FAA Authorized Portable Oxygen Concentrators

One of the major problems for patients who mustauthorized units now number 11 as in early 2010 four
have supplemental oxygen relates to their mobilitymore models were added to this list.
and this problem can be even greater when traveling.This list is now composed of the following:
Their options for mobile oxygen units are oxygen- Delphi Medical Systems RS-00400
tanks that carry liquid oxygen; oxygen cylinders that- Invacare XPO2
hold compressed oxygen gas; and finally portable- AirSep Lifestyle
oxygen concentrators that extract oxygen from- AirSep Freestyle
surrounding air.- IInogen One
Over the last few years mobility has been a major- SeQual Eclipse
focus of manufacturers and as a result of their- Respironics EverGo
efforts patients today are much more mobile and- DeVilbiss Healthcare's iGo,
therefore freer to move around, to participate in- International Biophysics Corporation's LifeChoice,
many types of activities that were virtually impossible- Inogen's Inogen One G2
just a few years ago. Today portable oxygen- Oxlife's Independence Oxygen Concentrator.
concentrators have become the most popularFAA regulations state that all U.S. carriers and all
alternative as they are lighter, they are moreairlines that fly over U.S. airspace must permit any
maneuverable and since they do not store oxygen aspassenger that needs supplemental oxygen to bring
such, but retrieve it from the air that surrounds uson board a portable oxygen concentrator that has
they are much more practical.been approved. These approved oxygen units should
The US Department of Transport, through the FAAhave the manufacturers label indicating it is an FAA
have authorized various models of portable oxygenauthorized concentrator.
concentrators to be carried and used on board allThe use of these units is allowed during all phases of
airplanes that fly over U.S. airspace. This means thatthe flight and this means from the moment the
carriers must allow passengers to bring on board anypassenger boards the plan until he disembarks - in
of the authorized portable concentrators. Theother words during taxing, flight, takeoff and landing.