Supplemental Oxygen changed our flying...

Nice video.

I'm about to receive an O2 concentrator. As of now I only have the Apple Watch "Blood O2" app to measure oxygen levels. Anyone here got an opinion as to how accurate the watch/app is?
 
I think it's a matter of magnitude. If you're using an O2 system and your Apple watch shows under 90, something is wrong - don't care if its 88 or 92. If the Apple watch shows 98, you can feel confident it's more than likely working.
 
Hypoxia will come at you quick and its good to have oxygen ready.

Even jumping this weekend, around 12k on the way to 14k I started to feel it in just the 10-15 minutes it takes us to get up from the ground.
 
Martin__ said:
Nice video.

I'm about to receive an O2 concentrator. As of now I only have the Apple Watch "Blood O2" app to measure oxygen levels. Anyone here got an opinion as to how accurate the watch/app is?
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My Apple watch series 6 won't read pulse ox in the airplane - too much vibration/movement apparently. Have you figured out a way to get it to work?
 
SnoFlyer said:
My Apple watch series 6 won't read pulse ox in the airplane - too much vibration/movement apparently.
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Same here. Apple Watch in the plane is fully unreliable as a pulseoximeter. When I use it stationary outside of a car/plane, It reads similar to the finger pulseoximeter, but it just doesn’t work when there’s any vibration or movement. Upside: the finger units are super cheap.
 
Although I am now 88 but high altitude never has bothered me. Last summer I hiked tooxy top.JPG 11,500 and ski the high Rockies all the time. However, I built my own system for those 23,000' flights. I used a medical regulator so cost was only a couple of hundred and up to 6 can use. I made an adaptor to fit the standard welding tanks so I can refill at any welding shop in an emergency.
 
@FlyingMonkey What was your wife’s o2 level when she wasn’t feeling well? My wife feels tired and usually has a headache after a few hours above 10,000 but I’ve never actually checked her o2 levels.
 
Just as a general practice, particularly as one ages, y’all should get a finger tip Oximeter and use it on yourself and passengers when above say 8,000’. It’s not a question of having trouble but it will allow you to build a baseline for the future.

Medically it seems that anything above 90% is good and below 90% is not good.

My measurements over the years along with occasional headaches, sleepiness, and dullness seem to correlate well with my O2 levels.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
 
Zeldman said:
That would be a bad idea for you and me.. since I live at 6500 feet....:lol::lol:
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Reminds me of the time a guy I worked with was going to fly us from DFW to Amarillo in his C177. I asked him what our enroute altitude was gonna be, and he replied "2,500' MSL."

I pointed out that would result in us flying into a rather difficult situation around Clarendon.
 
Just did a 2 hour X country at 9000 and wife and I used the new Skyox. I was a little skeptical, as I usually do 30min runs 4 times a week or so - not in bad cardio shape.

Amazing how much better I feel. Wife feels great as well, not the slightest motion sickness/discomfort that usually creeps in.

Never another X Country without it.
 
WDD said:
Just did a 2 hour X country at 9000 and wife and I used the new Skyox. I was a little skeptical, as I usually do 30min runs 4 times a week or so - not in bad cardio shape.

Amazing how much better I feel. Wife feels great as well, not the slightest motion sickness/discomfort that usually creeps in.

Never another X Country without it.
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Cool. What size tank do you use?
 
AlphaMike said:
@FlyingMonkey What was your wife’s o2 level when she wasn’t feeling well? My wife feels tired and usually has a headache after a few hours above 10,000 but I’ve never actually checked her o2 levels.
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ok, I'm about to be a total doosh unless somebody stops me.......................
 
asicer said:
Cool. What size tank do you use?
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A 20 cft welding O2 tank I got off of Amazon. Local welding shop has a tank exchange system - $20 to swap an empty for a full tank.

Will still play with the settings and see how much 02 we’re using.
 
I bought an oxygen generator. I haven't had chance to use it in the air, but on the ground it did nothing. I watched my saturation go up (it is always on the low side) but I noticed no change in how I felt. Most of our flying around here until the summer is day at 5k. When we start traveling again I'll be anxious to see how it works.
 
WDD said:
A 20 cft welding O2 tank I got off of Amazon. Local welding shop has a tank exchange system - $20 to swap an empty for a full tank.

Will still play with the settings and see how much 02 we’re using.
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You can by a Skyox (why do I keep thinking of flying cattle?) without the tank? Or did you simply buy the smallest/cheapest and swap out the tank with your larger one? I didn't see a tankless option on Sportys.
 
Boy, I have a hard time figuring out you all filthy rich aircraft owners. Am I the only one on here who conserves money while enjoying flying. As I have stated before, I own a bunch of aluminum 24 cu ft oxygen bottles.
I purchase them from estate sales ( Yes, dead folks don't need oxygen) I generally pay about $10.00 per bottle, then I take them to Airco, who hydrotest them, change the valve to aviation, and fill them for about $30.00.

I keep a 220 cu ft. cylinder in the hangar, when it gets down to about half I move it over to my welding area. I always carry two 24 cu ft.bottles on a trip, one for the way out and one for the way back. Then I top them up when I get home. It can't get any cheaper than that.

Life is a barrel of fun.

Ken
N1182J
 
I am planning a long trip out to AZ from IL next month. I would like to buy an oxygen system for when we get to the higher ground. As a flatlander, I see the need for the O2 to be pretty limited. I don't want to spend MH money for the very occasional need, and I would like get something pretty complete without a bunch of work involved. I think the Aerox will get the job done for less money, but their website is a bit cryptic. For those familiar with them, will I be set for my needs if I got a 4D or 4E system? I'm not sure how good the flowmeter or cannulas are that come with it. Would I want a better cannula (boom type)? Do I want the needle valve on the flowmeter? Can I just take the bottle to the FBO to get it filled as is? If anyone can point me to more detailed info, I'd appreciate it.
 
asicer said:
You can by a Skyox (why do I keep thinking of flying cattle?) without the tank? Or did you simply buy the smallest/cheapest and swap out the tank with your larger one? I didn't see a tankless option on Sportys.
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I bought the regulator (4 port) and two cannula systems from Sportys as separate items. The complete package is back ordered because of their tank shortage.
 
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Got to laugh sometimes. On way back, put the O2 tank in the back seat, lines running up to front seats. Tilted the back of front seat forward to continue loading tings in the rear seat, then when done tilted the back of seat back. So.... what happens when your O2 line gets pinched in the seat hinge as you tilt the seat back? :) (Easy enough to fix after I got home).

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