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Small plane decided it's time to go to Cuba

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Old 09-07-2014 | 09:09 PM
  #51  
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I was on the "10", all we had was a couple of VOR's and ADF''s, and usually inop A/P. It was always fun when ATC would clear us to a lat.-long fix. We would tell them we had the small hubcap, radio-heater delete model...
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Old 09-07-2014 | 09:38 PM
  #52  
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Originally Posted by badflaps
The plane was brand new, nobody knew anything about "automatic." They were old school.
So old school they forgot to use altitude hold, and actually look to see that it was holding?
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Old 09-07-2014 | 09:43 PM
  #53  
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Originally Posted by aviatorhi
So old school they forgot to use altitude hold, and actually look to see that it was holding?
Altitude hold was enabled. But then one of the pilots bumped the control column and disconnected only the altitude hold feature. No one noticed. The rest is history.
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Old 09-07-2014 | 11:30 PM
  #54  
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Originally Posted by aviatorhi
So old school they forgot to use altitude hold, and actually look to see that it was holding?
Originally Posted by lstorm2003
Altitude hold was enabled. But then one of the pilots bumped the control column and disconnected only the altitude hold feature. No one noticed. The rest is history.
That's funny.
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Old 09-08-2014 | 04:40 AM
  #55  
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Originally Posted by cardiomd
From the cardiomd files - decompression on a US Air flight.

http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/ma...mpression.html

Thin air in back was quite noticable.
Just read your thread. Very interesting. Did you considering talking to the NTSB? Ms. Hersman, Chairman, July 28, 2009 – April 25, 2014
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Old 09-08-2014 | 05:32 AM
  #56  
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FlightSafety had a hypoxia simulation program that ended a couple of years ago. The device was hooked up in the simulator and regulated the O2/N ratio. It was developed in concert with the Mayo clinic. It got good reviews and positive results. The difference - between this and the altitude chamber - was that you could see how it impacted your ability to comply with a clearance, fly, etc.

On one simulator session a reporter occupied the seat and alleged that he had a medical emergency using the equipment. The instructor was about to call 911 and get the defibrillator when he suddenly "came to" and self proclaimed he was well.

The implication was that he feigned the illness to get an angle on a story. Regardless, FSI terminated the program thereafter.

I never had a chance to use it but I did do through the altitude chamber at Wright-Patterson AFB circa 1993. Invaluable experience.
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Old 09-08-2014 | 05:36 AM
  #57  
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Originally Posted by aviatorhi
So old school they forgot to use altitude hold, and actually look to see that it was holding?
Also remember that the aircraft was brand new at the time. The three pilots had less than 500 hrs make and model combined. Different era in CRM. A classic case study. Pretty sure I've developed a few Powerpoint slides on this one...
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Old 09-08-2014 | 06:31 AM
  #58  
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Originally Posted by Airhoss
But that is not what you said.
Huh?

Originally Posted by Airhoss
If you've got a slow leak and the cabin is rising slowly you can try to mitigate it with manual out flow ETC and if you are having success it would be appropriate to work on a clearance in that case. If my cabin is climbing rapidly and the rubber jungle is eminent it's time to go down. If you wait and muddle around and play the ATC clearance game until the cabin gets into the 30's as you said above you've made a grave error in judgement. And you might just kill some or all of your PAX by doing so. I am sick and tired of hearing about people allowing ATC to kill them by not understanding what they can and should do in an emergency situation.

The last one I had we got the cabin ALT master warning when the cabin climbed above 10,000. We popped the masks on and by the time I pulled a checklist the cabin was climbing above 16,000. Rapid descent time. ATC was advised passing FL310 we were at FL320.

It was a faulty outflow valve BTW. It would not respond to auto or manual inputs.
Masks on at 10K+ for sure.

Rubber Jungle = sense of urgency and probably plummet immediately if TCAS looks clear.

The incidents I've had (multiple in two different types) all involved a gradually climbing cabin due to seal leaks or one outflow stuck so I'm inclined to see how much cabin pressure I have to work with before dropping like a rock. If the cabin completely dumped in the FLs, then yes you just have to go down now because the mask is a band-aid, not a cure up there.

Also it's a great idea for any turbine pilot to do a chamber run to see how he/she handles altitude. I happen to climb 10K+ mountains on a fairly regular basis so I know I'm good for strenuous activity in the teens...at least for a few hours.
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Old 09-08-2014 | 07:58 AM
  #59  
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Originally Posted by cardiomd
You can listen to the whole thing here:

http://archive-server.liveatc.net/kg...2014-1400Z.mp3

On several transmissions he clearly does sound hypoxic. With hindsight it is pretty easy to realize but it would be difficult to pick up on it at the time. He does say "indication is not correct with the plane" at 4:10 and asks for even lower than 250. A first hypoxic transmission is 7:15 - 7:35 (first he "empty keys" a transmission, center tries again, then sounds somewhat fatigued / slow.) and at 8:10 he has unintelligible transmission.

At 8:44 there is a clearly hypoxic-sounding transmission. His response is "Kilo November 900 Kilo November" with slurred speech. By 10 minutes you can hear mic being keyed but no consistent response.

Sad. Hope the manufacturer and NTSB figure out what happened to the hardware.

Can anybody here comment on personally doing hypoxia training? Was it worth it?
Great training. I wish there was a way that civilians could take advantage of the military training systems that are spread around the country.
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Old 09-08-2014 | 08:04 AM
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The FAA has recently commissioned a portable hypoxia chamber that works by pumping nitrogen into the box rather than sucking the air out. Makes the entire chamber modular and portable. It recently spent several days at our civilian training airport on one of its tours of the country.

Despite the fact that it can't simulate a rapid decompression, it still is invaluable training. And travel to Oklahoma City is no longer required.
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