Anyone find the Lung Funtions difficult?

[Thundercat]

Bit of a concern here. In fact it is probably my greatest one! At present i have a Class 2 JAA medical and passed it without any pick ups or concerns. Great! However, I think the Class 1 may be a different story altogether. Basically, well before I took my Class 2, I took taken 3 or 4 lung function tests as part of a company medical examination and failed miserably! Those that have done it will know it's a fairly exhausting test anyway because you've got to blow all of your breath into a machine which plots a graph as you exhale over 6 seconds as hard and fast as you can. My lung capacity is fine (in fact 20% above average) but the problem is I can't expel the air fast enough to meet the criteria. The doctor seemed to think it may be narrowed airways.

Not convinced I tried and tried again but the results always came back under the requirement. I couldn't believe that everything else medically was fine except for this big question over my lungs! In the end I decided to go for the Class 2 first, just to see if I could get it (obviously cheaper if I failed!). All they used at the surgery was a Peak Flow Meter and I passed easily with the arrow pointing over 650. I was elated! But then I came back down to earth with a bump realising that the Class 1 wouldn't be so casual.

Can anyone help me here? Do you know how stringent they are at Gatwick with the lung functions, and how advanced their equipment is? Has anyone else been in this boat? If I can find out before splashing out the 400 notes it would be a huge help.:(

[SimJock]

The CAA use the plotting type machine at Gatwick for Class 1's. There are two tests, first one just to expel all air and not breathe in until the machine thinks you have no air left, and the second to exhale as rapidly as possible. Plotted on LCD display you can try several times and pick your best effort before they print it out.

[QDMQDMQDM]

There are broadly two types of lung defect which can be picked up on lung function tests:

1. Restrictive defect, caused by decreased elasticity within the lung tissue or the chest wall. This will result in a normal shaped curve (time on x axis and volume of air expelled on y axis), but one of much smaller magnitude than normal, in other words a decreased total lung capacity. Since the shape is normal, this implies the rate of expulsion of air from the lungs is normal and so the peak flow will tend to be normal.

2. Obstructive defect, caused by the airways collapsing as you try to breathe out, as may occur in chronic severe asthma or chronic obstructive airways disease. Here, the shape of the curve is flattened, although the total lung capacity may be near normal, or even raised, as air is trapped in the lungs and can't be expelled. Here, the peak flow will be low.

What you describe fits into neither of these patterns. You can't have obstructive airways disease and have a normal peak flow. Similarly, you can't have a restrictive defect and have a normal lung capacity.

Why don't you go and see your GP and see if he can figure it out? If he can't, why don't you get a private referral to see a chest physician. It will probably cost you about £150 and he / she will give you a definitive answer. I strongly suspect there's nothing wrong and you're just rubbish at doing the test and need more practice. ;) If there is something so wrong with your lung function tests, you have worries above and beyond not getting a class 1 medical.

QDM

[Thundercat]

Damn - I suppose it was a bit naive to thing they would have anything less than state of the art medical technology at Gatwick!

QDM, sound advice as usual and you've definitely done a great deal to allay some of my fears. I've never had asthma as such, although when I was about 10 years old I took a ventolin inhaler for about 6 months - I think it was initially triggered by a chest infection and went away just as fast as it came. Don't think it was ever classified on my med record as asthma but I suppose I had better go and check with my GP in case I make any false claims on my Class 1 application.

I think my strategy will be just to go for the Class 1 and see what happens. I've heard various stories of asthmatic people getting through after being made to run round the building and being 'breathalised' again with the Peak Flow machine so there's hope yet I guess! I understand that the CAA refer you to a lung physician themselves for a cost of £150 if you fail on the grounds of the lung funtion and they will pass/fail you on his/her appraisal of your condition - does anyone know more on this?

And QDM, think there's a strong element of truth in what you say about me just being crap at these tests - the nurse said the same thing, although her coaching was pretty useless! By the way QDM - I see you're from Devon - which airfield/airport do you fly from?:)

[QDMQDMQDM]

By the way QDM - I see you're from Devon - which airfield/airport do you fly from?

Eggesford. Pop in some time. There's usually someone around and the kettle's always on. There are 600 m available. If it's gusty, make a curving right hand approach to 11 to avoid the trees on the left, which give a lot of turbulence. If it's 29 and it's windy, be prepared for some sink as you come in. The first 50m of 29 are deeply upsloping from the threshold, so aim to touch down beyond them. Make circuit calls on 123.50.

Sounds worse than it is -- see you there!

QDM

[monkeyboy]

Thundercat, I had exactly the same anxious feelings as you are having now when I went for my initial 3 years ago and the one thing that helped me get through it was the attitude of the nurses.

I'd heard it time and time again on pprune before I went down there. "The nurses want you to pass. They're nice as pie...."

And do you know what? They were!

The lung test was my biggest hurdle, albeit a psychological one, as I used to have asthma, but the nurse had such a relaxing tone and calm manner about her that she hepled me to relax and low and behold I had nothing to worry about.

Just remember, they want you to pass. They're not there to instantly fail you.

Go for it!

[Thundercat]

Cheers Monkeyboy, you've made me feel a whole lot better! It's very easy to feel isolated and get the impression that all Class 1 holders are the medical super-beings! It's is nice to have hope for us mere mortals! Now who can I con £400 quid out of.....

[canberra]

you could be suffering from this. basically you see medics in white coats and you get worried!

[Thundercat]

Maybe Canberra, just maybe! But to be honest I don't think I have a phobia of all things medical - it's just this one aspect that I'm a little fearful of because it may barr me from living my dream which requires the licence. But like everyone says, if you don't try you'll never know! Thanks everyone, I'm feeling a lot more positive and I'll let you all know the result as soon as I know it!

The Cat.

[arcniz]

One reason aviation medical tests are so stringent at entry level is that the medical side wants to be sure you have some healthy margin in you for the inevitable wearing down that comes with age and excess. The reasoning: Better a career change before you start than in middle age with family and the attendant river of bills.

This perspective explains why it is perfectly proper to 'study for the test' , and to take advantage of all the technique coaching you can obtain.