I’m a firm believer in using supplemental oxygen; there’s a portable O2 tank in my airplane right now. For a variety of reasons, I usually go on oxygen when I’m going to be at 10,000 feet or higher for any length of time. I typically fly long legs, and when I use oxygen, I’m not as fatigued as I might have been after the same amount of time at, say, 7500 feet. But higher usually is better for long flights, and O2 is part of my plan.
And there really needs to be a plan for any flight out of the local area. With the tools we have these days, there’s no excuse not to get a full preflight briefing, even if you don’t read or understand it. If you don’t get one before launching on a three-plus-hour flight with passengers, you’re not treating the situation or the passengers with respect.
