I fly into and over the Sierras often and have felt the need for oxygen to remain a little safer. The two person system seems a reasonable compromise, but what are you guys using and how much do they cost?

I have a 2 place system in a pack that straps on the back of the passenger seat, from Precise Flight. They bought out the old Nelson system. I'd buy another, if I had to replace it--good quality in all respects. It came with both masks and oxymizer cannulas. It is a replacement, for one that was stolen from my hangar. I could have changed brands at the time, but I'd been very satisfied with the original Nelson I had, so there was no reason to change although PF had bought out Nelson. In fact, the PF backpack is better materials and works better than the original Nelson I had.

There are several suppliers, all with pretty complete websites. They're all fairly competitive in price, around $650, for a 22 cu.ft. 2 passenger version. 22 cu.ft. lasts me just about a year, with me as the primary occasional user. Harris Aviation at GXY charges $20 to refill it.

Cary

EZ FLap.... I'm gonna call on you for bail money... when they catch me carrying concealed in South Central LA some night !!!

Oxygen makes a 12,500 trip a lot more comfortable for pax and pilot for a few reasons:

* Helps keep headaches on longer XC's at bay. Some folks are susceptible, even me, on different days up high.
* Helps you stay warm on winter days. No kidding. I used to fly hang gliders at 17,999.99', and I would eventually pull out the tube and crack the tank open. Even at 16k', within 30 seconds, the earth would turn green again, and within 10 minutes I'd be toasty inside my harness. You can only imagine it had a large cognitive effect when your vision is so deeply affected.

If you are budget- conscious (and not faa-approved, of course), you can go get medical oxygen and some cannulas and a flow regulator for far less than an aviator setup. I did that for hang gliding and it worked well.

I use my system <5% of the hours I fly (high XC & IFR). If you get an Ipad, you'll be using it every day.

I purchased the Mountain High 4 place system. I've found that a design mix of O-2 and NO-2, 50/50 make it very enjoyable to fly over mountains, water, night or day IFR. Just kidding! about the mixed gas. I do find the oxygen system helpful at or above 10k. I think it makes me feel better after a few hours of x-country or at night....so that makes it worth it for me.

mix of O-2 and NO-2,

Repeat after me: "Oxygen for the pilot. Nitrous oxide for the ENGINE". The pilot thinks better and the engine gets more power. If you give BOTH to the pilot, he gets HIGHER than the airplane......

lc

I would think that a breathing condition would warrant bottled-oxygen use at a lower altitude than you might otherwise think. I have asthma & I've thought about getting an oxygen system just to use when I'm wheezing due to smoke, dust, or exertion.

hotrod150 wrote:I would think that a breathing condition would warrant bottled-oxygen use at a lower altitude than you might otherwise think. I have asthma & I've thought about getting an oxygen system just to use when I'm wheezing due to smoke, dust, or exertion.

I know what you mean about smoke. Over Mtn Home the other day at 8.8 it was thick enough to burn my eyes and throat. ATC said it topped at 10k but it was almost as bad when I got there. At 14 I was above it and only had to stay there about 20 minutes to get clear and descend. I few times in the past I've found myself briefly in near IMC due to smoke so it is really nice to be able to get above it or go around it when possible. Most of the time though, I've found it too widespread reasonably to go around.

Good for hang over recovery too.

OregonMaule wrote:Good for hang over recovery too.

Not that anyone HERE would ever need it for such a thing!

OregonMaule wrote:Good for hang over recovery too.

How would you know about that, Rob? Or should I say Mr. Patron?

I have a portable bottle. I only use it a few times a year but if you fly the mountains in winter its nice to be able to top the clouds at 15-17k. If u have a plane that can get that high in a reasonable time frame.

I took an old fellow for a ride in my plane a few years back, and when he passed away, his daughter gave me a Sky ox tank. It is a 22 Cu Ft tank. I had it tested and filled. IT had a regulator problem and I had that sent in an rebuilt. I had to buy a special hose and valve but now it is all ready to go. My wife has cancer of the bone marrow and gets out of breath easy. I think it is really going to help her next time we go and I have to go to 9500 or higher.

