Flying w/a cold

[MIDNJAC]

Yeah I've been using one of those lately... I'm still going to hold off on going up though.

I remember the F-16 demo pilot at this year's Miramar Air Show cancelled his performance due to a cold. Brett you probably remember that.

Not sure if this is the same spray, but we were told during physiology training to not use nasal decongestant spray except in emergency, and never as a preventative measure. Something about it drying out the nasal passages and promoting more infections and damage that could forever ground you. Is there any truth to this?

I know that I had one experience with clogged sinuses while PIC that was painful enough to forever convince me that flying with a cold is a bad idea.

 

[mules83]

I have flown with a sinus blockage and it felt like an ice pick between the eyes. Not very fun so as said above, don't do it.

 

[othromas]

A buddy of mine rode the pressure chamber in API with what he thought was the Pcola crud, and it turned out that he had a full sinus infection and was completely blocked. They hadn't made it past halfway to the final altitude before he felt the ice pick between the eyes, but what was scarier was that he said he thought one of his eyes had actually popped out of his head because he couldn't see out of it (he actually just had it closed and couldn't reopen it). No thank you.

 

[llnick2001]

they're bluffing, go for it.

 

[invertedflyer]

No thanks, sounds like staying down until I feel a bit more rejuvenated is the smart choice... plus I trust these guys.

 

[eddie]

I got "hooked" on Dristan spray like that in my VP days. It has a different active ingredient, but the effect was the same. It got to where I couldn't breathe through my nose without the stuff. I haven't had that experience w/ Affrin, but I've only used it a couple times.

Brett

Both will do that if you use them for more than a few days at a time.

 

[Rugger]

playing the odds..

There's also the added bonus of blowing out one or both of your eardrums if your eustachian tubes are clogged up too.

Concur - Afrin is a good thing... but you all know the saying about too much of a good thing.

But if any of you are gambling types, go ahead and fly. Let us know how that turns out for you...

Rugger

 

[llnick2001]

No thanks, sounds like staying down until I feel a bit more rejuvenated is the smart choice... plus I trust these guys.

as you should...I was kidding

 

[invertedflyer]

sorry any sarcasm was lost on me, no worries.