PLTwnab

I haven't ever flown comercially in my life, but I just have a quick question...I've heard that your ears pop out of pressure when you fly. Do pilots just get used to this? Or does it stop after a while? Or does it just drive you insane? Just curious. Thanks.

rickair7777

You normally don't notice the presure change when climbing because your ear's structure more easily equalizes decreasing pressure.

When descending, especially rapidly (like 2000 fpm or more) it's possible for the outside pressure to squeeze your eustachian tubes (the inner ear vents) closed...this traps lower pressure air in the inner ear.

As the outside pressure increases both the eardrum and inner (tympanic) membrane get compressed inward...in extreme cases the eardrum or the tym. membrane can rupture. The eardrum can usually be repaired, but if the tym. membrane ruptures you can do a LOT of PERMANENT damage to the inner ear mechanism...major or total hearing loss is likely to result from this.

It's not usually a problem in normal operations, if necessary you can use the same techniques that divers use ...valsalva manuever, yawning, etc.

Divers experience far greater pressure changes than pilots do, but they also have on thing in their favor: The pressure increase occurs on the way DOWN for divers...if they get an ear squeeze that they can't equalize, they just abort the dive and return to the surface.

Pilots experience the squeeze on the way down also...but that means you're already up you will need to find some way to equalize. You have no choice... you have to come down eventually, when you run out of fuel if not sooner. This is why you shouldn't fly with any significant sinus congestion. You may not realize you have a problem until you attempt to descend!

SCUBA diving manuals usually explain this stuff pretty well, including the structure of the inner ear and equalizing techniques.

the King

Yeah. Another important point is that the majority of the pressure change occurs in the first 5000 feet. So in puddle jumpers, doing training with clogged sinuses is no safer. This is also the reason why pax have so much trouble on airliners. It isn't the altitude of the plane since cabin altitude rarely goes above 8000. Just the rapid addition of 30% of the atmosphere.

Puckhead

I had asked a similar questions earlier about colds since I had one at the time and was told to wait. Well let me say I waited like another week felt ok took a ride.....miserable. LUCKILY ten minutes after landing I got them to equalize but thats just my experience. How long will airlines give you off if you have this problem?

rickair7777

Airlines allow you so many sick calls before being fired (6 in a year is typical) but one sick call can last as long as it needs to...days, weeks, or months but it's still only one sick call.

Where people get in trouble is they call in sick, start to feel better, go back to work the next day. The stress of work reverses their recovery and they call in sick again...that's two sick calls.

Once you call in sick, don't come back until you are 100% sure you're recovered.

PLTwnab

thanks for the responses guys...my brother wears earplugs when he's diving and he said it helps him some. Does anyone think that would help when you're flying or would it just make it hard to hear your co-pilots and the ATC?

rickair7777

VERY, VERY BAD FOR DIVING! They can get forced into the inner ear. Professional divers don't do this.

People wear them for flying, but only to reduce background noise. You tun your headset volume way up to overcome the ear plug attenuation. Works pretty good for reducing noise and making it easier to hear radio calls, but has nothing to do with ear clearing.

freefall

They do make special ear plugs for diving.