A year ago, in April 2020, Scott Ashton—a pilot and flight instructor—closed the deal on purchasing Aerox Aviation Oxygen Systems, and made good on a belief that he holds close to his heart: that pilots should use oxygen at much lower altitudes and for longer periods than is currently required by FAA minimums. At the 2021 Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo, Ashton celebrated the anniversary of his acquisition of the company, with his wife Sara—who serves as company CFO. Ashton also demonstrated the latest product in the company’s line of aviator’s oxygen gear, the PrO2 Plus.
The PrO2 Plus came from a desire to provide a portable oxygen system for any pilot to use, whether they’re a student pilot, renter, or aircraft owner wanting a back-up source of the good gas. The set-up features a simple on/off switch, a flow indicator, and an Aerox Oxysaver Conserving Cannula. The PrO2 Plus operates at a fixed flow rate good for use up to 18,000 ft msl. In a release, Ashton said, “We believe that pilots might be intimidated by the complexity and expense of some oxygen systems. We wanted to create a low-cost, easy to use system to encourage all pilots to have supplemental oxygen with them and to provide the quality, safety, and features of Aerox high-performance portable systems.” The PrO2 Plus retails for $399.
Ashton also showed off another useful product for aviators, the Lighter Than Air Walkaround portable oxygen system. I hefted it myself, and it is, indeed, extremely light—using a Kevlar oxygen cylinder and regulator assembly along with a TSOed diluter demand mask aimed at providing a personal oxygen supply for high-altitude applications.
