New Mexico Pilots Association Notice

HIGH ALTITUDE CHAMBER TRAINING OFFERED


January 6 - NMPA in partnership with the FAA and the USAF is able to offer an all-day USAF High Altitude Chamber aerospace physiology class and a high altitude chamber flight on March 18, 2006.  For New Mexico pilots who fly in the mountains and above 10,000 feet AGL, this is the opportunity to learn, first-hand, in a safe environment, what happens to you when you become hypoxic.  You will experience and learn what your personal signs are when getting hypoxia.

The course will begin at 9 am at Holloman AFB in Alamogordo (and end around 4 pm) with the physiology classes and then the chamber flight.  At the end of the course
you will receive an FAA Form 3150-1 noting completion of the FAA's Physiological Training Course.  If you also want a logbook entry we will have a CFI present who can make an entry in your logbook.

The attendees will meet at the Alamogordo Airport (ALM) where a USAF bus will meet us and leave at 8:30 am to take us to the USAF Base.  Even if you are driving you must go to the course on this bus.  There is a restaurant in the terminal building which should be open for breakfast.  Lunch will be available on the Base.  At the completion of the course around 4 pm the bus will return everyone to the airport.

At this same time NMPA safety counselors will be presenting in the morning a WINGS safety seminar to members of the Holloman AFB Aero Club.

There is a $50, no-refundable fee to the FAA to sign up for the course.  The completed applications and $50 must be in to the FAA 30 days before the course on Friday 17 February.  This application and money (check or money order) is not to be sent to the FAA but to this course point of contact, NMPA president, Bob Worthington, who will make all arrangements with the USAF and the FAA.  Worthington has the FAA application form and can email them to you (preferred way) or regular mail them to you. Contact Bob at 505 522-6785 (leave a message if no one answers) or email at rworthin@zianet.com .  Bob must have all the applications and checks in hand no later than Monday 13 February 2006.
 

There is a requirement for at least 12 people for the USAF to hold this course.  There is a maximum number of attendees which is 18.  This means if we can't get at least 12 attendees it will not be held and the once we have 18 people apply, that is all we can take.  No one under 18 can attend.  You must hold a current FAA medical certificate; you cannot have a beard of any sort; and you must complete the physiological class before entering the chamber.

This is a very rare opportunity to go through a high altitude chamber program that is not offered very often.  The info and the application will be posted to the NMPA website (www.nmpilots.org) so you can read it and download it to send to Worthington.

It is suggested if you live some distance from Alamogordo you consider arriving Friday afternoon or evening and stay in a motel in town so you will not be pushed to get to the airport before 8:30 am.

According to Bob Worthington, NMPA President, this course will be the March NMPA fly-in and safety seminar.

***  To download application click HERE.