High altitude radiation chart. Wanted?

[tightcannon]

Hi all
There used to be a radiation/max flight altitude chart for the Australian region. does anyone know where it has been hidden in the CAO's, CAR's. With QF and VB now operating at FL410 on long flights ie BN-PH and across the middle ie ASP. I am concerned with rad levels, BTW does the A320 get to FL410 very often.

[CaptainMidnight]

You might look over the IPS Radio and Space Services (http://www.ips.gov.au) site. Or drop them a line. I'm not familiar with the chart you seek, but I suspect they would be the agency to assist. Have a look under the "Space Weather" link.

[4Greens]

You have to fly at much higher latitudes to have a problem.

[Yeah..Whatever]

Aparantly, this is not a problem until you start to fly above FL470, would be interested if you do find any info. Ansett used to have some tables on radiation that were handed out as a memo once.

[tightcannon]

Thanks guys what worries me is that the airline that I work for doesnt seem to know about it either. As far as I know (corporate aside) QF and DJ are the first airlines to regularly operate at 410 midday in summer and the incidence of skin cancer seems to be increasing. I guess I am concerned that we dont end up with the Bae 146, Asbestosis type of health issues.
There used to be a chart arround 2001 that look like a sigwx and from what I remember you couldnt operate around the centre oz oz in summer at 410. Maybe I am being silly but when older Captains in thier 50's are taking time off work to get face peels I wonder how I will be in 20 years time.

[LanFranc]

TC,
Check out FAA AC120-52 for an eyeopening assesment of the radiation threat to aircrew. Read it before you let anyone tell you you have to get above FL470 for it "to become a problem."

The U.S. is hardly a "worker friendly" environment so I have to think the info is pretty valid. Interestingly, neither the FAA nor the airlines do anything about it although TWA used to issue cumulative doseage meters to crew to measure continued exposure.

The A320 tops out at FL390 but at the airline I work we have long legs, most over 4 hours so 330 - 370 is the norm. This is a bigger problem than most pilots are aware but because it takes so long to manifest itself, the realisation will come too late.

Cheers,

[Capt Fathom]

QF and DJ are the first airlines to regularly operate at 410 midday in summer
AN & QF have operated 767s for a long time (AN early 80's, QF since 1985). If there were to be any problems, they may be starting to appear now. The 767 generally operates between FL350 & FL410.
The ceiling for the 767 is FL430, and for the 747, FL450. The 747 has been around since the early 70's, but due to the nature of it's longhaul flying, it rarely spends much time above FL390.
Longhaul business jets also spend a lot of time in the 40000' range.

[cribble]

Tight

The following links may get you to where you will have a good feel for the risks and what factors drive the risks:

http://www.cami.jccbi.gov/AAM-600/radiation/600radio.html#MV
http://www.hps.org/publicinformation/ate/Cat38.html
and
http://www.spaceweather.noaa.gov/

If these don't answer the question, just follow some of the links the above links contain

[F111]

tightcannon,

Looking through some old ops manuals and I found this.

Ozone Concentration

The Table below shows the airplane altitude limitations due to ozone concentration in atmosphere.

Limitations are only applicable to flight duration longer than 3 hours.

The table is based on FAA Advisory Circular No 120.38

Flt Lvl JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
Lat

43 S 310 300 300 300 310 270 310

36 S - - 310 310 - - -


I'm sure that blue baseball cap you now have will protect you from the sun. Otherwise I'll give you my red one, can't have the sun destroying your good looks ;)