NZFF

Well ok I admit it... I'm not as flight-hardened as I thought! Last week I flew to Auckland for our annual staff meeting and also a project training day the following day. Flights were the standard Palmy-Auckland ATR/Q300 combo. Nothing I haven't flown in before, though I admit I'm still something of a newcomer to the Q300 having only flown on it twice before.

Northbound ATR flight was awesome (and for once that word is appropriate). We left on the morning where the desert road and National Park roads were both closed in snow, and for once in my life I had clear skies with which to enjoy the view. It was seriously like flying over Europe in the middle of winter. Hilly terrain totally covered in snow, and some light clouds beneath us in patches just adding to the atmosphere. With my MP3 player going the whole time, it was probably the shortest flight I've had from PM to AA.

The flight back home was at night and in the Q300. Nothing eventful. Usual deal at top of descent... Nothing out of the ordinary. Suddenly at what must have been about 6000 or 5000ft I feel a pins and needles sensation between my eyebrows that turns into a pretty sharp and localised pain. This continued in surges and for only the second time I can recall in my life, had me wishing we would just hurry up and land. Typically of course, we flew toward at least a 5 mile final to get a late visual below clouds, which just extended my suffering.

I knew straight away what it was - frontal sinus pain caused by pressure differences. I've known a few people who have experienced it before, but always thought I was a hardened flier... never happens to me yadda yadda yadda. Turns out I was wrong!


Has anyone else had this happen to them before? Does it vary from one aircraft to the next? What do you do to manage it, or preferably, prevent it? It's only the third time I've flown on the Q300 and first time on that particular aircraft.

Richard

Happened to me on a 747 only on the way back from LAX and then after a few hours of being on the ground it went....then jumped on a 737 and it started again on the descent into NZWN.
Very painful, sharp.

Would love to know if I can prevent it if it happens again.

Edit: My pains were behind my eyebrows, the same as Richard

did you have a cold or a blocked nose, something as simple as that can screw up your sinus equalization thingy

Gidday Richard I know this exact sensation as I had it little over a week ago. I was flying in the Seneca from Palmy to Auckland and thanks to ATC we were left high for our profile to reach the ILS at 3000ft from our 13000ft cruising altitude. It resulted in a 1500ft/min descent which was pretty sore on the old sinuses as I had had a cold a day or two before. It was localised and didnt last very long thankfully but I was really worried that it may get worse (especially being pilot in command ).

At a cruise altitude of around 18000ft (Dash/ATR) the cabin altitude is around 5000ft. So the descent rate of the cabin is less than 500ft/min when they descend, so for you to be getting those symptoms you must have been really blocked up!

This wont vary much on different aircraft as they all have simlar presurissation systems althought certain descents may be steeper resulting in a greater pressure differential. A good way is to try clear the sinuses before flight as much as possible, but the best one is not to fly at all as you can cause some serious long term damage to both your sinuses, middle ear canals and you may even end up with a perforated ear drum (very painful, I would know!!!). However the usual yawning, swallowing may help alleviate the pain. Holding your nose and blowing is a no-no as if you ear cant equalise normally then you are only putting more pressure on the ear drum.

So yeah wouldnt have been anything to do with the Dash, merely the state of the sinuses at the time.

Hope that helps

Holding your nose and blowing (Valsalva manoeuvre) is only good for clearing the ears and not the sinuses. A decongestant spray or menthol solution such as Karvol in conjunction with blowing your nose hard works best. I know that Air NZ (737 and above anyway) used to have Karvol capsules that would be broken and applied to a handkerchief and then inhaled. Try carrying something like that next time you fly and apply it well before you might need it. The pain can be excruciating and can last for hours afterwards.

Sudafed is a great decongestant too, but you need to start it a couple of days before flight.

I prefer to equalise via another body orrifice......passengers/students may not be as welcoming though

Just chew some gum ( have lots of it in your mouth and keep chewing till you land ) or apple before descend begins.
The reason is related to your sinuses and also air pressure as NZ being so humid place. This will never happen to you if you are descending and landing in a dry location.

However, I get that horrible sinus pain in most planes beside 747 SP. Shame they are not making anymore of those. Crappiest would be 777 and turbo prop planes.

The crazy thing with mine is that I wasn't particularly blocked up at all! At least, not on the outside anyway. I've flown with a nose that is more congested before, but never had this kind of thing happen before.

NZ255, when was yours? And have you flown much since then?

I had a similar experience a few years ago flying from LHR to EWR (Newark, NYC) once we started to climb my head felt like it was going to explode with the pain and pressure. I immediately knew it was in my sinuses and was more than likely the residue of a cold I 'though' I was over.... well, I was over it at sea level!!

We spent the long weekend in NYC but knowing full well the return trip wasn't that far away one of the first things I did was find a pharmacy and buy decongestant tables and a nasal spray. I took these for the next few days and the flight back to LHR was much more pleasant and with no pain!

WasFlightOps wrote:

QUOTE (WasFlightOps @ May 27 2009, 09:59 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I prefer to equalise via another body orrifice......passengers/students may not be as welcoming though

Still enjoying the One Square Meals then???

I have not as yet found the cranberry flavour... you'll have to hook me up via your secret cookie time contacts

greaneyr wrote:

QUOTE (greaneyr @ May 27 2009, 07:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

NZ255, when was yours? And have you flown much since then?

Mine was last year September. Had flown a lot before this. It wasn't blocked before, I didn't have a cold, the first time it happened. But I haven't flow again since.

NZ255 wrote:

QUOTE (NZ255 @ May 28 2009, 06:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Mine was last year September. Had flown a lot before this. It wasn't blocked before, I didn't have a cold, the first time it happened. But I haven't flow again since.

Hmm, sounds the same as me. I'm one of these sad people who records every flight he's been on in recent times, and adding to these the other flights I haven't recorded I'd say I've flown on somewhere between 60-70 flights above 4000ft in my life, and this is the first time anything like this has happened to me. Like you, I wasn't blocked up, and like you I haven't flown since. I'm a bit nervous about it now to tell the truth.

By coincidence, I'm seeing an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist next month, so I'll ask them about it.

EDIT: Seems the Valsalva maneuvre may be useful, according to the FAA anyway: http://www.faa.gov/pilots/training/airman_...d_gas/index.cfm