Oxygen

The carriage and use of supplementary oxygen is mandatory when flying above 10,000 feet pressure altitude in Australia.  However, many glider pilots take the precautionary step of commencing oxygen use at lower altitudes in order to maintain the highest level of mental alertness and physical well-being, particularly in potentially stressful situations such as competition flying.  This is to be highly commended.  Details on the uses, care of equipment, installations, safety aspects and health requirements can be found in other references such as MOSP parts 2 & 3. The following paragraphs however deal with the more practical (often frustrating) aspects associated with obtaining professional servicing and re-filling of airborne oxygen cylinders with Aviators Dry Breathing Oxygen (ADBO).

 Members may have found it difficult and expensive to get a privately-owned cylinder refilled. You may even have found it impossible to get the cylinder tested and re-certified. What becomes quickly apparent is that the major oxygen suppliers have no interest, and make no provision for, filling cylinders which are not their own. That is, you can rent cylinders from them but not supply your own. This approach severely restricts the options in getting re-fills and many locations have only aviation type outlets willing to assist, at a price appropriate to their industry.

 Airborne oxygen cylinders, whether fabricated from steel, aluminium or composite materials, are required to undergo hydro-static pressure testing to 1.67 times rated maximum pressure every five years.  The ID of the testing station and date of test is then imprinted on the shoulder of the cylinder. Note: Cylinders that are not current cannot legally be re-filled. Most steel and aluminium cylinders have an unlimited life-span, but composite cylinders must be retired from service no later than 15 years from date of manufacture.

 So, members may face two challenges – firstly having the cylinder tested (if required) and secondly getting the cylinder re-filled with ADBO. These two services are rarely available from the one vendor – often testing stations do not re-fill cylinders and, furthermore, re-filling stations may not supply ADBO, although practically all will supply medical oxygen.  In practical terms this should not be considered a problem as medical oxygen (and also welding oxygen) meets the quality specification for ADBO.  Present-day oxygen production technology and quality control has for ever dispelled the old-wives-tales of unacceptable moisture levels and cylinder purging procedures between oxygen “grades”.

 The following links take members to known sources of cylinder hydrostatic testing and re-certification, cylinder re-filling and service centres which are sympathetic to our needs and willing to be open minded regarding cost for service. 

An alternate view on Oxygen    – is it special?, what are the traps and dangers

Oxygen equipment providers – Service organisations – Refill outlets

If you have other reliable sources in your state or city who can assist in this area, please contact the web administrator with details to enable inclusion and expansion of the following information.