Ok, so this is it, after doing an hour of manoeuvres and a 1/2 dozen landings, that first belch of motion sickness threatens. Its saddening actually because having put the Private license under the belt what do I do next. I want to drive an "air" bus and get paid for it, but the next tickets are going to cost me an arm and a leg.....do I continue with the investment and risk getting washed out at sim training or commercial because by air legs take a walk?

I would like some pointers on this, I am very concerned about spending thousands of dollars on training while I cannot steel up my stomach. Are there any similar victims out there that have experienced the same stubborn balancing issues that have battled through the sickness and managed to get to the best vocation in the world??? Do tell!

 

What you are feeling is not too unusual. Generally, pilots get more tolerant of motion sickness as they gain more flight experience. Also most folks get more tolerant as they get older.

You are more likely to feel it while doing training manuevers, especially in light GA airplanes in noisy, turbulent, or warm conditions. You can try these things:

- Food: An empty stomach or a big grease-laden meal invites queesiness for me. A light meal or snack without a lot of grease is best.

- Fly early in the day when it's cooler and before the convective turbulence picks up.

- Avoid hilly areas which are more turbulence-prone.

- You could probably try one of those pressure-point wrist-bands, but that would would not be a good long term solution...I don't think you'd want to show up to your first airline job with one of those things on.

- Medications (prescription or OTC) might cause problems with your medical certificate, but supplements generally do not need to be reported on the medical form. You might research herbal remedies on the internet...if you find one that's cheap and effective and has no side effects, problem solved!

Most professional and airline flying involves little manuevering so airline pilots essentially never get sick. If it's mild and only bothers you during training manuevers or turbulence you can probably gut it out until you get used to it, or get a jet job...do you get sick when riding on airliners? If not you should be good to go.

If you get sick just cruising around in calm conditions, you might want do defer commercial training until you can determine if you can become more tolerant. I have known a few students who simply got sick every time they went up...ultimately flying was not a good hobby for them.

 

rickair7777 thanks for the tips. I have used the wrist pads and have resorted to ginger tablets in an attempt to kick the habit. To answer your question, no I do not get sick on straight and level turbulant flying, it happens on steep turns and over and over landings. I concern myself with the sim training at the airlines, (I admit no knowledge of their processes or practise) where you practise emergency procedures and no doubt stalls etc. Perhaps I have it wrong so correction is invited.

 

Anybody can get a little green doing commercial GA manuevers. Sim training involves very minimal steeps and stalls, both of which are pretty tame. Also these manuvers are done almost entirely by instrument reference in a sim or jet. If you concerned about getting sick in the sim you could rent a little time in a motion sim (ask for airline profiles) and see what happens...

 

Biggles, I get sick too when I'm up there, so I came to the forums for a little advice. Calcapt was kind enough to impart some wisdom and I am sure he won't mind me sharing them. He suggested the consumption of a little ginger prior to flying. He didn't say what form of ginger (pill, raw, sauteed, pickled), but said it works somehow. And since I like to look down at the instruments, he suggested I look at the horizon instead. I guess I should also stop checking to see if the wheel is still there.

Another pilot friend suggested, as rickair did, to eat a little something, but nothing greasy. I also found going to the bathroom first helps because, at least with me, just the thought of not being able to go made me sick.

Someone else suggested acupuncture, but I've never tried it myself. You go first.

 

This is good stuff! Indeed I was thinking about accupuncture or at first instance getting the old ears flushed just to reduce any pressure in my nut that could also contribute. BUT I also read on Vagabond, I have a habit of looking more at the instruments then outside, indeed this is probably the first plan of attack....more out then in....out, out, out, in, out, out, out as they say in the business right RickAir?

 

I got a little ill during T-37 training at times, but I never threw up. One little thing that really helped me was eating a small meal about an hour before the flight. I was told that milk and dairy products were not a good idea. I had to give up the cheerios every morning but my motion sickness stopped right away.

 

Keep your head up and square on your shoulders. Nothing will get you sick faster than putting your head down during a turn. (or unusual attitudes)

 

Not a big deal. My first day of doing unusual attitudes followed by steep turns I got sick. I felt a little queezy a few times after that but in time you will develop a tolerance. Alot of it is stress related I found since you are new to the airplane and new to the manuevers and concentrating so hard on all of the small details. I only have 250 hours now but I havent felt a hint of sickness through any instrument training of commercial maneuvers

 

I have a friend that gets sick in the sim, but only when he isn't in the clouds. Apparently the visual is nausiating (sp?) to him...