The Oct 26 crash of a Lear 35 twinjet carrying golfing professional Payne Stewart has state the potential hazard of high altitude flight into sharp perspective (see ASW.

The Oct 26 crash of a Lear 35 twinjet carrying golfing professional Payne Stewart has state the potential hazard of high altitude flight into sharp perspective (see ASW, Nov. 1) any pilots believe that for all flying above 25000 feet single in kind pilot should be wearing an oxygen mask as a precaution against los of pressurization. The accessibility to the masks is another issue. Here's what single pilot had so say (he chooses to remain anonymous but his bona fides check out):

"Back in 1991 I was a flight engineer in Boeing 747-200's...While performing my cockpit preparation chores the same day, I found the oxygen shutoff valve in the clos position. In our airline, the valve is normally not at any time closed except when the airplane is in the hangar for maintenance. This valve is located in succession the left-hand fuselage sidewall across from the F/E's position. It would be all unless impossible to get up and explain it fully before passing without in a rapid decompression situation...A year later I was made a check engineer/instructor...I always emphasized to my students...the importance of ensuring the extremity oxygen system was fully functional. I've seen airmen give the masks a little nip just to confirm there was oxygen in the lines. In about cases, what gushed out might have been the sole oxygen in the lines!

....It solely takes a couple of next to the firsts to fully test each mask. In individual case, the 'snap strap' that retained the mask had been securely screwed in place (apparently owing to snap fastener failure) making the mask impossible to destroy from its storage bin. In another case, the mask at my F/E station had the short stockings designed for use in undivided of the pilot positions. This would have obstructed me from moving my seat forward while wearing the mask if necessary.

After my stint as an engineer in the jumbo I was promot to the left seat of a Fokker 50On many occasions I fix the oxygen supply hoses buried in subordination to manuals and route guides, which would have thwarted rapid donning of oxygen masks. In individual case, the observer's oxygen trousers was actually trapped between the gang oxygen tank (located in the right rear corner of the flight deck) and its stainless mail retaining strap, physically preventing the spring of oxygen to an otherwise exquisitely good mask assembly!"

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