A new way to almost die in an airplane ...

A little odd.
CO2 is what triggers the reflex to breathe - one would have thought that the pilot would have found the atmosphere somewhat oppressive before actually passing out.

edit:
https://ethanolrfa.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Module-2-Handout-How-Inhaled-CO2-Affects-the-Body-–-Fact-Sheet.pdf

also https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/chemical/carbondioxide.htm
Exposure to CO2 can produce a variety of health effects. These may include headaches, dizziness, restlessness, a tingling or pins or needles feeling, difficulty breathing, sweating, tiredness, increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, coma, asphyxia, and convulsions.

The levels of CO2 in the air and potential health problems are:

  • 250 - 350 ppm: background (normal) outdoor air level.
  • 350 - 1,000 ppm: typical level found in occupied spaces with good air exchange.
  • 1,000 - 2,000 ppm: level associated with complaints of drowsiness and poor air.
  • 2,000 - 5,000 ppm: level associated with headaches, sleepiness, and stagnant, stale, stuffy air. Poor concentration, loss of attention, increased heart rate and slight nausea may also be present.
  • 5,000 ppm: this indicates unusual air conditions where high levels of other gases could also be present. Toxicity or oxygen deprivation could occur. This is the permissible exposure limit for daily workplace exposures.
  • 40,000 ppm: this level is immediately harmful due to oxygen deprivatio
 
Pilot did in retrospect apparently report feeling of shortness of breath, which is what hypercarbia would subjectively feel like - needing to breath more..
 
.....and I’m really surprised they can ship CO2 like that - and that this hasn’t happened before.
 
Wow, glad it turned out okay for the pilot. What is a sternal rub?
 
Tantalum said:
Wow, glad it turned out okay for the pilot. What is a sternal rub?
Click to expand...

"A sternum rub is the application of painful stimulas with the knuckles of closed fist to the center chest of a patient who is not alert and does not respond to verbal stimuli"
 
overdrive148 said:
painful stimulas
Click to expand...
thanks, seems a little aggressive though in this case, no? Why not pull him out of the airplane and place on the ground. Chances are he would have came to once he was removed from the carbon dioxide environment
 
If dry ice is confined and pressure not released it will result in a explosion due to pressure buildup. Not really sure how you would transport dry ice in a 206 without some sort of ventilation system. I worked in a factory that used dry ice pellets to keep sealants, rivets etc. frozen and some idiot would take a plastic 2-liter bottle and put a little dry ice in the bottle and cap it. A REALLY big boom would result. If management caught you doing trying this prank you would be fired.
 
Tantalum said:
thanks, seems a little aggressive though in this case, no? Why not pull him out of the airplane and place on the ground. Chances are he would have came to once he was removed from the carbon dioxide environment
Click to expand...

If the EMT knew it was CO2 then I suppose. But I suspect all they knew was pilot incapacitated and there are many things that can incapacitate that require immediate treatment.
 
Tantalum said:
thanks, seems a little aggressive though in this case, no? Why not pull him out of the airplane and place on the ground. Chances are he would have came to once he was removed from the carbon dioxide environment
Click to expand...
It’s amazing how noxious stimuli can arouse a somnolent/narcotized individual to more effective respirations, at least transiently. Never had anyone complain after full arousal - they don’t seem to remember. :D
 
Brad Smith said:
If dry ice is confined and pressure not released it will result in a explosion due to pressure buildup. Not really sure how you would transport dry ice in a 206 without some sort of ventilation system. I worked in a factory that used dry ice pellets to keep sealants, rivets etc. frozen and some idiot would take a plastic 2-liter bottle and put a little dry ice in the bottle and cap it. A REALLY big boom would result. If management caught you doing trying this prank you would be fired.
Click to expand...
It was a 208, turbine Caravan. But exactly zero airplanes are "sealed"; even pressurized ones (the Caravan is not) have outflow valves. No airplane can explode unless the pressure rises more quickly than it can dissipate; that's not happening with CO2 sublimation. I'd think that if he got into the air, he may have been OK. Or become a smoking hole.
 
wrbix said:
It’s amazing how noxious stimuli can arouse a somnolent/narcotized individual to more effective respirations, at least transiently. Never had anyone complain after full arousal - they don’t seem to remember. :D
Click to expand...

That’s what I was going to say.
 
wrbix said:
.....and I’m really surprised they can ship CO2 like that - and that this hasn’t happened before.
Click to expand...

It’s not shipping dry ice, but rather temperature sensitive stuff, mostly food and medical supplies (prescription drugs). Worked with a small shipping company years ago in the Midwest and one of the precautions when carrying these packages was to make certain the aft vents were clear and open.
 
Kenny Phillips said:
It was a 208, turbine Caravan. But exactly zero airplanes are "sealed"; even pressurized ones (the Caravan is not) have outflow valves. No airplane can explode unless the pressure rises more quickly than it can dissipate; that's not happening with CO2 sublimation. I'd think that if he got into the air, he may have been OK. Or become a smoking hole.
Click to expand...

I was not saying the plane would explode, just that dry ice needs to breathe, hence the loosely contained bags the dry ice was stored in. Completely sealed containers would build up a lot of pressure and cause issues. The story I related was just an example of the power of sealing up dry ice in a non-vented container.
 
wrbix said:
....or not, personal choice. Don’t believe everything you hear on TV. :)
Click to expand...

Brad Smith said:
dry ice needs to breathe, hence the loosely contained bags the dry ice was stored in. Completely sealed containers would build up a lot of pressure and cause issues.
Click to expand...
Racing sailboats, we used dry ice in taped shut Styrofoam coolers that would last for several days or more - if the stuff in the airplane was sublimating fast enough to raise the ambient CO2 levels enough to put the guy out it had to be pretty poorly packaged.
 
overdrive148 said:
"A sternum rub is the application of painful stimulas with the knuckles of closed fist to the center chest of a patient who is not alert and does not respond to verbal stimuli"
Click to expand...

When I was a little kid the big kids would do that to me if I hung around too much....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top