Lesson 19 ADM, CRM and Review of Cross Country Planning
Ear and Sinus Block
This happens when the Eustachian tube gets blocked and the pressure will not equalize
Symptoms:
Very painful in ears or behind the eyes
Plugged ears or sinuses
Effects:
incapacitation in some circumstances
Eardrum can rupture
Corrective Actions:
Use the Valsalva Maneuver
Descend very slowly or climb
Menthol inhaler
Menthol cough drops will sometimes work
Physiology
alveoli
hemoglobin
carbon dioxide
Hypoxia lack of oxygen to the body
Oxygen partial pressure
Different for different people
5000 feet at night
12,000 during daytime
12,500 to 14,000 above 15,000 oxygen rules
Hypoxia
Symptoms:
peripheral vision starts to grey out
cyanosis
Feeling of euphoria
Tingling in the extremities
Effects:
Loss of judgment
Unconsciousness
Corrective Actions:
Go on Oxygen
Descend to a lower altitude
Hypoxia
Time of Useful Consciousness
18,000 20 – 30 Minutes
22,000 10 Minutes
25,000 3 – 5 Minutes
28,000 2 – 3 Minutes
30,000 1 – 2 Minutes
35,000 30 Seconds
40,000 9 – 12 Seconds
43,000 9 – 12 Seconds
50,000 9 – 12 Seconds
Hyperventilation
Abnormal increase in the volume of air breathed in and out of the lungs which causes the body to blow off excessive carbon dioxide
Symptoms:
Similar to hypoxia
Effects:
Similar to hypoxia
Corrective Actions:
Set O2 system to deliver 100% O2 just in case it is hypoxia
Slow the breathing rate
Do the checklist out loud
Sing the Star Spangle Banner
Carbon Monoxide poisoning
CO attaches to the hemoglobin more readily than O2
Takes a Hyperbolic chamber to force the O2 back into the blood
Symptoms:
Similar to hypoxia except finger nail beds and lips will turn red
Effects:
Similar to hypoxia except add death to that list
Corrective Actions:
Close all heat valves
Set O2 system to deliver 100% O2 just in case it is hypoxia
Open window try to ventilate the cabin
Descend to a lower altitude
SCUBA Diving
The bends
12 hours for flights below 8,000 and no dives requiring a controlled ascent
24 hours for flights above 8,000 or dives requiring a controlled ascent
Spatial Disorientation
This happens when your kinesthetic inputs disagree with what is really happening with the plane
The fluid in your semi-circular canals gets to sloshing around
Pay attention and believe your flight instruments
Night Vision
Your eye is made up of Rods and Cones
Rods are light receptive nerves that sense peripheral vision and shades of grey
Cones are light receptive nerves that sense color and clear visual acuity
It takes 30 minutes for a chemical called visual purple to build.
After 10 minutes of darkness your eyes are 10,000 times more sensitive
After 30 minutes they are 100,000 time more sensitive
Fitness For Flight
IM SAFE
I Illness
M Medication
S Stress
A Alcohol
F Fatigue
E Emotion
Emergencies
Compound emergencies are emergencies in quick succession
Verify information with your instrumentation
Follow the manufacturers recommended emergency checklist
Emergencies
When you know it is out of the ordinary it is probably time to take action
Always choose the course of action that will give you the most options
When all else fails undo what you just did
Emergencies
The emergency frequency is 121.5
ELT’s transmit on this frequency for up to 48 hours after a 5 to 7 g shock
The pilot should turn on the switch if possible after crashing to insure operation
Wear what you would like to spend the night in