Narrative:

Scheduled 31 hour hypoxic layover as indicated on sequence on the B767 international bid sheet has a 31 hour scheduled layover in quito. I have flown this trip and complained to my chief pilot about the excessive layover time in quito. The station altitude is 9300 ft MSL. Everyone has some sort of problems with the altitude. The hotel even puts aspirin in the amenities kit in the bathroom. I believe this excessive time at this altitude is dangerous and an accident waiting to happen. The FAA on their own web sights states that if you are in an unpressurized aircraft at 10000 ft MSL you should wear oxygen during the day and at 5000 ft MSL at night. So again, why are we allowed to spend so much time at 9300 ft MSL on a layover. The effects of hypoxia are supposedly cumulative. I cannot think of any air carrier aircraft that would have a cabin altitude this high even at its maximum service ceiling. Then why are we allowed to pilot an aircraft after spending 31 hours in an oxygen deprived state. Isn't judgement one of the first mental faculties to go when you are hypoxic?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR B757 PIC RPT ON AN ALLEGED VIOLATION OF FAR 121 PT 369 BY HIS COMPANY REGARDING THE LONG HIGH ALT 'HYPOXIC' LAYOVER SCHEDULED AT 9300 FT MSL AT SEQU, FO.

Narrative: SCHEDULED 31 HR HYPOXIC LAYOVER AS INDICATED ON SEQUENCE ON THE B767 INTL BID SHEET HAS A 31 HR SCHEDULED LAYOVER IN QUITO. I HAVE FLOWN THIS TRIP AND COMPLAINED TO MY CHIEF PLT ABOUT THE EXCESSIVE LAYOVER TIME IN QUITO. THE STATION ALT IS 9300 FT MSL. EVERYONE HAS SOME SORT OF PROBS WITH THE ALT. THE HOTEL EVEN PUTS ASPIRIN IN THE AMENITIES KIT IN THE BATHROOM. I BELIEVE THIS EXCESSIVE TIME AT THIS ALT IS DANGEROUS AND AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. THE FAA ON THEIR OWN WEB SIGHTS STATES THAT IF YOU ARE IN AN UNPRESSURIZED ACFT AT 10000 FT MSL YOU SHOULD WEAR OXYGEN DURING THE DAY AND AT 5000 FT MSL AT NIGHT. SO AGAIN, WHY ARE WE ALLOWED TO SPEND SO MUCH TIME AT 9300 FT MSL ON A LAYOVER. THE EFFECTS OF HYPOXIA ARE SUPPOSEDLY CUMULATIVE. I CANNOT THINK OF ANY ACR ACFT THAT WOULD HAVE A CABIN ALT THIS HIGH EVEN AT ITS MAX SVC CEILING. THEN WHY ARE WE ALLOWED TO PILOT AN ACFT AFTER SPENDING 31 HRS IN AN OXYGEN DEPRIVED STATE. ISN'T JUDGEMENT ONE OF THE FIRST MENTAL FACULTIES TO GO WHEN YOU ARE HYPOXIC?

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.