Readback: June 2021

IFR Staff

Monday, May 24, 2021 at 02:01 PM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Supplemental oxygen improves mental acuity and combats hypoxia (which is often more prevalent than realized), but it is not a remedy for true fatigue, which requires adequate rest and sleep.
Some approaches with RF (Required Navigation Performance) legs do not require special authorization, correcting a previous oversight.
Flying into Asheville, NC (KAVL) in IMC presents unique challenges due to terrain, persistent fog, and a higher frequency of icing and thunderstorms, though GPS approaches have helped reduce pilot workload.

See a mistake? Contact us.

Oxygen If You’re Tired?

I enjoyed Victor Vogel’s “Managing Fatigue” in your April issue. I have asked many people and read many articles. No one has ever said, “Why yes, supplemental oxygen will help keep you wide awake.” This has included AME’s, IFR instructors, et. al.

Is there an FAA rule against saying that? Or Am I so different from the rest of the population? Is there fear that not enough pilots carry oxygen, so the plan is not to inform any of them? Is there concern that not all pilots may react so well? I have relied on it so many times and I do indeed regain full feeling of being sharp almost instantly when sucking on the hose. It has not diminished in multi-hour flights.