Brian said, "I think you have a lot of guts flying at the lower altitudes. When I am over 10,000' I can almost always glide to an airport or choose between several. At 3,500' you are looking for the best looking road and hoping there are not power lines you can't see."
Amen. Even more important if flying at night. Making a list of advantages vs disadvantages of flying high or low on distance flying, I can't think of a single thing to put on the "low" list, especially in a single. Having an in-flight fire would certainly be a disadvantage if up high but we can't base our flying decisions on extremely unlikely events. Might as well drive. To keep from getting headaches I put in oxygen and to keep from getting cold I put in cabin heat. Oxygen also helps with clarity of thought after a long day's travels up high, also with vision at night. My O2 system cost me about $100 buying on eBay. I used an aluminum medical "E" cylinder (24 cu. ft.) which I get filled at a local dive shop for usually under $20. It weighs 8 lbs and fits alongside the fuselage behind the seat. The regulator is a pulse demand type, also medical, which only releases oxygen on the inhale. I got it brand new for about $35. http://www.devilbisshealthcare.com/products/oxygen-therapy/portable-oxyge n/pulsedose The "pulse dose" is adjustable with a dial. Most conventional aviation regulators are constant flow which wastes 2/3rds (or more) of the oxygen. Really dumb. From the regulator comes a cannula which, as with my Halo headset, is so light and unobtrusive I don't know I it on. Sometimes I only notice the cannula and the Halos is when trying to exit the cockpit and realize I've got things attached to my head. Breathing oxygen makes a world of difference in my enjoyment of travelling in the KR. My last trip to the Gathering was using the O2 all the way there and back. I still had O2 remaining in the bottle upon my return. For any flying outside my local area, putting on the cannula has become as routine as wearing my headset. For those who prefer flying low to avoid headaches, putting oxygen in needn't be an expensive proposition. For those not near dive shops, a friendly welding shop might fill your bottle, as will medical supply shops. You can get a prescription if necessary from your AME to make the medical supply place happy but they are a last resort because of their pricing. For anyone's interest, here's a Deakin article which I learned some things from when researching this subject three or four years ago. http://www.avweb.com/news/pelican/182079-1.html?redirected=1 Mike Stirewalt KSEE ____________________________________________________________ Do THIS before eating carbs (every time) 1 EASY tip to increase fat-burning, lower blood sugar & decrease fat storage http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/52eaba159f2033a1576d3st01vuc
