REFLECTOR: Flying High

[Jorge Bujanda]

Since 1982.  I know I got  rich in examples but I really wanted to 
highlight the importance of the topic.
Regards



Tom Martino wrote:

>Whatta ya -- a doctor or something?  ;)
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
>Behalf Of Jorge Bujanda
>Sent: Friday, May 13, 2005 7:21 PM
>To: Velocity Builder's Forum. Reflector
>Subject: REFLECTOR: Flying High [heur]
>
>Gentlemen,
>
>The headache is not the problem. What is important is what it means. If 
>you get a headache, it is likely that you have gone too high. The 
>headache is a sign of an important and fairly acute decrease of oxygen 
>delivery to the brain due to sudden decrease in barometric (oxygen) 
>pressure, due in turn to high altitude.
>
> From a neurological perspective, the onset of headache due to hypoxia 
>is proven to be accompanied by subtle and unnoticed, but increasing 
>judgment impairment, coordination loss, decreased reaction time, visual 
>impairment, drowsiness, excitement, carefree feeling, overestimation of 
>self-capabilities and exaggerated self-confidence (very dangerous in the
>
>cockpit), disorientation and loss of time sense. As you can see, 
>although the most uncomfortable, the headache is the least dangerous of 
>all the events described. It has been proven that there is increasing 
>"appreciable" neurological handicap between 7000 and 12000 feet and 
>"considerable" neurological handicap between 12000 and 15000 feet in 
>physically "normal" individuals.
>
> From a cardiovascular perspective, there is an obvious decrease in the 
>oxygenation of the heart and any circulatory and cardiac problem (known 
>or unknown) will be aggravated by such decreased delivery of oxygen to 
>the heart. Any illness or factor affecting proper tissue oxygenation 
>such as anemia, hypertension, circulatory problems, heart disease, 
>emphysema (long-time smokers), asthma, and even simple things such as 
>been in the process of getting over upper respiratory allergies or 
>infections may further worsen oxygen delivery to the heart and brain. 
>This means that, under these circumstances, you might not tolerate 
>altitudes that you might have tolerated in the past under "normal" 
>conditions.
>
>More importantly, for reasons I will not detail here, any stressful 
>situation (i.e., encountering bad, or worse than expected weather and 
>climbing higher to avoid it) causes rapid and shallow breathing, as well
>
>as increased tissue oxygen consumption which will further decrease 
>oxygen delivery to the heart and brain and may become the last factor to
>
>precipitate catastrophe.
>
>Pay attention... borderline (high) flying does not come without risk. 
>The effects of altitude are insidious and are not something to be taken 
>lightly. A simple headache may be just a warning sign, but also, a 
>life-saving sign pointing to a bigger underlying problem.
>
>Draw your own conclusions based on what your current physical condition 
>might be (known or unknown) and the physiological facts stated above.
>
>I hope this helps you increase safety awareness and I highly recommend 
>that you remind yourselves of all this as you have to take those two 
>aspirins after landing.
>
>Regards,
>Jorge Bujanda
>XL FG
>Palmdale, CA
>
>"Make your best case... not the best case."
>"Spare the noise... convince through silence."
>
>
>
>
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