After I replaced the stolen set, I also bought a pulse-ox meter. I was surprised to learn that as I've grown older, I can't fly at as high of altitudes as I once did, without needing oxygen. When I was younger, I routinely flew to 12,000' without worrying about oxygen, and often I'd top a rock or two between 12,500 and 15,000' without oxygen, since that was legal if I could do it within 30 minutes. But now, my oxygen level goes below 90% if I go above 10,000', so that's where I start wearing the cannula. And I've learned that I have to adjust the control to about 2000' above the altitude that I'm flying, to maintain the 90% level. I've never smoked, and I have no pulmonary disease issues, just age. I think anyone who has any health issues would be wise to make the determination of whether to use oxygen while flying, with a pulse-ox meter. Mine is a relatively expensive one, but I saw one at Walgreen's the other day for less than $100.

Cary

I use a pulse ox too. Usually reads below 84 above 12,000'. It goes to 92 very quickly on O2, same as it is on the ground. The cheap ones may have problems, BTW. The $120 one I use is consistent with the ones at the doctors' offices, and the one cheapie I used for a while was off by 15 points on either side.

I saw in another thread where you were considering some bushwheels Blackrock. It makes sense to me that the drag associated with running larger tires, like the drag on the wing is significantly reduced at higher altitudes 14k-18k. It would therefore be possible to recover some of the cruise speed loss of the big tire drag by cruising at higher altitudes. This, of course, is only effective until your power output is reduced so drastically and you reach that point of diminishing returns. So, in my estimation, an oxygen system has the potential to expand your range, increase your true airspeed and enable you to take advantage of high altitude winds if they are favorable. It would not take much time capitalizing on the benefits of saved time and fuel to make up for a $750.00 investment. You must consider your mission, but I would classify an O2 system as extremely useful. Great, I've talked myself in to another equipment purchase.

I wouldn't go for a 25 cubic ft bottle! You will probably do just fine with a 9C Ft one! I have both a 20 and a 9. however I also fly at high altitudes, especially on longer flights all the time. Heck I had oxygen on when I came home from JC last year! (Wanted to get above the turbulence!) It is worth it, and if you get a medical subscription you can get the refills for real cheap. (I have a site that gives a free perscription with purchase -Ill look when I get home) Anyway if you fly high a lot then it can be worth it. If you don't, then go for the Ipad!

piperpainter wrote:if you get a medical subscription you can get the refills for real cheap.

Where do you get your bottles refilled? I got a scrip for O2, but can't find anyone who will refill my bottles. I may have to buy/lease a large cylinder and hookups from Praxair to do my own refilling, but I'd rather not have to go to that expense and hassle.

On the bottle size, I like the big one and I carry a small one as back up because it's hard to find refills when we're on long trips. I'm one of those at the left end of the bell curve on individual variation for altitude sensitivity. I bought a sat meter a few years ago. What an eye opener, literally.

Thanks for any help on the source.

CAVU

CAVU wrote:

piperpainter wrote:if you get a medical subscription you can get the refills for real cheap.

Where do you get your bottles refilled? I got a scrip for O2, but can't find anyone who will refill my bottles. I may have to buy/lease a large cylinder and hookups from Praxair to do my own refilling, but I'd rather not have to go to that expense and hassle.

On the bottle size, I like the big one and I carry a small one as back up because it's hard to find refills when we're on long trips. I'm one of those at the left end of the bell curve on individual variation for altitude sensitivity. I bought a sat meter a few years ago. What an eye opener, literally.

Thanks for any help on the source.

CAVU

Uhh... I haven't look for one since I got it! I just know if I find a medical refill place they should fill it for me!

I went on a wild goose chase a few months ago and came up empty. Please let us know if you can find someone. Thanks.

CAVU