JoeMama_the_Pilot wrote:
No, because i never had to do that. All of my flights on fast planes were planned to have a descent of max 750 fpm in the worst case scenario.
You better learn this technique and do it regularly, otherwise you might get into real trouble at the slightest cold, never to mention what would happen if you are on board a pressurized plane which looses cabin pressure. Likewise, if you ever consider scuba diving you will need to learn this.
1500 fpm is a high sink rate at any standard but with the right technique should not affect any healthy pilots, but only if they know and practice the relevant relief techniques regularly. I don’t think that such a high rate can be compensated the way that a 500 fpm one can by simply swallowing or the likes which one does without conscious effort.
My wife is nearly deaf and wears 2 aids. If the descent is too fast in an unpressurised or badly handled in a pressurised, she can become totally deaf for days after, it doesn’t matter if she holds her nose and yawns, sucks a sweet or whatever.
Too fast is anything over 600ft a minute and I get away with the occasional time but if it happens a lot, I’m pretty sure she would soon stop.flying with me.🙃
Mooney_Driver wrote:
You better learn this technique and do it regularly
Noted, with this technique i should be able to avoid myself days of pain on the next incident.
JoeMama_the_Pilot wrote:
No, because i never had to do that. All of my flights on fast planes were planned to have a descent of max 750 fpm in the worst case scenario.
Please state what type of “fast plane” this was to gain a better picture of what we´re dealing with to better understand, if possible?
Normally, modern Biz Jetz can handle most descend schedules without the type of experience you just had. Bizarre.
Yeager wrote:
Normally, modern Biz Jetz can handle most descend schedules without the type of experience you just had. Bizarre.
Bizjets are pressurised. Very few light GA aircraft have pressurisation. Would you decrease cabin altitude with 750 fpm in a pressurised aircraft?
Inkognito wrote:
From diving, I’ve learned to equalize pressure when descending by pressing air into my nose while pinching it shut until the ears plop. Don’t you do that?
During one of my medical exams about 20 years ago, the physician recommended doing this indeed. I have done it ever since, hardly missing a beat when flying airlines, but forgetting more often than not when flying myself :D As I usually plan my descents with a 200-400 ft/min rate, or fly low, I usually don’t have a problem though.
I have never had any problems with this. I just use my “ear depressurization muscle” 
I don’t know how to explain it. A bit similar to the muscle used when swallowing, but not the same. You can swallow without activating that “muscle” also, and certainly the other way around. I do the same thing when getting water out of my ears after swimming for instance, only that usually takes much longer, probably due to higher viscosity of water vs air. In a spin the descent rate is about 5000 ft/min or higher.
I would recommend the Frenzel maneuver over Valsalva. With Frenzel you use the back of your tongue as a piston to create pressure in a much more controlled way.
SvenHz wrote:
I would recommend the Frenzel maneuver over Valsalva. With Frenzel you use the back of your tongue as a piston to create pressure in a much more controlled way.
That’s the first time I’ve heard of that one – thanks! It seems to reduce the risk of overpressurising the inner ear which easily happens with the Valsalva manoeuvre.
