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At what altitude do you need oxygen in a helicopter?

The flight crew must use supplemental oxygen for the entire duration of flight operations above a cabin pressure altitude of 14,000 feet MSL (14 CFR § 91.211).



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The CFRs require that at the minimum, flight crew be provided with and use supplemental oxygen after 30 minutes of exposure to cabin pressure altitudes between 12,500 and 14,000 feet and immediately on exposure to cabin pressure altitudes above 14,000 feet.

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FAA encourages oxygen use for pilots on flights operating above 10,000 feet mean sea level (MSL). The regulations for flying above an altitude of 12,500 up to and including 14,000 are fairly simple. At that altitude, all crew must use supplemental oxygen continuously if the flight is over thirty minutes.

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If you were to fly at this altitude without today's technology, you would quickly begin to feel light-headed and may faint as your brain isn't receiving enough oxygen to function properly. This is because, at 30,000 feet, there is only 4.4 lbs of atmospheric pressure compared to the 14.7 lbs found at sea level.

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Traveling by airplane exposes people to decreased air pressure and lower than normal oxygen levels. For most people, these changes are not noticeable.

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The only oxygen equipment allowed on an airplane is the portable oxygen concentrator (POC). If you need oxygen in flight, you must take a portable oxygen concentrator with you, and , you must let your airline know ahead of time. They may require a doctor's letter to verify the need for the POC on the plane.

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If anything happens to the pressurization system, or the plane experiences any difficulties while in flight, oxygen masks will deploy. Oxygen masks supply roughly 10-14 minutes of oxygen, which is more than enough time for a pilot to descend below 10,000 feet, where the atmosphere has enough oxygen.

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You are allowed to bring a quart-sized bag of liquids, aerosols, gels, creams and pastes through the checkpoint. These are limited to 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) or less per item. This is also known as the 3-1-1 liquids rule.

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