REFLECTOR: Flying High

[Richard Riley]

If you live at 5000-7500 feet, you will become acclimated.  Your blood will 
have more red cells, your lung capacity will increase.

If those things don't happen, you'll feel sick much of the time, and you'll 
eventually move down the mountain.  Toward the end of his life my father 
got altitude sickness staying in a hotel on the floor of the Yosemite 
valley - and that's only 4000 feet.

Insurance companies know that.  So people who live at altitude don't pay 
more.

Trying to monitor people who live in the low lands, but who frequently 
drive in higher elevations, is financially difficult.  I also doubt that 
drivers would be willing to let their insurance companies put the GPS 
transponders on their cars to allow such monitoring.

At 08:00 AM 5/16/05, you wrote:
>The reality of this notion might be found in automobile (and other 
>activity) accident statistics in places like DEN, SLC, ABQ, etc.  If you 
>are impaired at 5000' - 7500', the insurance companies would be well aware 
>of that and rates at high altitude places would reflect the additional risk.
>Unless insurance companies are a little dense ... Jim S.
>
>steven-oakley at comcast.net wrote:
>
>>Hi,
>>
>>
>>
>>>He emphasized that those of us who are over 40 have a greater need for
>>>supplemental oxygen than younger pilots, especially at night.  Also, the FAA
>>>regs regarding the use of oxygen are really pushing the limits - Lynn
>>>recommended supplemental oxygen at lower altitudes than the regs require -
>>>5000 ft at night and 7500 during daylight.
>>>
>>
>>Although I like to err on the side of caution this recomendation has to 
>>also have the pilots exposure to living above sea level taken into 
>>consideration. My home airport elevation is 5017MSL, so to apply the 
>>above, any night flight would require O2. However living at 5000MSL the 
>>body adapts to the altitude, this means that pilots who live at 5000MSL 
>>are probably safe upto 7500(night) and 10,000(day).
>>In fact apart from landing all my flying is above 7500, frequently upto 
>>10,000 MSL without suplimental O2.
>>
>>Steve.
>>
>>
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