Aviation - Oxidizers and Compressed Oxygen

Compressed oxygen and oxidizers must be loaded, unloaded, and transported following the special requirements found in §175.501.

When loading and unloading cylinders containing compressed gas, the following conditions must be met:

• In addition to the quantity limitations in §175.75, no more than a combined total of six cylinders can be stowed within an inaccessible cargo compartment that does not have fire or smoke detection and fire suppressions systems.
• When loading into a passenger-carrying aircraft or in an inaccessible cargo location on a cargo-only aircraft, cylinders must be stowed horizontally on the floor.
• When transported in a Class B aircraft cargo compartment, cylinders must be loaded in a manner that allows a crewmember to see, handle, and separate cylinders from other cargo during flight. No more than six cylinders may be carried in a Class B aircraft cargo compartment, in addition to one cylinder of medical-use compressed oxygen per passenger needing oxygen at destination that does not exceed a capacity of 1,000 L (34 cubic feet).

Cylinders containing medical-use compressed oxygen can be carried in the cabin of a passenger-carrying aircraft if:

• No more than six cylinders belonging to aircraft operator, and in addition, no more than one cylinder per passenger needing the oxygen at destination are allowed in the cabin of the aircraft.
• The capacity of each cylinder does not exceed 1,000 L (34 cubic feet).
• Each cylinder is placed in an outer packaging that meets the criteria of Air Transport Association Specification 300 for a Category I Shipping Container, or within a metal, plastic, or wood outer packaging that conforms to a UN standard at the Packing Group I or II performance level.
• The aircraft operator stows the cylinder within its overpack or outer packaging and notifies the pilot-in-command as specified in §175.33.

Except for Oxygen, compressed, no person may load or transport a HAZMAT for which an OXIDIZER label is required in an inaccessible cargo compartment that does not have a fire or smoke detection system and a fire suppression system.

Specific exceptions for cylinders of compressed oxygen or other oxidizing gases transported within the State of Alaska can be found in §175.34.

To learn more about Aviation HAZMAT visit our DOT Aviation HAZMAT Online Training web page.