OT ?

The Visitor wrote:
I wouldn't want an abnormally low outside air
pressure allow an exxcess of fluid to exit.

Before someone gets the wrong idea and runs with it.. this is NOT a
factor in a chronic patient.. and shows a misunderstanding of the
physicis involved. As long as free air does not develop in the circuit
(such as gas bubble formation from decompression sickness), this does
not happen.

Jose wrote:
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!).

Good point. My question was a generalization, by mistake.

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 Appalachain 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.

I have mentioned that concern to them. The entire trip is broken into
three segments.

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

I have been told, that, pressurized aircraft will not be used but, I
will look into that again.

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

As for the website, it could not give info on the airport for the final
destination. When I told AFC which airport would be closest to my
mother's house, it turned out, the closest one is, the only one they
would fly into. It is less than 5mi. from her house.

Christopher

Vaughn Simon wrote:

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

Regardless of whether, a respective pilot was qualified, we still plan
to talk with the doctor.

Christopher

john smith wrote:

In article ,
Jose wrote:


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


Hmmm! :-))

Is there a concern, I am missing?

Christopher

BTIZ wrote:

"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

Oh, ok.

Christopher

Dan Luke wrote:

"Jose" wrote:


you will need to cross the Appelatian Mountains,


Named for their many names, of course.

I forgot about the numerous names. Thankyou for the reminder.

Christopher

Dan Luke wrote:

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.

You are right. It does 'depend'. I would hope, a flight can be planned
below 10,000ft.

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.

Since you are an AF pilot, is the flight back contingent on time
constraints i.e. has to happen within a week of the original flight

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.)

Obstacles(in this case, mountains) are a given.

We have still not heard from the neurologist at Johns Hopkins. We hope
to hear from him by Friday.

I am thinking, the single-engine Cessnas' unless, you know of AF using
some other types of Cessnas'?

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

Thankyou for your unreserved, unrelenting compassion and understanding
in this situation.

Christopher

Montblack wrote:

Planes, Trains and Automobiles an option?

Only with John Candy

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

The only way to get to St. Paul is by bus. I am not crazy enough to get
a drivers license(I get around faster on my bike
(http://specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=17033). This is a 2007
model. I have a 2003 model. The people around here, drive like snails.

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(?).

The thing about Amtrak is the probable restriction on the return trip,
as time amount of time before, return trip takes place.

Is your fiancee able to travel without too much discomfort?

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

Presently, She is starting to have episodes while standing up, causes
her to get dizzy. This is indirectly caused by the 'over-drainage' of
her shunt.

Christopher

Dave S wrote:

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.

Well, The problem is not 'air' in the shunt but, the fact, that, it is
over-draining. This is slightly analgous to a toilet bowl and, when it
gets flushed, no water being left in the bowl. In other words, her
shunt is draining faster than, the production of CSF(Cerebro-Spinal
Fluid) within the cranial cavity.

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.

While my fiance's shunt was placed in Feb.'04, she has had the headache
problem, going on 9mos. now.

I've developed headaches on long cross country flights at 10-11,000
feet.. and I don't even have a shunt. Hypoxia in and of itself can do
that to a healthy person.

I am aware of Hypoxia. That is why, I am hoping that, the flight plan
doesn't have, climbing to cruising altitude of 10,000ft. in it.

To answer your question, for a flight in the area of the country you are
specifying, expect altitudes no higher than 8,000 ft.. 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.

Presuming that, the planes are not pressurized(I am picky about having
to fly CRJ series of commercial planes which are built in Toronto. I
don't trust them since, there is no regulations about inspections prior
to their sale to U.S. airlines. The french Airbus planes are more
trustworthy, in addition that, I get sick on the CRJ's), I would hope
that, apart from any obstacles 5,000+ft. that, they don't have to fly
above that.

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
it's been communicated properly)

Dave

Presuming it may not have been communicated properly, would it be
prudent of me to double-check it with the pilot or, would that be,
excessively picky?

Christopher

The Visitor wrote:

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 excess of fluid to exit.

That is where, I am going to gauge it from what the GP says(who is a
klunkhead anyway) and, once we hear that, then, tell AF.

Christopher