Feeling Ill

[GMan1976]

Just looking to get a broad perspective on this one...

Has anyone ever felt EXTREMELY ill (with or without puking and no matter how you prepared.. I've done everything they've told me: eaten, hydrated, ginger, etc. I've felt sick 2 of 3 flights) their 1st few flights in the T34? If so, how long until you got over it? Also, what are you flying now (if past Primary)?

In addition (a sidenote), by your C4004 (FAM 4) flight, did you feel ahead of the game or behind? I'm def feeling the effects of memorizing procedures on the ground, chair flyin' a bit, and completely blanking in the air and sounding like an idiot... if so, how long did it take you to get over this?

WOW, those are lots of questions... sorry about that. Figured I'd combine multiple thread questions into one. Looking fwd to reading your answers and thanks in advance!

 

[Gatordev]

Here's some friendly gouge (ie, don't tell your onwing you read this on AW)...

Some people do take longer to get acclimated to the T-34. Try and fly as much as you can, it really does help. Also, you're in the toughest part of the year to be flying. It's usually about 110+ out in the flight line and only slightly cooler once you're airborne. There's lots of bouncy-bouncy (but not the good kind) on the rules and in the pattern. If you need to, go to the doc, and see what he/she says.

As for C4004, and keep in mind I don't know you or see your briefs, but if you're completely blanking in the air, you're not chair flying it enough on the ground. And I don't just mean "I approach initial, I'm at break altitude, and I make the call, I line up...etc." I mean "I approach initial w/ less than a 45 degree approach at patt. alt. I turn to the heading. At initial I say "Barin RDO, @SSCLOWN 123, 2 mile initial, runway 34, dual...etc.'" You get the idea. Basically break it down to even doing the trim in the pattern.

I'm not saying you're not doing this, but I'm guessing you're still not doing it enough. Now, that said, it's your 4th flight in the aircraft and your second (depending on the squadron) time at the pattern. You're gonna be behind and you're going to lose a bunch of it when you go to BIs. Just take that frustration and use it as motivation and keep studying FAM stuff while in BIs.

Oh, and keep asking questions. It's a good thing.

 

[Fly Navy]

In addition (a sidenote), by your C4004 (FAM 4) flight, did you feel ahead of the game or behind? I'm def feeling the affects of memorizing procedures on the ground, chair flyin' a bit, and completely blanking in the air and sounding like an idiot... if so, how long did it take you to get over this?

Nail the brief, that's what the beginning of Primary is all about. Nail the brief. The rest will come.

 

[usnphoenix]

GMAN,

I just finished up my primary flights and will be selecting this week. I can't say I've ever personally felt sick in the T-34, but I know a few people who did for the first 5 or 6 flights and got over it when they were at the control for the majority of the flight vs the IP having the controls for the majority they are in early fams. If it gets worse or it doesn't go away you can always get the airsick pills from the doc but I'm pretty sure you have to be off of them prior to your solo.

Reading your post brought back a lot of memories as far as blanking in the air is concerned. It seemed like no matter how much I chairflew something, I would brief it great on the ground and totally screw it up in the air. The best advice I have for that is study with background noise when you chairfly (and yes, chairflying is key). My onwing suggested that I tried studying with the TV or the radio on and it def. helped a lot. Also try listening to one of the websites that you can monitor ATC on so you can get used to listening to the radio while your concentrating on something else. If it is a partially a confidence issue like it was for me (I doubted myself in the air a lot during early FAMs and ended up jacking myself up even more when it came to remembering procedures) it will get better the longer you are in the plane. You should see an improvement after BI's and you won't be blanking out any more by late stage FAMs and your checkride...just give it time and keep on trying your hardest.

PM me if you have any other questions. Can't promise I'll have the answers but I'll help ya if I can.

 

[usmcecho4]

Get thee to a MicroSim. Even though they are hard to use and hard to get SA in they are helpful as you can fly the flight before you fly the flight. This is particularly helpful in BI and RI but worked well for me in early contacts as well. Like others have said it's good to do something while recalling info.

Semper Fi,
usmcecho4

 

[webmaster]

Gatordev, rep points to you, great post.

 

[gregsivers]

I had the same problem of forgetting stuff in the air. I could brief the hell out of the procedures in the brief, but when it came time to do it in the plane on the first few flights I'd forget a step or a number here and there. It was just something new to me, never had to recite things under pressure or on the spot like that before. It just took some readjusting and refocusing on my study habits and everything worked out fine. Like others have suggested, studying with distractions REALLY helps.

