Lightspeed Delta Zulu^® Saves Lives

I’ve been a CFI/CFII since 2019 and thought I would splurge and treat myself to a new headset. Something a bit more comfortable, with better sounds, etc. was the goal. The recording option didn’t really draw me in, but the CO monitor did. The [Lightspeed] Delta Zulu headset may have done more than just pay for itelf several times over… The following happened a couple days ago. While flying a Piper Cherokee 180 we had an interesting event while performing slow flight maneuvers. A 33PPM CO high/hazardous warning at 4k’ annunciation came across the headset.

We quickly checked vents and opened the side window. The PPM dropped to 16-17 but stayed there. Once on the ground and the door wide open it finally dropped to 06PPM. I, along with my student, were very happy this headset was recently purchased. I’ve recommended your headsets to everyone one of my students prior, and now there’s a testament to your brand. Thank you for a forward thinking design on your products.

I was giving a flight review in a Robinson R-44 helicopter (factory installed CO detector). The review pilot had a new Lightspeed Delta Zulu. I had a Sentry Plus operating. During the flight, the DZ indicated CO.

We checked the app for levels and returned to the airport. Neither the Sentry or the Factory CO detector alarmed. Notified maintenance, and they discovered a broken bolt on an exhaust clamp. Made me a believer.

This morning however you might have saved my life. We could not find another headset in the Cherokee Six so I took your new Lightspeed [Delta Zulu]. I was checking out a client for a trip. The [carbon] monoxide detector kept going off and further testing revealed a muffler leak.

In a recent flight training assignment, I was to get an airplane and train the new owners how to fly it. Immediately after gear retraction, the computer voice in the headset came online with a voice saying, “Carbon Monoxide Critical Level.” My first thought in this situation was to open the window, but because of the air pressure, I could not get it open. I remained in the traffic pattern and landed immediately. The short trip around the traffic pattern gave me a headache for about three hours. It ended up that I had a bad exhaust system. A mechanic at the airport inspected the exhaust system and corrected the problem, and a few days later, we were back in the air.

We have had a previous experience with carbon monoxide with one of our Bonanza Baron Pilot Training Program (BPT) pilot customers, and the instructor ended up in the hospital from carbon monoxide poisoning. So, our program purchased the black spot CO detectors and provided them to our pilot customers and instructors at future clinics. The black spot detectors work, but you do need to remember to look at them often. Complacency sets in, and they may go unnoticed. They also need to be replaced often.

Both carbon monoxide and hypoxia have been issues, which surfaced in the news recently. As many of you are aware, a business jet recently overflew our nation’s capitol and crashed with the pilot apparently incapacitated from hypoxia. I urge our readers to address a possible carbon monoxide issue before it happens to them. There are numerous CO detectors available for aircraft that can be permanently installed or consider the “[Lightspeed] Delta-Zulu” headset, which was my choice as I fly in many different airplanes on a regular basis.

“I think they [the headset] saved the day and this is a really worthwhile feature that comes with the [Lightspeed] Delta Zulu”.

In an AOPA article AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE: DIGGING DEEP FOR A POISONOUS GAS LEAK, Jeff Simon, A&P mechanic, IA, pilot, aircraft owner and owner of SocialFlight.com shares his story of the Lightspeed Delta Zulu detecting an issue at the beginning of his annual inspection.

“A remarkable thing happened while we were testing the airplane at the beginning of our annual inspection. The Lightspeed Delta Zulu headset we were testing that day started warning us about carbon monoxide.”

First off I suppose it is appropriate to mention that I have been using Lightspeed products for quite some time. My first Lightspeed headset was a 20K which I believe I purchased in 1999. When Lightspeed announced the introduction of the [Lightspeed] Delta Zulu it immediately appealed to me as I provide flight instruction in a variety of aircraft both operated by flight schools as well as individually owned aircraft. I started using the [Lightspeed] Delta Zulu in mid December of 2022, all flights were unremarkable until late January of this year when I was working with a client in his aircraft when I got a CO audible warning of high CO barely a minute after takeoff.

I took a look at the Lightspeed App and confirmed that the [Lightspeed] Delta Zulu was detecting CO with a full scale reading on the app. I informed my client of the CO alarm and asked him to turn off the cabin heater. Within a minute the CO level on the app dropped to a safe level of less than 10 PPM CO and stayed there. Next course of business for my client is to have the exhaust and cabin heater systems examined and repaired as necessary. It’s quite satisfying to have the [Lightspeed] Delta Zulu detect a CO leak and so soon after I had started using the product to make me aware of a potential hazard to life and aviation.

This is where I’m so glad I have the [Lightspeed] Delta Zulus because as we took off, I got an audible alarm saying that the carbon monoxide levels were too high. I was able to pull the app up real quick and look and we were up in the 60s.

Enroute home I started feeling pretty crappy.  I developed a severe headache as well as nausea, lethargy and sleepiness. Then the headset started squawking at me about Carbon monoxide levels are high and then Critical. The App showed readings of 120 PPM. Until the headset alerted me I did not put all the symptoms I had together. I do not know how many red flags I would have needed to realize I was suffering from Carbon Monoxide poisoning.

Interestingly neither I or my fellow pilot realized it.  He had no notable effects but mine were fairly severe. I smoke and he does not. Had I been flying alone this headset could have made the difference between life and death. I would suggest your marketing strategy needs to really play up these two features for us older pilots who may have some hearing damage and the safety aspect of the carbon Monoxide warnings. You have made a convert out of me.

Finally you may be interested to know that while flying the S2C the carbon monoxide monitor went off a number of times. I was sort of wondering why at times we would get a headaches post flight in this aircraft and with your monitor it’s obvious that this is a carbon monoxide issue. We will need to do some further testing but I’m sure in the future we’re going to extend the exhaust stacks on the engine.

Interestingly neither I or my fellow pilot realized it.  He had no notable effects but mine were fairly severe. I smoke and he does not.  Had I been flying alone this headset could have made the difference between life and death.  I would suggest your marketing strategy needs to really play up these two features for us older pilots who may have some hearing damage and the safety aspect of the carbon monoxide warnings.  You have made a convert out of me.