Aircraft Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Yes, a CO detector is strongly recommended for any piston aircraft with a cabin heater. The heater warms air across the engine exhaust, so a cracked exhaust shroud can send carbon monoxide into the cabin. A detector gives early warning of a leak you cannot see, smell, or taste before it impairs you.

The FAA does not currently mandate a CO detector in most general aviation aircraft, though the NTSB has recommended requiring active CO detectors after investigating fatal poisoning accidents. Because it is inexpensive, lifesaving protection, nearly all safety-minded pilots carry one regardless of the rule.

Mount the detector on the panel or glareshield, in your normal field of view, with the sensor inlet unobstructed. Keep it away from fresh-air vents that could dilute a reading and out of direct sunlight or heat. For a card type, choose a spot you scan regularly during your instrument flow.

Aviation detectors are built to alert at low concentrations, often warning in the range of roughly 10 to 35 PPM with staged escalating alarms above that. This is far earlier than typical home alarms, which can wait until 70 PPM for an hour before sounding, a delay that is unsafe at altitude.

It is not recommended. Home CO alarms are designed to delay alerting until CO has been present at high levels for a long period, which is too slow and too high for flight. An aviation detector alarms at lower concentrations and far sooner, giving you time to react while still able to fly.

Treat it as an emergency. Shut off the cabin heat, open fresh-air vents and any storm window, and consider supplemental oxygen if available. Land as soon as practical and have the exhaust system inspected before flying again. Do not dismiss an alarm as a false reading while symptoms could be building.