Cheap/easy O2 bottle mounting (side-by-side models)

[Paul Eastham]

I know lots of guys are paying for the stock mounts at $70+, but I've never seen this fairly intuitive and cheaper alternative posted anywhere. Maybe this route is easier to stomach, especially if you leave your bottle in the plane most of the time.

Two pieces of scrap .063 bent and attached into the existing nutplates on the flap housing. Put two slots in each for hose clamps from the hardware store. Seems very sturdy, just keep the aluminum straps nice and wide for extra strength.

[kevinh]

Looks good! For an alternate approach:

I purchased an EMS oxygen bag similar to this one: http://www.buyemp.com/product/1070202.html. I then made and riveted a piece of angle aluminum with slots cut to serve as attachments for the velcro straps. The great thing about these bags are:

• They have straps meant to attach the bottle to a gurney. I just needed to make a place for those straps to attach to the plane (same place you attached yours)
• They include a little pocket to hold the flow monitors/cannulas.
• Everything stays in the bag till I'm ready to take it with
• About $20.

[Paul Eastham]

That sounds cool -- the pocket would definitely come in handy. I'm still struggling with the added clutter...

[Leland]

Originally Posted by Paul Eastham

ITwo pieces of scrap .063 bent and attached into the existing nutplates on the flap housing. Put two slots in each for hose clamps from the hardware store. Seems very sturdy, just keep the aluminum straps nice and wide for extra strength.

I also mounted my bottle on back of the flap housing. The only problem is that I have to unfasten my seat belts to reach around and turn the main valve on. More than once I've bumped the stick with my knee while twisting and knocked the plane off course, or on its side. I can reach around and adjust the O2 flow with belts fastened. Others have put the bottle on the right side of the cockpit so they can reach the valve more easily.

[Paul Eastham]

Agreed, it's not the easiest spot to reach in-flight. Personally I can (barely) reach it if I loosen my shoulder straps.

The right-front corner is probably more convenient, but takes at least a little more work to mount there. There are some good photos posted on this forum on how to mount in that location.

[Norman CYYJ]

Put the bottle horizontal across the seat backs on top of the cross member. Then you can adjust the regulator which will be on the right side with no trouble. Works well for me and a lot of others in this area.

[Dave Cole]

Mounting a heavy metal object behind your head could result in a BIG headache (and a broken neck) in the event of a rapid deceleration incident.

Mounitng the oxygen botttle behind the flap actuator housing would be a much safer location.

[Mike S]

Originally Posted by Dave Cole

Mounting a heavy metal object behind your head could result in a BIG headache (and a broken neck) in the event of a rapid deceleration incident.

Or bad turbulence------all depends on how/where it is mounted.

[Norman CYYJ]

You are right it could cause a big head ache if it wasn't tied down. If tied down properly and it broke free you would be dead anyway with that kind of deceleration. The seat belt shoulder straps would have to break or cut your arms off at the shoulders before the seat backs could move forward. I hope you guys are tying down all the junk you are carrying in the baggage area to prevent it from coming forward during rapid deceleration and rough air.