Originally Posted by Rick Durden
On a slight tangent -
The doc said that they're looking at using a CPAP instead of supplemental oxygen for some flight at least in the low teens because it forces the pilot to inhale enough oxygen to appropriately oxygenate the blood. There are CPAP units that will run off of the aircraft's power.

This sounds interesting to me as it would also be a way to get the needed oxygen without having to carry around an oxygen tank.

Wondering if anyone else has heard or seen anything on this use of CPAP units?
Rick, very interesting! I believe it’s ventilation of CO2 that drives most respiration, not hypoxia. In other words our body doesn’t wait until it’s hypoxemic before you feel the need to breathe which is good. The brain cells do not tolerate lack of oxygen long before they suffer permanent injury. I guess those high flyers are ventilating well, so they breath the rate and depth they would on the ground. With the low oxygen mix up high, it’s not enough.

Geoff
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N10473
Huh I don't know

https://youtu.be/klsTowdcEsk?si=Pdpa3h_r0aMRw3Hl