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 Transition Altitude
• Set altimeter to 29.92 (QNE) – when climbing through Transition Altitude.
• In the U. S. the typical transition altitude is 18,000’
• Referred to as Flight Levels.
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 Transition Layer
• Airspace between transition level and transition altitude.
• No cruise flight is typically granted in the transition layer.
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
Transition Level
• Set altimeter to local altimeter setting (QNH) when descending through the transition level
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• Positive controlled airspace.
• FL 180 feet to FL 600.
• IFR flight plan and ATC communication required.
• Mode C transponder required.
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 FL 180 to FL 290 (non-RVSM airspace)
• 0 – 179 degrees magnetic heading - any odd flight level.
• 180 - 359 degrees magnetic heading - any even flight level.
 FL 290 to FL 600 (RVSM Designated airspace)
• 0 – 179 degrees - any odd flight level at 2,000 foot intervals.
• Ex: FL 290, FL 310 etc.
• 180 - 359 degrees - any even flight level, at 2000 foot intervals.
• Ex: FL 300, FL 320 etc.
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• FL 290 to FL 410.
• Allows 1,000 feet vertical separation between aircraft.
• Increases airspace capacity and fuel efficiency.
• Additional altitude reporting equipment.
• Additional crew training.
• FAA certification required.
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 Above FL 250
• At least a 10-minute supply of oxygen for each occupant in the event cabin pressure is lost.
 FL 350 to FL 410
• Single pilot at the flight controls - Must wear oxygen mask at all times.
• Two pilots at the flight controls – both pilots must have access to a quick donning mask.
 Above FL 410
• One pilot must wear an oxygen mask at all times.
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• Lies between the troposphere and the stratosphere.
• Base ranges from 30,000 at higher latitudes to 50,000 feet, at the equator.
• Little or no temperature change with altitude.
• Relatively little moisture
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• Strong winds that generally run west to east.
• Formed by adjacent air masses with large temperature differences.
• Velocities up to 200 knots.
• Strongest near the base of the tropopause.
• Most prominent in winter.
• Northern U.S. - Polar jet.
• Southern U.S. - Subtropical jet.
• Clear air turbulence considerations.
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• Airframe icing conditions are rare in the tropopause.
• Typically no visible ice on airframe.
• Associated with mature convective activity that has currently or previously penetrated the tropopause.
• Most common FL 200 – FL 350 / -10
C to -40 C.
• Ice crystals aggregate within the engine core.
• Slow decrease in power and rise in
ITT.
• Possible rollback/non-responsive engine.
• Avoid flying near or over active or dissipating thunderstorms.
• Utilize and monitor aircraft/engine anti-ice and de-ice equipment and procedures.
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
Valid for all weights, load factors and configurations.
• Red Arc - .85 AOA = stick shaker, to 1.0 AOA =
Stall /Critical Angle of Attack
• Yellow Arc - Caution range
• White Arc - .6 AOA
• 1.3 Vso (Vref)
• Maximum Lift vs. Drag (L/D max)
• Minimum drag speed (Vmd)
• Maximum endurance (ENDmax)
• Maximum angle of Climb (Vx / Vxse / V2)
• Minimum sink rate / Best glide speed (Vg)
 .35 AOA
• Maximum velocity vs. drag (V/Dmax)
• Maximum range
• Best rate of climb 2 engines (Vy)
• Best rate of climb with one engine inoperative
(Vyse/Venr)
Angle of Attack Indicator
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TAS
• Aircraft speed through the air mass .
• Typically increases as altitude increases.
• TAS accounts for decreasing air density and non-standard (relative to ISA) temperatures.
• Utilized for navigation and when combined with wind component = groundspeed of the aircraft .
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• The speed of sound is (Mach 1) is 667 knots at sea level and 15 degrees C.
• The speed of sound decreases as temperature decreases.
• Mach number is the aircraft speed in relationship to the local speed of sound (Mach 1.0).
• Mmo – Maximum Mach Number: Expressed as a percentage, it is the maximum aircraft speed relative to the local speed of sound.
Ex: .737 mach = 73.7% of the local speed of sound.
• Mmo provides a reference to critical airframe and engine elements that are associated with the transonic / supersonic flight range.
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• As altitude increases the Speed of sound typically decreases while stall speed increases.
• The diminishing envelope between stall speed and the speed of sound could ultimately result in a stall.
• Heavy weight aircraft with lower power capabilities at greatest risk .
**Avoid airspeeds below Vmd (the back side of the power curve) due to the rapid increase of drag and increased risk of stall.
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Reduced flight control effectiveness = Slower recovery from stalls and upsets
• Recognize stall and initiate recovery at first indication.
Ex: Stick shaker, aural warning, tactile/prebuffet indications.
• Execute recovery methodically to avoid inducing deep stall.
• Increase pitch down angle and time in order to increase the relative wind component and reduce the angle of attack sufficient for recovery.
• Utilize AOA, airspeed indicator and airspeed trend vector.
• Expect 2000 to 4000 feet altitude loss.
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• Provides lower cabin altitude relative to aircraft cruise altitudes.
• Psi(d)
• Air is sourced from the engines.
• Constant rate.
• Introduced through aircraft environmental system.
• Outflow valves allow air to escape.
• Constantly modulating
• Pressurization controller.
Pressurization System
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• Sudden and rapid depressurization.
• Immediate use of quick donning mask / supplemental oxygen.
• Emergency descent to 10,000 feet or less.
• Time of useful consciousness:
• A few minutes at FL 250.
• A few seconds above FL 400.
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• You Tube audio – “ Pilot Declares
Emergency Because of Extreme
Hypoxia.”
• Lear 35
• Gradual pressurization loss at FL 320.
• Co-pilot reportedly disengaged the autopilot while flailing his arms in an unsuccessful attempt to don his mask before he became unconscious.
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A lack of oxygen in body tissues
 Gradual onset:
• Often insidious.
• Signs may be best recognized by an observer.
• Indications may include:
• Slurred speech, delayed brain or motor functions, euphoria, tiredness, hyperventilation, blue lips or fingertips, unusually cold or hot.

Sudden onset: Indicated by aircraft warning systems or pilot observations.
•
Ex: Rapid or explosive depressurization.
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 Hypoxic Hypoxia
• Decreased oxygen in the bloodstream at increased altitudes.

Anemic Hypoxia
• The bloods oxygen carrying capability is dramatically reduced. Ex: Carbon monoxide poisoning.
 Stagnant Hypoxia
• Circulatory restrictions that may occur during high-G force maneuvers.
 Histoxic Hypoxia
• The ability to absorb oxygen in the bloodstream is limited by certain substances, such as alcohol, narcotics or poisons.
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Conduct a thorough preflight inspection of the oxygen system
 Check the mask for:
• Setting (100%), proper inflation, plugged in properly and a green flow indication on hose.
**Breathing through mask is the only way to insure proper flow.
• Oxygen bottle gauge and valve.
• Cockpit gauge.
• Oxygen blowout disk.
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• Don oxygen mask immediately.
• Descend immediately.
• Advise ATC.
• Consider terrain factors.
• Provide supplemental oxygen to passengers.
• Consider fuel vs. altitude limitations.
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