In the cockpit of a small airplane you’re immersed in the power plant that moves your wings through the air. But that same engine might also move you to your next life in an unpleasant way, because carbon monoxide (CO) is a deadly gas lurking in the exhaust. The NTSB urges pilots to consider the danger of CO and has asked the FAA to consider requiring a Carbon monoxide detector airplane
Should you take a carbon monoxide detector when you travel?
A CO detector measures the presence of carbon monoxide and sounds an alarm if it’s detected. A warning at the first sign of carbon monoxide could give you enough time to invoke emergency protocols, reduce or stop the source of the poisoning, and even land safely before the gas saturation reaches levels dangerous to flight.
You can buy a simple CO detector that costs less than the annual premium for your pilot’s insurance policy. Consumer models use a chemical reaction to sense the invisible gas and alert you to its presence with a color-change indicator and aural alarms. These detectors should be placed in a visible location where the pilot can see them, and should not be located close to any heater or ventilation outlet. They can be triggered by halogen chemicals, alcohol or nitrous oxide, and direct sunlight will bleach the indicator spot and shorten the unit’s useful life.
For a panel-mounted solution you can rely on, check out the AERO 553-101-001, which features a digital display of CO from 10 to 999 ppm and fits in a standard 2.25-inch instrument panel cutout. It offers a self-test and calibration feature and has alarm memory to display exposure history, plus an approximate COHb level for the pilot in case of an inflight exposure event.