Precise Flight PreciseFlow oxygen
Oxygen — some of us could admittedly use more of it at sea level walking from the house to the car in the morning. But every pilot knows that adequate oxygen becomes critical in flight. Precise Flight's PreciseFlow oxygen conserver allows you to use less oxygen in flight while reaping its important safety, health, and regulatory benefits.
Precise Flight purchased Nelson Oxygen from former owner Jerry Nelson in 1998 and continues to sell Nelson regulators. The PreciseFlow conserver came about during the certification of the Lancair Columbia 300. Over two years and more than five million cycles, Precise Flight developed the PreciseFlow conserver as a certified part of its STCed and Lancair installations.
The conserver meters the gas by delivering a pulsed flow of oxygen with the user's every breath through a cannula; there is also a setting to deliver a constant flow either through the cannula or through a mask. The cannula must be used for the pulsed flow system to work.
The device works in a straightforward manner. Hook the dual-lumen (or hose) cannula to the "delivery" and "sensing" ports on the conserver, and fit it over your headset and snug the cannula on your head so it doesn't slip. Then set on the conserver the altitude you are at; the device reduces oxygen consumption up to a factor of three when compared to a standard regulator without the conserver at a given altitude, while maintaining 90- to 92-percent oxygen saturation. Essentially, you can fly for more than twice as long at a given altitude on one bottle. The conserver does not use battery or electrical power.
We tested this at altitudes up to 14,000 feet using a FlightStat pulse oximeter and found the company's claims to be true for our tester. In this highly detailed test — open to scrutiny from the most amateur high school science club — at altitudes below 8,000 feet, both the tester and a control subject maintained a 94-percent saturation. At 10,000 feet, saturation in the control subject dropped to 91, while the tester on oxygen came to 92 percent. At 12,000 feet, the control sank to 88 percent, while the tester dropped only to 91. At 14,000 feet, the control was at 84 percent and, on the way back to 12,000 feet, hit a low of 82 percent — with no outward signs of hypoxia yet developed. At altitudes between 12,000 and 14,000 feet, the tester maintained saturation between 90 and 92 percent. At sea level, both the tester and the control started and ended the test at 98-percent saturation.
Our test flight took about an hour and a half, and through the varying altitudes our tester used about 200 psi, or about an eighth of the bottle, of oxygen. The company estimates that the bottle supports flying for 27 hours at 12,000 feet on average. However, this delivery varies with the user's respiration rate.
The oxygen cylinder is small enough to stow easily in the cockpit; it can be secured on a seat back using the carrying case's strap. The case itself left little room for the associated gear — the regulator and conserver fit in the zippered nylon case but not the mask or the cannula.
Price: $395 for the conserver and cannula; $1,450 for a package with cylinder, two conservers, two cannulas, four masks, and carrying case
Contact: 800/547-2558; www.preciseflight.com
Airwolf wet vacuum pump
Pilots now accustomed to the vagaries of the dry vacuum pump (failure times less than 500 hours, and these catastrophic failures without warning) may remember fondly the wet vacuum pump. But those pumps could be messy, and their higher cost meant they lost ground to their dry cousins. Airwolf Filter Corp., a company specializing in filter kits and separators for a variety of GA aircraft, recently introduced a new wet vacuum pump that addresses these issues — and means to carry through on the promise with an exciting 10-year, 2,000-hour warranty.
The Airwolf 3P194-F pump incorporates new manufacturing techniques, employs superior bearings to those found in dry pumps, and is machined to extremely tight tolerances. The pump can replace all 200-series dry pumps regardless of manufacturer (Airborne, Rapco, and Sigma-Tek, for example), and FAA certification is expected by the end of this year. Each pump is bench-tested for two hours prior to shipping. The pump weighs about 20 ounces more than a comparable dry pump, according to the company.
Price: $1,500 introductory special
Contact: 800/326-1534; www.airwolf.com
Fine-tuning instrument flight
Aero Tech's Instrument Pilot Flight Maneuvers has impressed us with its thorough explanations of each maneuver and task called for in the FAA's Instrument Practical Test Standards (PTS). The latest update improves upon this sound platform with even more information for the pilot seeking an instrument rating.
Both the 1998 and oral PTS are included so that the manual reflects the current standards you will encounter during the checkride. In the intervening years, the FAA has changed some terminology in the PTS, and this fine-tuning is also present in this, the third, edition of the manual. With GPS and RNAV navigation much more commonplace, these inclusions have also been made by the FAA, and subsequently by Aero Tech.
In addition to the technical changes, Aero Tech has also improved the graphics to better illustrate each maneuver, while retaining those maneuvers that the FAA had deleted from its Instrument Flying Handbook for greater depth. A cross-reference of applicable FAA publications to each maneuver and task helps with further research.
