Altitude Chamber Classes

I have always wanted to give this a try (mostly because buds in the AF tell me its pretty impressive).

I found out how to sign up:

You need a current valid FAA medical
You need to pay a non-refundable fee of $50
You call the FAA at 405-954-4837 to find out when the next available classes are.

You can take the take the training at

Andrews AFB, MD
Beale AFB, CA
Brooks AFB, TX
Columbus AFB, MS
Fairchild AFB, WA
Ft. Rucker, AL
Holloman AFB, NM
Langley AFB, VA
Little Rock AFB, AR
Moody AFB, GA
Peterson AFB, CO
Randolph AFB, TX
Shaw AFB, SC
Tyndall AFB, FL
Vance AFB, OK

It takes most of a day including the classroom and chamber work.

Just in case someone else out there is interested.

Bruce
N297NW
RV-8 (448 TT)

The FAA used to also offer the class in OKC at the FAA Aeromedical facility. Is that no longer on the list?

I did the altitude training at OKC (at FAA CAMI - Civil Aeronautical Institute) last May. Contact person was Eric Simson:

Eric Simson
Aerospace Physiology & Survival Instructor
Federal Aviation Administration
Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center
Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (AAM-400)
(405) 954-4837
[email protected]

It was a great experience; highly recommended.

hypoxia training

If you call Flight Safety, we can put anyone in a hypoxia class and it's quite neat, I believe it's an hour of Full Motion Sim plus classroom training. It's a lot more than $50 though.... however it's well worth it!
Best
Brian
404-405-1315

Brian,

Can you provide more details on the class?

What locations is the class offered at?

thanks,

bob

Hypoxia Class

http://www.flightsafety.com/
This has a hypoxia page on the front that cycles through, I'm a CRJ-200 MX and Systems instructor so I dont actually teach this class, however the class is excellent. Larry Schuman is the man to call and his number is 817-276-7630
The classes are offered in Atlanta, Savannah, Teterboro and Wichita.
An excellent source of information is also Chris (The finance guy)at the Atlanta Flight Safety office at 1010 Toffie Terrace
Atlanta, GA 30354 United States
(678) 365-2700
(800) 889-7916
Fax: (678) 365-2699
We are doing the class for all sorts of people, pilots, flight attendents etc... It's the best money you'll ever spend... it could save your life.
The thing I like the best is that you can see and feel yourself slowing down and your handwriting changes and a lot of other things happen as well. Super neat. I'm sure Chris or Larry would be more than happy to fax or email you the spec sheet on the class... it's a blast gettting in the full motion sim and flying the jet or whichever airframe you fly!!!
Best
Brian

Altitude Chamber

In my AF career, I had the opportunity of visiting the altitude chamber on not less than four occasions. I always had very few symptoms, if any, of impending hypoxia, until such time as I was totally incapacitated.

We all have the inclination to "see just how high this thing will go," which can be disastrous. On two occasions (AF), I "flight tested" (unofficially) a couple aircraft above the altitude which thou shalt not go above without a pressure suit, and nothing happened - lucky me! The aircraft seemed like they were capable of going to the moon, but fortunately I demured, came to my senses and descended, not to try that again.

After the AF, I was at 17,500'. on oxygen, beautiful night flight (freight-dogging) and the CP and I were relating stories of our past successes with the lovelies of the world, when I realized that I couldn't pay attention to the right seater's very interesting story. I told him that, "Something's wrong, something's wrong, something's wrong," and he immediately recognized that I had become hypoxic - but, on oxygen. He unstrapped, to help check my oxygen, and as soon as he checked my mask and then raised my left arm rest, the problem was over instantaneously as my "pinched hose" was un-pinched restoring my oxygen supply. By the time that I exclaimed, "Something's wrong," I could not move my hands, but could still talk - "no hands, ma" - I couldn't fly any airplane; and had I been alone (not uncommon, back then) that Turbo-Beech (Volpar) would have bored a hole straight & level until it ran out of fuel, and I would never have known where it augered in!

My point: It's very easy to become hypoxic, even at 31 years old and in top physical condition, and not know it. In these cases, prevention is the only cure, where knowledge of "what it is" may be the only preventitive to disaster.

The above non-incident was 34 years ago, and for the last few years my limit is 12,500'; and if I so much as yawn, I descend - now!

My continuing point: High altitude, and/or altitude chamber training is a good thing - any $$$ cost is of no consequence.

When you get that urge to see "how high this thing will go," try to remember Icarus and whether the wax melted off his feathered wings, or whether he got hypoxic, and unknowingly spun in.

I have been through the training twice and would recommend it to anyone.
Take the co-pilot (Wife) and she will thank you for it.

Every Three Years....

Hmmm...this thread made me check the card in my wallet - looks like it's time to schedule my next chamber ride (for some of us at work, we are required to have them every three years)!

Paul

It is great training to recognize your own individual signs of hypoxia. My unit is deployed to Afghanistan and it was required training before deployment. My individual signs are tingling in the extremities and dim vision. The best test was removing the mask at 18,000 ft for five to ten minutes. The lights were low in the chamber, simulating a night flight, and we were required to look at a color wheel. The colors were dull and the lights appeared dim. As soon as we put the mask back on I was amazed at how quickly the lights came up in intensity and how vibrant the colors had become. A great demonstration on how sensitive the eyes are to a lack of oxygen. Plus, it is also funny watching others succumb to hypoxia at 20,000 + feet. People do all kinds of crazy things when hypoxic!

Good training if you can get it!

Michael

Ditto also go to the bar

I highly recommend the training to anyone who slips the surly bounds where O2 should be used. There are several symptoms of hypoxia but not everyone will experience each one, but an individual will almost always experience the same symptoms. So it is important for you the individual to know what your symptoms will be, that way you will recognize when the O2 bottle is not working.

Plan to go to the bar that night, after prebreathing O2 and all the O2 on the trip up to altitude and back down you will have the cheapest night you will ever see. (TIC)

Cheers
Nemo

I've been through it at Shaw AFB. Great bang for the buck. You get a long class on aeromedical factors, not just altitude-related, then the chamber ride. Basically a whole day's training for the very small cost. The AF personnel were incredibly friendly and professional.

Very amusing and informative to observe different people's reactions to oxygen deprivation.

If you go to an AF facility, make sure you have your car tags, insurance cards, license all 100% up to date, or you might be turned away. They are strict about the requirements for bringing a civilian car on base.