Its also one of those things where the more you do something, the better you'll be at it. In HTs I didn't have a problem memorizing maneuvers at all, it came second nature. So there's definitely hope and I'm sure it'll come to you, it has to everyone who's gone before you.

 

[GMan1976]

So far so good, everyone! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE QUICK REPLYS!!! Keep 'em coming, I'm def looking forward to reading them between "chair touch n' gos"

 

[Fly Navy]

So far so good, everyone! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE QUICK REPLYS!!! Keep 'em coming, I'm def looking forward to reading them between "chair touch n' gos"

I used to walk around my coffee table reciting the pattern and what I was doing with the controls, as if I was in the bounce pattern. Sounds cheesy, looks goofy, but it worked.

 

[feddoc]

I used to walk around my coffee table reciting the pattern and what I was doing with the controls, as if I was in the bounce pattern. Sounds cheesy, looks goofy, but it worked.

I put a map in the middle of the floor.

Gman, my instructor laughed at me after I puked twice my first flight. He later told me that he puked each of his first 7 flights. Keep flying as much as you can....the more you fly, the more you train your body (mostly your inner-middle ear) to adapt to flight.

 

[BlkPny]

This helped many, many years ago......
1. When you start to feel sick, try to get some airflow on your face. Any ventilation will help.
2. Slow down. When you are doing your EPs the first few times, SPEED KILLS. Remember to fly the airplane first. Like running, the speed comes with practice and proficiency. Your IP would rather see you do everything right more than most things fast.
3. Put a runway on your floor. Have your roommate walk the model a/c around the pattern, while you give the directions. It will help you to see the big picture, and will make more sense to you.
These things worked for most of us. It helped me and Orville, but Wilbur never could fly worth a damn.

 

[Fly Navy]

Very few EPs require a no-sh!t immediate reaction... for the others, take a potato... wind the clock, hit the master caution, whatever lets you slow down for a second.

 

[beau]

I would say the walk around thing works...at least for me. Walk and talk through all of your procedures (its about doing more than one thing at once, just like the airplane). Another thing that helps is jumping into the Mantainace bird (one that is designed for preflight practice) and doing the same thing....visualizing your procedures.

I too felt sick my first 4-6 flights.(had to incomplete one flight)...you get used to it.....the more your are hands on the stick...the less time you have to think about being sick and the more you can anticipate turns (cause you are flying). Also, know your triggers...what manuvers really screw you up....make sure you know this...and more importantly tell your instructor....for me it was spins. I always made sure the we did spins as the last thing we did before we left the area, and the instructors were totally cool with it!

 

[MasterBates]

The few "DO IT NOW!" immediate reaction EPs in the -34 are not that bad.

Most of the other ones are just to aviod making a bad situation worse. Like they say...

FLY THE PLANE.
Take a breath.
FLY THE PLANE
Extingush Master Caution
FLY THE PLANE
Go thru memory steps
FLY THE PLANE
Break out PCL
FLY PLANE
Navigate
Do PCL steps
FLY PLANE
NAVIGATE
COMMUNICATE if needed.

 

[ChunksJR]

The few "DO IT NOW!" immediate reaction EPs in the -34 are not that bad.

Most of the other ones are just to aviod making a bad situation worse. Like they say...

FLY THE PLANE.
Take a breath.
FLY THE PLANE
Extingush Master Caution
FLY THE PLANE
Go thru memory steps
FLY THE PLANE
Break out PCL
FLY PLANE
Navigate
Do PCL steps
FLY PLANE
NAVIGATE
COMMUNICATE if needed.

Delegate and Fornicate finish that list off.

Thrown up 2ce (PA 1 and BI 8 (second BI in the A/C))

Felt sick all of FAM 1 and most of FAM 2.

What really worked for me was listening to ATC. I went out and bought an air scanner and then No $hit set up the chair with a plunger and glass on a table next to it and then went through CLEAN FEATHER PROP DROP PLOP WHATEVER the sayings were...to the sound of ATC clearing AIRTRAN 202 for the visual to RW 36 at KPNS...

Try http://www.liveatc.net/ and jack up the volume...I dunno...I got helos but was confident in the aircraft and still proud of my 44 NSS...especially with "Pink Sheet" at VT-6 as my on-wing...you Shooters out there know what I'm talking about. The man had ONE on-wing get jets...he was my fam partner and we were Pink-sheet's first set of on-wings. I still have that HIDEOUS UGA tie...