Hello,
While the Venice trip has been cancelled, I am still looking into doing this trip. A 70% chance at this stage and perhaps on other dates. Anyhow, I have little experience of flying at altitudes where you start to require oxygen.
On my plog, I may need to sit at FL125 for about 45 minutes without oxygen. I know the law states that 30 minutes or more at FL100 you need oxygen but is this a conservative view? I have only ever sat at that height, once, due to weather and as a muuuuch younger man and I did not appear to suffer from the “lack of oxygen”?
Can one hire portable oxygen systems? Guess I could google it. Are these portable systems self explanatory to use or do you require “differences training”?? It might be useful to have it on board as on the return leg, if there is weather I can route VFR on top all the way home as I should have a 6-7 hr endurance. Should the weather be cavok then all the above not an issue as I will be down low flying the Valleys. 
Thanks
I believe the US rule is max FL125 without oxygen, so in some sense max FL100 is conservative. On the other hand you will not notice if you suffer from lack of oxygen so you should be very careful.
The Venice fly-in has only been moved to Portoroz which is just down the road from Venice.
I don’t know if you can hire oxygen systems but they are simple to use especially if it is a constant flow type.
At FL120 the individual ability to function is pretty variable. I have flown with one instructor who could not read the altimeter at 120. But most people are not too bad. Heart rate probably over 100, according to one test I was in c. 2005.
I have never seen a healthy person having problems at FL120, and I flew across the Alps at that altitude dozens of times in my Warrior without O2. But over FL 120 I always use it now. I used to cross the Alps at FL130 without, but I don’t do that anymore…. I’m 15 years older too now.
Not sure if these things meet the legal requirements or indeed if they are any good. I just bought some and intend to try them out on my next flight where I get into the 10k+ region.
In any case, I think the reaction to high altitudes vary considerably from one person to the next: smoking yes/no, age, physical fitness, altitude you normally live at. I spent a long time on and off working in southern Africa at altitudes in the 5-6k region and upon returning to Europe a hike in the Alps was definitely easier than before!
I have never seen a healthy person having problems at FL120,
Not even headaches? I know a FI, he is a marathon runner and needs a mask with high flow.
According to the german rules you can fly up to FL 120 without O2 forever, between FL 120 and FL 130 for 30 minutes and above FL 130 you always have to use O2. So I suppose there’s no general problem for most of us. However, since I use O2 above FL 100, I feel much fitter and saturation is >90%.
That aerosol can device will be completely and totally useless, @172driver. You need the gas to be fed in at every breath.
Thanks for the replies. Interesting.
@Markus
I have heard that some people suffer from headaches over FL100, but I have never seen it. I must admit though that when I started flying wit O2 over FL100 I did feel fresher and less tired even after long flights!
