lml@lancaironline.net Mailing List Archive

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> << Lancair Builders' Mail List >> <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> At least David Jones read my story about CO poisoning and my current use of several AIM detectors. I am most surprised that Jim Franz (Mr. AOA) would be using the least effective detector that is only good for several months at best. I am also surprised that doctors only consider the the affects of CO leading to death, not the insidious characteristics of low level CO poisoning.... CO affinity for hemoglobin is most dangerous because of its long half-life of several hours. Thats right, half-life, not total elimination from your system. Repeated exposure to low levels of CO are somewhat cumulative. CO is also insidious because a digital oximeter is faked out since it uses the redness of blood to indicate oxygen content. CO makes your blood quite red. Anyway, I have included a letter I sent to AVWEB a year ago and reprinted to this web site in late December 99 (I think this is what Dave read and acted on). Also, this was printed in LNN last year. <<< November 30, 1999 A week ago I purchased 3 AIM carbon monoxide detectors after reading the subject article (http://www.avweb.com/articles/codetect.html). One of the detectors would be carried in my flight bag to be used in flight (Skymaster or Lancair 320) as a replacement for one of those simple round ones with no digital display which was a replacement for my 1992 "Dead Stop" detector. Yesterday I took the AIM out to my heated hangar where it immediately read 50 ppm. Because of this I left it there overnight. This morning, when I arrived at the hangar, I was greeted by the beeping AIM unit and a push of the hush/reset button revealed that several hours before, the unit had registered a level of 120 ppm of CO. A level which would decrease the oxygen carrying ability of my blood by 10% in less than 90 minutes of exposure. I work every day in the hangar (experimental aircraft are never finished and my latest one is a Quad-Cities Challenger II) and have often gone home feeling less than 100%. Furthermore, I frequently fly later in the day and start out oxygen-impaired before I even leave the ground. Since the half-life of CO is so long, I am sure that a few days of intensive work in the hangar results in a cumulative CO poisoning effect. Up to now, the weather has been fairly mild and the heater does not run quite as frequently as it would when it is colder, probably resulting in a higher concentration of CO in the hangar. What does all this mean to me? It means my health and safety were at risk until I acted on your article that described the best available detector with a method to indicate a low level CO threat. I have called a heating contractor to fix my heater. Finally, tonight I ordered 2 more AIM detectors for others in my family. I will make sure that these detectors will be used in places where we spend a great deal of time. BTW, the "First Alert" detector I hadat the hanger never warned me.....I suppose that, if the concentration would have been high enough, it would have sounded an alarm just before I died..... Staying on fresh air, Scott Krueger N92EX LML website: http://www.olsusa.com/Users/Mkaye/maillist.html Builders' Bookstore: http://www.buildersbooks.com/lancair Please send your photos and drawings to marvkaye@olsusa.com.