and descents.
There are some mountains between Duluth and Baltimore that must be planned
around, too. What does her doctor say about it?

(I assume you are referring to light, piston-engined Cessnas. There are
Cessna jets and pressurized propeller Cessnas, too.)


Thank you for your time.

You are welcome. Ask all the questions you want, and please keep us posted
on how it goes.

--
Dan
C172RG at BFM

"Jose" wrote in message
m...
I have been looking on the Internet, regarding the the ceiling level of the
flying altitude of a Cessna.

I know that Cessnas' are not pressurized and, the ceiling level could cause
her to have a bad headache.

Some are, actually. Voice your concern to angel flight, and to the pilot.

But first of course, talk to your doctor; since it is unlikely that your
pilot will be qualified to make medical decisions.

Vaughn

In article ,
Jose wrote:

In your case, you will need to cross the Appelatian Mountains,

Hmmm! :-))

"Jose" wrote:

you will need to cross the Appelatian Mountains,

Named for their many names, of course.

("Christopher Range" wrote)
I am needing to know the information because, my fiance n' I may have to
utilitize 'Angel Flight' for, her to get to Baltimore from our home in
Duluth(Minnesota). Angel Flight, is a non-profit flight service that
utilizes the personal Cessna planes of individual pilots.


Planes, Trains and Automobiles an option?

2.5 hours from Duluth to the Amtrak Station in St Paul - via minivan(?).

8.0 hours from (Amtrak)MSP to Union Station in Chicago (9am - 4pm) - nice
trip.
Relaxing.

4.5 hours (approx) @ 540 nautical miles from Chicago to Baltimore, by air -
via Angel Flight(?).

Is your fiancee able to travel without too much discomfort?


Montblack
BTW, Duluth (DLH) to Baltimore (BWI) is 820 nautical miles.

"john smith" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Jose wrote:

In your case, you will need to cross the Appelatian Mountains,

Hmmm! :-))

those are not mountains.. those are just short hills..

BT

I am trying to think what would cause a problem with altitude and a VP
shunt.. and unless there is air in the shunt... which is HIGHLY
IRREGULAR in a chronic VP shunt then this shouldnt be an issue. Absent
of free air, altitude shouldnt be a major problem.

Air being present can expand at altitude and if inside the skull can
cause all sorts of problems.. Something like this was experienced by my
colleagues on an aeromedical crew with a neurosurgery patient, but it
was a freshly placed shunt, and air underneath a craniotomy flap had not
absorbed yet.

I've developed headaches on long cross country flights at 10-11,000
feet.. and I dont even have a shunt. Hypoxia in and of itself can do
that to a healthy person.

To answer your question, for a flight in the area of the country you are
specifying, expect altitudes no higher than 8,000 feet.. Prevailing
winds are from the west.. so the higher you go, the more headwind you
have to fly against heading the MI from the east coast. Cabin altitudes
in pressurized planes are in the 8-10k ft range.

On a practical basis, the angel flight guys are used to flying folks who
may need oxygen routinely and know that altitude compounds the problem,
so they are accustomed to not pushing it up as high as they may without
a patient/rider. Any special requests can be communicated by the
coordinator to the Angel Flight pilots.. such as limiting max altitude..
for whatever reason. The pilot is made aware of the request when he
accepts the flight (as in, he accepts the flight knowing the request if
its been communicated properly)

Dave



Christopher Range wrote:
I am grasping at straws about, the information I need know. I have been
looking on the Internet, regarding the the ceiling level of the flying
altitude of a Cessna.

I am needing to know the information because, my fiance n' I may have to
utilitize 'Angel Flight' for, her to get to Baltimore from our home in
Duluth(Minnesota). Angel Flight, is a non-profit flight service that
utilizes the personal Cessna planes of individual pilots.

She has a 'shunt'(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain_shunt) as a result
of a condition called Hydrocephalus. Because of this, we are concerned
about cabin pressure. I know that Cessnas' are not pressurized and, the
ceiling level could cause her to have a bad headache.

While she has never flown in one(with a shunt), I have(I have
Hydrocephalus too, knock on wood). When I was 9yrs.-old(1976), I flew
from LAX(Los Angeles International Airport), to the airport in the Grand
Canyon, in a Cessna-style aircraft.

Thankyou for your time.

Christopher

Ask AF what the cabin pressure for the flight is expected to be and then
go ask her doctor. I wouldn't want an abnormally low outside air
pressure allow an exxcess of fluid to exit.

Christopher Range wrote:
I am grasping at straws about, the information I need know. I have been
looking on the Internet, regarding the the ceiling level of the flying
altitude of a Cessna.

I am needing to know the information because, my fiance n' I may have to
utilitize 'Angel Flight' for, her to get to Baltimore from our home in
Duluth(Minnesota). Angel Flight, is a non-profit flight service that
utilizes the personal Cessna planes of individual pilots.

She has a 'shunt'(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain_shunt) as a result
of a condition called Hydrocephalus. Because of this, we are concerned
about cabin pressure. I know that Cessnas' are not pressurized and, the
ceiling level could cause her to have a bad headache.

While she has never flown in one(with a shunt), I have(I have
Hydrocephalus too, knock on wood). When I was 9yrs.-old(1976), I flew
from LAX(Los Angeles International Airport), to the airport in the Grand
Canyon, in a Cessna-style aircraft.

Thankyou for your time.

Christopher