Opinion : Letter to the Editor: Living in the Present, remembering the past

Dear Editor:

This period was during basic undergraduate pilot training at Webb AFB, Big Spring. Texas (1964). I was midway through Training in the Northrup T-38 supersonic trainer. This particular mission was a two-ship formation with the lead being dual (with a student) and me as the wingman ( #2) solo. The preflight of a solo mission meant that the rear seat straps and other switches were in the proper position which would not interfere with the forward cockpit; that was where the solo pilot sat.

The preflight was normal, but when I lowered the canopy - something just didn't feel right - well no worries - just continue. If I had more experience - perhaps I would have aborted right there, but aborting the mission was not on my mindset. Anyway, taxi, run-up, and takeoff were normal. I maintained a perfect position on my leader during the takeoff run. Off we go to the practice area. The climb out appeared to be normal as the checklist procedures would verify. We were always on supplement O2 because as we learned in pre-flight the majority of our atmosphere is below 10,000 feet Atmospheric. Above a certain altitude, our O2 regulator would give positive pressure.

We were about 30,000 Feet Atmospheric, and suddenly I had difficulty exhaling. Whoops pressure breathing should lead to the dial that indicated cockpit altitude. Well, guess what cabin altitude was the same as the altimeter. I made a call to Lead, but because of the pressure my enunciation was bad. The IP (Instructor pilot) knew immediately my problem. He called to me to stay on his wing and we would be RTB (Return to Base). His descent exceeded 4,000 FPM (feet per minute) the pressure increase in my middle ear could not keep up with my valve salvo exercise (that is pinching the nose and blowing to equalize pressure. I informed him to decrease the descent rate so I could keep up. He then said my call sign, (Hammer 28) you have the lead. So now I had not only the responsibility to direct our flight of two to our base, but also to make a fpm descent my ears could tolerate.

The point of all this is that a lack of cabin pressure can happen before the pilot realizes the symptoms of hypoxia. During Pilot Training preflight we were all subject to the altitude chamber. We experienced our symptoms of hypoxia and also experienced explosive decompression.

We do not know exactly what happened to the Cessna Citation that recently crashed killing all on board, but suspicions are that pressurization failed on that aircraft. It is my belief that although some are allowed to fly with one pilot. Jets are authorized flight with only one pilot - that should be changed; another pilot could have noticed something amiss that could have prevented this tragedy. I am only speculating that this aircraft was a single pilot. Training can produce successful outcomes in many aircraft emergencies.

Regards and blessings to all,

John Stiegelmeyer