By Richard Visscher, EAA Lifetime 576197
Continued from Chapter 1.
So, jumping ahead: You are finished building your DarkAero 1 and have enough hours on it to be comfortable with it. You trust it. You have realized that it is time for that “dream trip” from Kelowna, British Columbia, in Western Canada to Ireland and then on to the rest of Europe. The nice thing is, you can do it in three hops!
Or, winter is coming, and it is time to head south, to the Bahamas, in two hops! Wow! Now that’s freedom! It is hard to believe that the speed and range are typically what a turboprop flies.
The reaction I hear from so many people is that I can only sit in an airplane for three or four hours before I need a rest stop. Sitting reclined as you do in the DarkAero 1 can easily extend your comfortable time in the cockpit and this article is to help you extend your range. It is about addressing the physiological factors that you need to take full advantage of your DarkAero 1. It is about more than just eat, sleep, and fly!
Getting good sleep, being properly fueled, staying fit, and thorough flight planning and preparation are all necessary before a flight, Flight planning for those east bound trips on my ForeFlight app shows that the higher I go, the less time and fuel it takes. So, since I need to get up above 10,000 feet the first need is oxygen. I have found the best system to use is the Mountain High pulse demand system.
The AL647 (5.3 inch diameter by 16.5 inches long) tank it is good for about 19.2 hours at 15,000 feet. It uses a simple canula that pulses a small blast of air into your nostrils whenever you take a breath in. Good to only 18,000 feet, the canula can be replaced by an oxygen mask above that. The control box can be set to automatically come on at 10,000 feet or less for night flying. Also remember that flying above the cloud level is a lot smoother and easier on you and your airplane.
The second issue is dehydration. So many of us are afraid to take in water because we know it must leave our bodies, more about that later. I found the best thing is to use a Platypus or Camelback 2-liter water bladder with a drinking hose.
Also, it is good to put something in the water to replace your electrolytes. With the clear canopy of the DarkAero 1 and the sun that can come in, we need to keep hydrated.
What goes in must come out. Yes, we have all felt that desire to relieve ourselves in an airplane and a porta john may work well but it is cumbersome and awkward to employ. What I found works much better is an external catheter.
Available from medical supply companies it can be attached to a 2-liter bag that you can fill up without worry. It comes in various sizes and lengths, and make sure you balance your bag size to your water bottle size.
Now for nourishment. Although it is easy enough to take granola bars or other fast-food snacks it is best to stay with healthier things, to keep your mind alert and sharp on your trip. Consider a large bottle smoothie from the health food store. Also look at the wide assortment of protein bars that are healthier and easier to access. You are still exerting a lot of energy so you must take in the appropriate amount of food, it varies for all of us.
I got an Apple Watch from my wife last Christmas and trying to close my rings everyday by moving (burning calories), exercising, and standing has resulted in me losing 40 pounds! That really helps on the weight and balance calculation, right? But what to do about exercise, in an airplane for a 5- or 6-hour flight? Well you cannot stand up, but you have plenty of room to move your arms and a little less room to move your legs. Work out your own routine to break up your flight.
Check the current regulations for overwater flight. I use an inflatable vest in warm water and a single person life raft in cold.
I am certain that there are many more things to address, this has only been a few but it is meant to get you thinking about comfort and extending your time in the air with your DarkAero or any other long-distance capable airplane.
Dream and Have FUN!
To be continued….