Message-ID: <003201bfc65d$b7349d00$0464a8c0@station4>
From: "John Barrett" <2thman@olympus.net>
To: "Lancair Mail List" <lancair.list@olsusa.com>
Subject: Carbon Monoxide
Date: Thu, 25 May 2000 07:52:30 -0700
Mime-Version: 1.0

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On my recent X-country to San Jose, I had an interesting experience to deal
with.  I was on VFR climb out to an IFR assignment of 8,000 ft. from
Medford, OR on the return.   I was climbing at max performance to clear
mountains to the NW and at about 7,500' we started hearing a tone of three
beeps about every 5 seconds.  We started looking for low battery signals in
our new Lightspeed Headsets, checked our Cell Phones, handheld radio etc etc
etc.  Couldn't find the source.  I gave up looking and luckily, Anne was
persistent.  She found a funny triangular shaped white gadget on the floor
between our seats which had a little red light flashing in sync with the
beeps.

That was the CO alarm that we'd recently purchased in response to discussion
on the LML.  It indicated something over 200 PPM.  Scary!! We didn't feel
any bad effects and we moved the box to head level where the indication
gradually dropped to about 50 PPM where the noise and alarm quit.  I had
also opened all vents and even opened the side window.

As we levelled out at 8,000 the alarm was put back on the floor and the
readings rapidly went to  0 PPM for remainder of flight.  I can only assume
that the high angle of attack and slow airspeed led to conditions that
allowed exhaust to find its way into the cockpit.

We checked fingernails, and for any symptoms of hypoxia during and for 30
minutes after the episode.  We never found any indications that we were
affected by the CO levels - I assume they were pooling in the floor area
only.

Regards,
John Barrett - LIVP
CARBINGE- "The World Hinges on Us"
360 385 1000

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