Better Mask, Lightweight Onboard System
It's pretty hard to get excited about an oxygen mask -- unless
you fly with one a lot. Most masks are about as comfortable as
they'd be if they were approved by Torquemada rather than the FAA;
Aerox was the first to offer an alternative (the nasal cannula) and
has also offered several generations of masks, including these new
silicon- based masks which are more comfortable than their older
models. The new masks and products described here are SO new
they're not on Aerox's web site yet, but should be before too
long.
One welcome feature available on the new mask is an airtight
voice- emitter, similar to that used by military chemical
protective masks. Imagine a sort of air-lock with a vibrating
diaphragm on either side, which transmits sound nearly perfectly (a
regular oxygen masks muffles your voice to the point of
unintelligibility). This voice- emitter lets you mask up and talk
on the radio with your own mic (or, more common these days,
headset).
There's also a version of the mask with its own microphone
inside. Both versions work to allow communication while masked; the
one you choose is a matter of personal preference.
The Aerox oxygen-conserving cannula is preferred by some pilots
still, but it's limited to a pressure altitude of 18,000 feet which
crimps the utility of long-legged turbocharged planes like turbo
Bonanzas or 210s, or many turboed light twins. (A mask can take you
to 30,000 feet, which is higher than the certified ceiling of many
of those aircraft -- typical T210s, for instance, top out at FL
290).
The board display is Aerox's new lightweight onboard system,
which is very similar to the system used in Aerox's Cirrus SR-20/22
STC. (The difference is an electrical rather than hydraulic
actuator). What you see on the board is the whole thing, although
of course the O2 bottle is larger on the real airplane. This
reduces the effect of one common objection to onboard oxygen, that
it adds weight to the system. It can be installed in certified
aircraft as a one-time STC, or installed in experimentals with a
simple logbook entry.
The second objection, that some FBOs gouge for an O2 refill
versus taking your canister to an oxygen supplier yourself, of
course, is out of Aerox's control. if you're a canister-dragger,
well, Aerox has you covered there, too.
Aerox even has a mask for dogs -- but that's literally another
story!