High altitude chamber

[troopernflight]

Doc,
When I was 21 (I'm now 31) I experienced a partial pneumothorax and was on a chest tube for 5 days. Ever since, I've not had any problems. The surgeon told me that while flying in pressurized aircraft there would be a slite risk of the collapse occuring again. I've flown many times since and not had a recurrance. I was issued a 1st class med certificate with no problems and the flight surgeon did not express any concerns about it.
In a few months our flight school will be offering a chance to go to an air base in NC to experience a high altitude chamber. Is this something you would discourage me from particapating in because of my past history? I didn't know if it was a risk that I shouldn't take, or whether it's minimal.
Thanks.

[My Flight Surgeon]

It should not be a problem. Is all that is required is a valid Class 3 medical certificate.

[thesoonerkid]

ive been in the one they have at okc. they had a guy in the chamber in case anything went wrong.

[Stomp16]

I went to the one in OKC as well. Let me tell you what they don't tell you!!! You do all the classroom work from about 8-12 and then take an hour long lunch. After everyone is nice and full and the bowels start moving, you go back and enter the chamber at around 1:30pm. Let me tell you there is nothing like the smell of 16 guys in a chamber that have just eaten and are all beside themselves involuntarily passing gas due to the decompression. I was the the "lucky" group who first got to watch the people across from me take their masks off at FL180 and go hypoxic. Ohhhhh yessss, the gas was brewing for my turn. I finally took the mask off and tried not to throw-up. It was one of the nastiest things I have ever smelled. I will never forget that. Good luck with that..........don't eat the chili.