AVmail: September 15, 2014
George Pappas writes: “I am 85 years old and have a lung condition. I had a pulse oximeter for years, and it normally indicated a saturation level of around 92 to 94 percent. It was one of the American-made units and cost about $150. Eventually it quit, and when I went to replace it, I found an import at a department store for $35. It indicated a saturation level of 98 percent or better all the time. The point here is that all POs are not equal. If you are going to be using it to monitor your oxygen level in flight, you should buy a quality unit and verify its accuracy by checking it against a hospital machine. Your life just might depend on it.” Click through to read more mail from AVweb readers.
Letter of the Week:
Buy a Good Pulse Oximeter
I am 85 years old and have a lung condition. I had a pulse oximeter for years, and it normally indicated a saturation level of around 92 to 94 percent. It was one of the American-made units and cost about $150.
Eventually it quit, and when I went to replace it, I found an import at a department store for $35. It indicated a saturation level of 98 percent or better all the time.
The point here is that all POs are not equal. If you are going to be using it to monitor your oxygen level in flight, you should buy a quality unit and verify its accuracy by checking it against a hospital machine. Your life just might depend on it.
George Pappas
Engine Failure Statistics
When talking about single- versus twin-engine safety, the statistics are misleading and made worse by manufacturers building piston twins in the '50s and '60s that won't fly on one engine.
Also, private ownership is different than a commercial operation that flies an aircraft 200 hours a month. In 13 years in Alaska I saw several engine failures on aircraft, piston and turbine, and all of the multi-engine machines except one came back and made a safe landing, usually full of people and cargo.
Out of the single-engine aircraft with power loss, only one Cessna Caravan made a safe dead-stick landing.
In Alaska, there are numerous four-engine aircraft like the DC-4s and -6s operating hauling freight. In 13 years, hardly a month went by without seeing one of these airplanes coming back with an engine feathered.
Where are all of these engine failures with uneventful landings recorded? Should they not be part of thestatistics when comparing safety records between single- and multi-engine aircraft?
Rodney Jennings
Drone Defined
Technically there is no such thing as a drone. That is a made-up term for any and all unmanned aircraft by the media. Real descriptive terms (like RC model, RPV, and UAV) have been used for years and should still be used since drone has no definition. So to answer your poll: No, I will never have an RPV or UAV. I do own RC model airplanes.
Philip Lehrke
Ride-Share Regs
The first accident involving a fare-paying passenger being flown by a non-ATP rated pilot will result in mainstream media attention, possible Congressional attention, and a further tightening of restrictions from the FAA. GA doesn't need that kind of publicity.
Robert Hoffman
Busch Fan
I am a big fan of Mike Busch. I, too, have a Cessna 310R (non-turbo) and have been following his advice for several years now with great success. My wife flies a C-182S with fuel injection (and the dreaded hot start issues). Having just read your column from beginning to end, I can only say "bravo" for telling like it is (or should be).
I have been using (and teaching) the very techniques you expounded for hot starts, generator/alternator operation, leaning during climb, and operating lean of peak.
For my 310, the only difference is I am using Mike's suggested procedure of running the RPMs in cruise at the lowest book setting. Once the throttles are advanced to the forward stops on take-off, they are not reduced until air speed in the descent creeps too far into the yellow.
The reward has been consistently better control of CHTs, much lower overall fuel consumption, and a significant reduction in oil consumption. I have gone from one quart every five hours to one quart every 18-20 hours, and I am getting book air speed or better using these techniques.
Rex Myers
