Must first say that I am new to the CRM forum and find it a great educational tool. Nothing like learning from real life events.
All to often we consider pilot incapacitation to be a crew member 'blacks out' or becomes unconcious. Very little is ever spoken of the above incapacitations - severe ear or tooth pain. Can be caused by any number of events such as decompression, infection or allergy.
We all know that the procedure for decompression or similar is to get on the oxygen and carry out an emergency decent - obviously the finer details will change between aircraft and company. The severity of the situation will also depend on the aircrafts altitude at the time. But, allow me to play the Devil's advicate. In an attempt to reduce the risk of pilot incapacitaion, in the event of a decompression at say FL200, all crew and pax on oxygen, why should we decend at 4000ft/min to get below 10 000ft to the thicker oxygen and risk bursting eardrums and incapacitating oneself when we could decend at a more comfortable 1000ft/min and save our ears.
As long as we are on oxygen is it not safer to reduce our rateof descent?
I do understand that in the event of smoke in the aircraft, dumping the cabin and carrying out a high speed descent and diversion could be the best option but if there is no other emergency to contend with what should we do?
MM