Birdman666
Well-known member
- Sep 18, 2013
- 9,904
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- Parrots
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Presently have six Greenwing Macaw (17 yo), Red Fronted Macaw (12 yo), Red Lored Amazon (17 y.o.), Lilac Crowned Amazon (about 43 y.o.) and a Congo African Grey (11 y.o.)
Panama Amazon (1 Y.O.)
Or maybe it's just tradition based on some antiquated standard set by the USAF in the 1950s (there are a lot of those). Remember, it's easier for A/C to be certified based on existing data than to demonstrate new technology to the FAA's satisfaction.
It's about awareness, recognition, and decision-making. I think it's grand that they don't make us buy O2 for flights above 5000 ft. But they teach it so we are duly warned to take that into account.
I've personally noted some mild effects on a long flight (3.5 hrs) at 11,500 and on a shorter segment at 12,500 (<30 mins, of course!). Just enough to make the literature real for me.
YEAH. It's the 50's standards... uuummm... technology has improved since then people.
Remember what it took to get a composite certified in the beginning?! That's why they could only be sold as "kit planes" for several decades. And it's one of two reasons why GA aircraft have become so needlessly expensive. (Insurance costs being the other one.)
Yeah. It's possible for someone to get hypoxia symptoms at 5,000, therefore, that's set as the cutoff. For most people, it just isn't.
I'm actually not up there for long enough to become hypoxic. Climb out to 15,000 takes about 15 minutes.
Then the door opens.
Then you go.
30 seconds to a minute later (depending on your freefall attitude head down, is more like 30. Belly flying you get about a minute.) you're down to 4,000 to 5,000 feet. I actually tend to open a little high (4,000 ft.) just to give myself a little extra time in case I have a malfunction.
Besides, I can "flat spin" my canopy to lose altitude, which is always pretty fun.