I need advice from a Jet Fighter Pilot
Emmy Hazan
I am doing a project and don't know where to turn for advice.
Question: How does an Jet Fighter Pilot cope with ear pressure when
ascending or descending very quickly?
Is the cockpit pressurised?
Do you use ear plugs?
I am desperate so if you can point me in the right direction that would
help.
Thanks
Emmy
Capt. Zombo
In article <6n0i56$uk$1...@news.enterprise.net>, "Emmy Hazan"
<em...@enterprise.net> wrote:
I'm not a Jet Fighter Pilot, but have gone through the USAF's
physiology course and chamber rides in preparation for some high
altitude flying I'm currently doing out of Nellis AFB. Staying
ahead of ear pressure changes is really not that big of a deal. Most
new aircraft cockpits are pressurized and of those that are not, many
at least pressurize to a differential pressure to help with the
extreme changes.
Ascending is usually much easier than descending. There is a relief
valve in your nose and sinuses (sorry - can't recall the name) that
lets the inner ear release pressure during ascent. On descent, the
trick is to get pressure back into your ear against that valve. There
is a technique called the "valsalva" whereby you pinch off the bridge
of your nose and then gently blow. The process forces air across the
relief valve and back up into the inner ear. Try it - just be careful
not to blow to hard!
Ear plugs are not used and in fact, would probably be more
problemmatic than helpful.
I received my training at Beale AFB in CA through the
The 9th Physiological Support Squadron (9 PSPTS). They have
some web pages that you might find give you more information
that just the effects of ear pressure. There's also hypoxia,
DCS, various problems with trapped gases, and for the folks
that fly _real_ high (U2, SR-71, WB-57, etc..) and above
Armstrong's line, there's the problem of evolved gases caused
by tissue and blood "boiling" at body temperatures.
I'm most familiar with the WB-57 which we'll be flying early
next year. In the case of the WB-57, the aircraft flies at
over 65,000 ft. The cockpit and pressurized palette is pressurized
to 31,000 ft. Both occupants wear pressure suits that are kept
to about 28,000 ft. In the event of a pressurization failure,
the pilot and back-seater's suits should maintain enough pressure
to avoid any serious injury. The pilot and GIB are also breathing
pure oxygen prior to and during the flight to eliminate evolved
nitrogen bubbles from forming in the bloodstream.
The 9 PSPTS pages can be found at....
http://www.beale.af.mil/9mdg/9pspts/homepg/HAZARDS.HTM
-Zombo out-
Darrell Schmidt
I can't think of any jet aircraft, fighter, bomber, or transport that is
not pressurized. Bombers and Transports are pressurized to around 7 to 8
PSID and fighters are normally only about 4.5 PSID to avoid explosive
decompression problems if they lose pressure during combat. Of course in a
prolonged rapid descent the aircraft can descend faster than the
pressurization system can correct for. If this happens, the aircraft
continues the descent unpressurized and that can cause ear problems.
Most Bombers' and Transports' cabin altitudes are around 8,000' MSL when
the aircraft is at cruise altitude.
> Question: How does an Jet Fighter Pilot cope with ear pressure when
> ascending or descending very quickly?
>
> Is the cockpit pressurised?
> Do you use ear plugs?
--
My Home Page: http://home.pacbell.net/schmidt/ (B-58 "Hustler")
VooDooIron
dont use ear plugs... on the acent inner ear will relieve pressure
automatically, (think of your inner ear chamber as a ballon filled with
air...thus any loss of outside pressure, the ballon naturally releases air
pressure inside to equalize). The biggy....is on the way down... into thicker
air/ higher pressure..now air has to equalize by getting back into the
"balloon".... so one "yawns" or moves jaw outward...to 'OPEN-the balloon inlet,
(ephasian-tube). do it listen for the little krinklin inside the ears...thats
it. Big problem if aviator has 'cold/flu...the lil tube is obscured with
'muckus' and more likely will be unable to relieve pressure on way
down,,,resulting in a screaming pain!
Rod Madsen
Going from sea level to 50,000 feet represents a change in presure on the eardrums
of less than 14 pounds/ square inch. A similar change in pressure is encountered
by a scuba diver ascending from 25 feet to the surface. This is absolutely no
problem for most people with a little training.
Jack Kenton
As everyone says, the pressure relieves itself via the eustachian tube.
Flying with a cold is a no-no and gets you grounded. This is one item that
is an obvious problem with a head cold. If in normal health, this is no
factor. In days gone by, we would do high-altitude instrument approaches
via a "penetration" descent into a military field -- going down at more than
5000 fpm in Panthers and Cougars (often flown unpressurized as a flight
would typically be finished in less than 2 hrs).