AOPA Online Members Only -- AOPA ePilot Flight Training Edition -- Vol. 6, Issue 2

EAR BLOCK
This is the time of year when it seems like everyone has a cold, including yourself. And if it is anything like the last one you had, it could mean days or even weeks of recovery and congestion. If you have read the discussions about aeromedical factors, you are familiar with the warnings about not flying while sick. Resist the temptation to dismiss this warning when faced with the rare opportunities to pursue your flight training during a long stormy winter.

Changes in ambient air pressure, combined with blocked ears or sinuses, are a recipe for serious problems if a pilot (or a passenger in an unpressurized aircraft) becomes afflicted. Problems usually occur during descent. "When the pressure outside your head is greater than the pressure in it, you feel like somebody has run a hot knife into your cheek. The pain can be excruciating, and I know of several accidents that have happened because of this," Senior Aviation Medical Examiner Al Parmet wrote in the March 1998 Flight Training feature "Medical Briefing: Don't Fly With a Cold."

This subject is discussed in Chapter 8 of the Aeronautical Information Manual. Note the chapter's warning about trying to use medicine to combat the problem: "An ear block is prevented by not flying with an upper respiratory infection or nasal allergic condition. Adequate protection is usually not provided by decongestant sprays or drops to reduce congestion around the Eustachian tubes. Oral decongestants have side effects that can significantly impair pilot performance."

A related issue is fatigue. If you are on the mend, but illness has left you weak and exhausted from lack of sleep or an unrelenting work schedule, you are not yet ready to return. Flying and fatigue don't mix, as discussed in the February 21, 2003, Training Tips article. See the article's review of the "I'm safe" acronym that pilots use to gauge their personal fitness for flight. Applying it to your piloting will help you protect yourself, and your future passengers, from the harmful effects of flying when your condition is in question.

FAA AGAIN SAYS NO TO POMPANO
No, we won't reconsider. That's what the FAA has told the City of Pompano Beach, Florida. It has been trying to restrict general aviation operations at Pompano Beach Airpark. AOPA had filed a formal complaint against the city over its efforts to limit or shut down flight training operations. The FAA sided with AOPA, ordering the city to stop efforts to unfairly restrict GA use of the airport. The city asked the FAA to reconsider, and the FAA said no. "The city has not provided a legitimate or valid reason for the FAA to provide the city with extraordinary special treatment," AOPA said in its legal response to the city's rehearing request. "The city engages in a persistent pattern of whimsical conduct contrary to its obligations under federal law, a pattern of conduct designed and intended to make the airpark unavailable to the public...." So once again, the FAA ordered Pompano Beach to suspend "the restrictions found to be contrary to the [city's] federal obligations." "The message is clear. AOPA and the FAA will not tolerate attempts to stop legal use of an airport with illegal regulations," said Bill Dunn, AOPA vice president of airports. "Airport sponsors are on notice: We will come after you if you try to illegally restrict general aviation. Federal processes must be followed-something that Pompano failed to do."

HAVE YOU UPDATED YOUR AOPA MEMBER PROFILE?
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NEW 'AIR FACTS' DVD FROM SPORTY'S EXAMINES ATC SYSTEM
Instrument pilots, instrument students, and pilots who simply want a better understanding of the air traffic control system may want to check out the latest "Air Facts" DVD from Sporty's. Understanding ATC-An Instrument Pilot's Perspective offers a look behind the scenes via a visit to Indianapolis Center and Syracuse Tracon. Meet controllers and take a look at the equipment they use as part of the ATC system. The DVD explains what controllers expect from pilots operating in the IFR system and what you should expect from them in all phases of flight. It is available for $25. A set of all 31 "Air Facts" titles on nine DVDs sells for $100. For more information, see the Web site or call 800/SPORTYS.

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