Hi Stuart,

 

I’ve used welder’s oxygen in the past also.  It does cost about $10.00 a fill vs. aviation oxygen @ $80.00 for my last fill.  But, don’t do it, welder’s oxygen contains too much water, and other impurities.  It will freeze at high altitudes, more importantly it can corrode the regulator and gauge and will void any warranty.

 

Pulse oximetry is a nice cross check at high altitudes but should not be relied upon for various reasons, a prime one being that a little hyperventilation will artificially raise the oxygen saturation curve, giving a false sense of security. 

 

Bob Mitchell

L-320

Senior AME

 

 

I use a Standard welding Oxygen bottle which can be exchanged anywhere in the US for less than $10 and a nose cannula in a  O-360.  Don’t necessarily try this yourself.   I’ve taken AF high altitude training twice at Wright Patterson and know well my personal limits.  At 22,000, for just under 1 hour over the Rockies heading east with a 80 knot tailwind wearing a pulse oxcimeter on my finger I was above the nasty turbulence and bad WX singing my semi-hypoxic rendition of Stormy Weather and getting a suntan in smooth air.  O2 stats never dropped below 90%.  I saw fuel economy rates as high as 47 MPG!

Lancairs are amazing airplanes….