Special Twin Commander Hypoxia Training Course

Dr. Paul Buza’s Southern AeroMedical Institute—SAMI—is offering to conduct its DeSat slow-onset hypoxia training course exclusively for Twin Commander pilots.

SAMI’s DeSat program teaches the importance of recognizing the dangers of slow-onset hypoxia. The SAMI program was developed as an evolution of the standard FAA model, which focuses on rapid/explosive decompression.

The training is conducted in SAMI’s high-altitude chamber while flying a Garmin G1000 and utilizing a Zodiac Aerospace Mask System. Each pilot is provided a video recording of the chamber experience, which begins at 10,000 feet and climbs up to 22,000 feet. The pilot is in communication with ATC while flying the Garmin G1000 simulator panel. In addition to ATC communication, Dr. Buza supervises the pilot’s oxygen saturation levels and pulse to help them safely recognize a minimum of three lifesaving sensations.

SAMI hyperbaric chamber

SAMI hyperbaric chamber

The FAA and international high-altitude training standards involve large groups in altitude chambers where the time of useful consciousness is three minutes or less. In SAMI’s program, pilots are able to feel the effects of slow-onset hypoxia over significantly longer periods of time in a safe training environment. The video provided to the pilots is an excellent tool to use through the years as recurrent training.

The SAMI program is not to be confused with reduced-oxygen breathing programs, as use of an altitude chamber remains the gold standard in true physiological training.

The DeSat course, conducted at SAMI’s facility in Melbourne, Florida, includes four hours of ground school (three hours on hypoxia, and one hour on fatigue), a chamber training flight, catered lunch, a hypoxia training video, a hypoxia fingerprint card, a review with Dr. Buza of a video of your chamber session, and an altitude chamber certificate.

The special Twin Commander course begins at 1:00 p.m. on a Friday and concludes the next afternoon. The deeply discounted price is $995 per person, which is what SAMI charges for its half-day DeSat training course.

The course is limited to 12 people, and SAMI is offering a choice of two different training date: October 28-29, which is the Friday and Saturday before the November 1-3 National Business Aviation Association Convention in Orlando, or November 4-5, immediately following NBAA.

For more information about SAMI’s slow-onset hypoxia training, visit http://sami-aeromedical.com/hypoxia-training-programs/advanced-chamber-program

To sign up for the special Twin Commander DeSat course, contact Jenelle Buza, SAMI’s Project Director, at  [email protected], telephone 321-676-3200.