The spiral-bound manual is easy to use, clipping onto a standard, approach-plate-size kneeboard for flight. One thing hasn't changed — the price. And it's worth every cent to help you navigate the complexities of the instrument checkride.
Price: $18.95
Contact: 800/247-6553 (Bookmasters); [email protected]
Elite Simulation Solutions Instrument Approach Scenarios
When you're ready to practice those skills, but the winter weather isn't cooperating (an instrument ticket isn't a free pass through icing conditions, you know), Elite Simulation Solutions offers its Instrument Approach Scenarios to add realism to time spent in the box.
The package includes 25 approaches into five Midwestern airports: Champaign/Urbana's University of Illinois-Willard Airport, Dupage Airport, Greater Rockford Airport, and Springfield's Capital Airport, all in Illinois; and Milwaukee's General Mitchell International Airport. The interactive scenarios offer authentic controllers on audio to give you holds, missed approaches, and full approaches with procedure turns and a variety of surprises.
While the scenarios require you to fly using Elite's version 7.0.5 flight simulator software, if you have version 5.0 or later you can purchase an upgrade. Version 7.0 users are entitled to a free upgrade. Version 7.0.5 offers realistic weather and traffic as well.
Price: $79.95 for the scenarios; upgrade to 7.0.5 depends on prior version of software
Contact: 800/557-7590; www.flyelite.com
IFR: A Structured Approach
For the instrument pilot seeking to upgrade his or her skills, John C. Eckalbar's IFR: A Structured Approach provides compelling insights. Eckalbar, a well-regarded instructor for the American Bonanza Society, is the author of Flying the Beech Bonanza, a detailed look at flying those popular singles, and his attention to each aspect of flight shows through. He offers tips for "flying by the numbers" and specific numbers (power settings, airspeeds, and descent rates) for flying GPS approaches in particular. If you've been stumped by circling approaches or DME arcs, he also has much to say on those topics, as well as a two-part look at mastering the ILS.
If one book could help you make the leap from a bit player to a skilled conductor of instrument flight, this is probably it. IFR: A Structured Approach is 250 pages and hardcover, with many black-and-white photos, chart excerpts, and illustrations.
Price: $34.95
Contact: 530/343-6791; www.skyroadprojects.com
Pilot's Guide to Avionics
The avionics available on the market for general aviation is at what must be an all-time high. New technology breaks at every trade show, and those boxes that used to carry sky-high prices have now come down to where the average aircraft owner can consider some nifty new options. The Pilot's Guide to Avionics, developed and published by the Aircraft Electronics Association, helps lead pilots and owners through understanding and selecting products, and installation and service facilities.
The book is broken down into four sections: pilot's guide, repair stations, manufacturers and distributors, and affiliates. The pilot's guide includes troubleshooting tips, articles on EFBs (electronic flight bags) and the latest in avionics, training, equipment glossaries (quick — what does TIS stand for?), how to choose a headset, avionics security (in the airplane), and the future of avionics.
Following this informative section are listings of repair stations, manufacturers and distributors, and affiliates such as academic institutions, delegated engineering authorities, air carriers, trade publications, aviation consultants, and associations. Need to find a nearby shop to do a GPS installation? The listings give you several to call and interview. Finally, there's an index to look them all up.
Price: Free
Contact: www.aea.net
QUICK HITS
Smartsoft, a Norwegian software company, has developed a software package called Flight WTK specially intended for GA pilots. Flight WTK performs weight and balance calculations, in both English and metric unit, on mobile phones. The software is compatible with Nokia 3600, 3650, 6600, 7650, and Nokia N-Gage phones. A version for Motorola phones is also available.
Price: $59.95 for online download
Contact: www.smartsoft.no
Nearly 300 pilots and aircraft builders have now purchased a new aircraft avionics wiring system made by Approach Systems that the company claims reduces the time and expense of an avionics panel overhaul. Fast Stack systems include cables matched to specific avionics radios and a central hub. Models include the Fast Stack Pro Hub, designed for IFR panels, the Fast Stack Pro-G hub for IFR Garmin and other panels (including an autopilot interface), and the Fast Stack Sport Hub for VFR panels.
Price: $800 to $1,200
Contact: 801/802-8079; www.approach-systems.com
Unless otherwise stated, products listed herein have not been evaluated by AOPA Pilot editors. AOPA assumes no responsibility for products or services listed or for claims or actions by manufacturers or vendors. However, members unable to get satisfaction regarding products listed should advise AOPA. To submit products for evaluation, contact: New Products Editor, AOPA Pilot , 421 Aviation Way, Frederick, Maryland 21701; telephone 301/695-2350. Links to all Web sites referenced in this issue can be found on AOPA Online ( www.aopa.org/pilot/links.shtml).
