Do airline pilots use oxygen?

Do airline pilots really put on an oxygen mask when alone in the cockpit above 25,000 ft? The FAA requires a pilot to put on the oxygen mask if the other pilot leaves cockpit when cruising above FL250. It also requires that one pilot always wears an oxygen mask when flying above FL410.



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With loss of cabin pressurization at altitude, pressure breathing of 100% oxygen at high airway pres- sures enables the pilot's alveolar PO2 to be maintained at a safe level during emergency descent.

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For Part 91 General Aviation operations the required flight crew must use supplemental oxygen for any portion of the flight that exceeds 30 minutes above a cabin pressure altitude of 12,500 feet mean sea level (MSL) up to and including 14,000 feet (MSL).

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All flight crew members of pressurised aeroplanes operating above an altitude where the atmospheric pressure is less than 376 hPa shall have available at the flight duty station a quick-donning type of oxygen mask which will readily supply oxygen upon demand.

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Sure, everyone knows that you have to use supplemental oxygen if you fly more than 30 minutes at cabin pressure altitudes of 12,500 feet or higher. And that at cabin altitudes above 14,000 feet pilots must use oxygen at all times.

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One important issue was how to ensure that the co-pilot didn't also accidentally fall asleep. This has been a real concern for many years in aviation, with some studies reporting that as much as 50% of pilots accidentally fall asleep during flights.

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In General, Yes. As your image already shows, the same air is distributed throughout the cabin and the flight deck.

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Many airlines provide crew rest areas on their aircraft, where pilots can sleep during long-haul flights. These areas are usually located in the tail, cargo area or above the cabin of the plane and are designed to be as quiet and comfortable as possible. Other crew members prefer to use business class seats to rest.

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Even though smoking has been illegal for 30-plus years, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) still has a written rule on the books to correct for continued bad behavior.

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The maximum height that a commercial airplane is allowed to reach when they fly is 42,000 feet, as this is the universally approved maximum altitude. This max altitude for airplanes is known as the “service ceiling.” Most commercial air jets fly at such a high altitude because it is known to optimize efficiency.

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Flight above 40,000 ft
We still can take a deep breath and fill our lungs (still 1 liter capacity), but we are filling them with oxygen at such a low density (because oxygen density is nearly equal to the air density outside of the oxygen mask) that there are too few oxygen molecules to keep us alive.

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Without oxygen, you will quickly feel drowsy and even euphoric, a phenomenon known as hypoxia, but as time passes, continued lack of oxygen to the brain will lead to blackouts, passing out, and possibly even death.

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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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