Pilot with Hypoxia and ATC Audio

rframe said:
This got me thinking, what are the publicly-accessible options for hypoxia altitude chamber training?

I know the FAA has one in Oklahoma that pilots can go use, but are there others around the country that have regular open training opportunities?
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I believe UND will open theirs up if you have the $$
 
Honestly, I'm REALLY surprised (and a little disturbed) that no one told this guy to put his oxygen mask on, ESPECIALLY after they suspect hypoxia. Jesus, help the freaking guy out. By the end it sounds like he did indeed get control of the pressurization and got his senses back.

But guys, come on, help each other out.

In the C-130 we always confirm cabin pressure when passing 10K feet, is this standard procedure for most companies?
 
Well even the crude Lear pressurization systems are pretty good at letting you know if the cabin is too high. That is what is so surprising. You can clearly hear the cabin alt alert going off.The second they heard that they should have thrown the masks on. My guess is they forgot to check and turn on the emergency oxygen in the nose.
 
Inverted said:
Well even the crude Lear pressurization systems are pretty good at letting you know if the cabin is too high. That is what is so surprising. You can clearly hear the cabin alt alert going off.The second they heard that they should have thrown the masks on. My guess is they forgot to check and turn on the emergency oxygen in the nose.
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Didn't sound like he was breathing through the hose, though.
 
Agreed. That horn should go off around 10k depending on the system. To get as bad as they did, they had to be well above that in cab alt.
 
rframe said:
This got me thinking, what are the publicly-accessible options for hypoxia altitude chamber training?

I know the FAA has one in Oklahoma that pilots can go use, but are there others around the country that have regular open training opportunities?
Click to expand...
There's also one on the East coast of Florida (Melbourne, Daytona, or Vero, maybe?)
 
I met one of the guys in YIP and apparently the flight control issue was from the FO basically convulsing after going hypoxic. He kept hitting the flight controls/disengaging the AP. Truly amazing that everything turned out A-OK!
 
rframe said:
This got me thinking, what are the publicly-accessible options for hypoxia altitude chamber training?

I know the FAA has one in Oklahoma that pilots can go use, but are there others around the country that have regular open training opportunities?
Click to expand...
Can go to the OKC, or the one in ASU (PHX) for like $100. I did the one at ASU and it was pretty cool.
 
We always check cabin pressure passing 10K MSL......and since my hypoxia incident a while back, I regularly scan the cabin press gauge. There is an alarm that will go off for us when cabin pressure gets really really low (as in DCS risk land), but generally, it is very insidious with no built in warning. When I got it for reals, it was the result of switching ECS to a manual mode (checklist item for the unrelated problem I had been having), and basically the ECS is real touchy and loves to surge in that setting. Had the pressure dump from 8k (normal) to 27k in seconds, and cycle several times in that manner. Started losing depth perception, and motor skills, and didn't even have the good sense to pull the emergency O2. I was pretty wrapped up in rapidly descending, while still clinging to the idea that I could fix the problem and continue with the flight. It really took a number of minutes (after getting below 10K) until I realized what had happened. It is not only a scary phenomenon, but one that also robs you of the good sense that is required to survive. We have lost dozens of guys to similar circumstances in my community, so I consider myself lucky, and hopefully more prepared to deal with it next time. At that point in my career, I had done either the decompression chamber, or the ROBT at least 3-4 times. It really made no difference, aside from an after the fact feeling that I had seen that before. You are just too spaced out in the moment to really think clearly enough to say to yourself "hey, I am hypoxic" most of the time. Just my .02
 
rframe said:
This got me thinking, what are the publicly-accessible options for hypoxia altitude chamber training?

I know the FAA has one in Oklahoma that pilots can go use, but are there others around the country that have regular open training opportunities?
Click to expand...
I forgot where I went (was back in college) but I was put into an altitude chamber on an Air Force Base and they brought us up to 35K and told us to take our oxygen masks off. You loose useful thinking processes in about 15-20 seconds and they give you a list of first grade questions. 1+3, what color is the sky, what sound does a dog make, ect. I think I answered taco for every one. It really opens a persons eyes
 
KSCessnaDriver said:
Riddle has a normal-baric chamber. Not sure if it's open to the public.
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There is one that is open to the public for a price (not that much if I remember correctly). It may not be in Daytona though. I do know it was on the coast over there somewhere. (Possibly at FIT?)
 
Sounds like a teenager the first time he got hammered with his friends, quite a scary thought!
 
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