Flying on Oxygen - Talking to ATC

mulligan

mulligan

Cleared for Takeoff
Joined
Sep 27, 2015
Messages
1,289
Location
Birmingham, AL
Display Name
Display name:
Mulligan
My flights to date have been 2.5 hrs per leg and under so I have not really bothered getting above 12,000. As I am now looking at some longer flights and fuel economy, I am thinking of giving my on-board oxygen system a try. I have a great pulseox to monitor my levels so will play with that a little to make sure I have enough flow to keep me bright eyed and bushy tailed.

Do I have to move the mask every time I key the radio to talk to ATC or can they hear me through the mask? I have to see if the system I have has a nasal cannula option but I'm pretty sure they were masks. I wouldn't think my mic would even pick up my mic that far away from my mouth
 
They make masks with microphones built in but I just use the cannula (special one paired for the demand regulator I use).
 
Use a cannula...much more comfortable than a mask. Cheaper too.
 
Clark1961 said:
Use a cannula...much more comfortable than a mask. Cheaper too.
Click to expand...

This...mask would drive me bonkers. I thought I would hate the cannulas but found I actually prefer them and keeps my O2 levels right where I want them.

Much easier to eat your cookie while en route too!
 
...and cannula uses less oxygen. If you go that way, try it out before the flight to see how you'll wear it in relation to your headset.
 
I've been using masks exclusively for the past 16 years and haven't found them to be terribly inconvenient. My masks aren't mic'd so you have to move them to speak to ATC. Out west and up high that isn't very often.

I tried cannulas but they dried out my nostrils and gave me nosebleeds.
 
+1 on the cannula. My wife sat on the ground at home wearing a cannula just to get used to the feeling of it first
 
That's the trouble with oxygen. I just stick the tube in my mouth and take it out to talk to atc. I don't like anything up my nose I guess. I have allergies, so that may have something to do with it. No matter what you do its a bit of inconvenience.
 
I got a nosebleed within 5 minutes of trying a cannula. I guess I need to be more careful what to stick up my nose in the future..
 
Usually when I know I'll be sucking on oxygen for some reason, I'll lube up my nose with some coconut butter or some other kind of non flammable lube
 
James331 said:
You have a 206, it's a bush plane, she's ment to go through the mountain range, not over it!

Don't be talkin' like a SR22 or 182 driver ;)
Click to expand...

182 driver? Hell mine can't climb worth a damn up there either. It's much easier to go through than above. Maybe a T182T would go over, but not most. Heck Clark goes higher in the Frankenkota than I usually do! Ha.
 
Too many nose bleeds in here.

Rush rush to the yayo;):cool:
 
mtuomi said:
I got a nosebleed within 5 minutes of trying a cannula. I guess I need to be more careful what to stick up my nose in the future..
Click to expand...

For some (including me) cannulas are torture devices. I can handle it for maybe 10-15 minutes. That dry air does a number on my nostrils (snot and/or blood starts flowing eventually). The mask sucks too even the ones with the built in mics which are in my experience not as good. So you end up briefly removing the mask to talk to ATC. That gets annoying really quickly too.

For me either fly low where you don't need oxygen or get a pressurized plane.
 
denverpilot said:
182 driver? Hell mine can't climb worth a damn up there either. It's much easier to go through than above. Maybe a T182T would go over, but not most. Heck Clark goes higher in the Frankenkota than I usually do! Ha.
Click to expand...
What about a C210? I know a few people with them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top