I started getting my private pilots certificate not too long ago. The problem is when we do maneuvers I do not feel well. I get the classic sick feeling and sweatiness. I read that I am supposed to get used to it, but today i puked in a sick bag. Is it possible to NOT get used to it? How long does it take to get used to? I even took a Dramamine today, but I still threw up! Does anyone have any advice for getting it better or comments? I read ginger is supposed to work. Thanks for reading all input is appreciated.
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Airsickness
- Thread starter jooman360
- Start date
Your body can adapt to flying and you can overcome airsickness. I say 'can' because it doesn't happen for all people and you have to give it time. Ginger does help, I have a lot of friends who swear by it. However, Drammine is definitely a disqualifying medication so you can't use that as a Naval Aviator or in flight school.
I know that training wing 5 has some sort of air sickness adaptation program. It involves spinning you in a chair or some such other stuff. I never went through it and I don't know anyone who ever has, so I'm not to familar with it. But, I know the Navy will give you a chance to let you body adapt to flying before giving you the boot.
I know that training wing 5 has some sort of air sickness adaptation program. It involves spinning you in a chair or some such other stuff. I never went through it and I don't know anyone who ever has, so I'm not to familar with it. But, I know the Navy will give you a chance to let you body adapt to flying before giving you the boot.
The Navy tries to be pretty accommodating when it comes to airsickness. If you get sick the IPs have to report it and you'll have to see the flight doc, but they do give you a chance to get over it and continue in the training. I haven't personally seen anyone get the boot for airsickness but I'm sure it has happened.
I had a bit of a problem with airsickness.
One reason it can keep happening is stress. If you worry about it, it's more likely to happen, and so on. Just the thought of getting airsick can be a stressor, and after a while you could get airsick just thinking about flying.
Try some deep breathing excercises (preflight and during) and pouring a little bit of ice cold water down the back of your neck if you're hot inside the cockpit.
Tell yourself "I'm fine" rather than "I'm not going to get sick" (because telling yourself not to think about getting sick is like saying not to imagine the White House).
Those were tricks, in addition to ginger, that I used sucessfully.
One reason it can keep happening is stress. If you worry about it, it's more likely to happen, and so on. Just the thought of getting airsick can be a stressor, and after a while you could get airsick just thinking about flying.
Try some deep breathing excercises (preflight and during) and pouring a little bit of ice cold water down the back of your neck if you're hot inside the cockpit.
Tell yourself "I'm fine" rather than "I'm not going to get sick" (because telling yourself not to think about getting sick is like saying not to imagine the White House).
Those were tricks, in addition to ginger, that I used sucessfully.
Make sure you never fly dehydrated or on an empty stomach. Lots of folks think that if they don't eat, they won't get sick - not always true. I always recommend a nice, greasy breakfast ( I know, sounds counter intuitive), but trust me, throw an Egg McMuffin down your throat before you go flying and you'll be fine.
MasterBates
Well-Known Member
True.. Other day I had a early brief.
Did not eat, just a water and a coke.
I vurped pretty hard a couple times.. Made it thru the flight but it was rough.
Did not eat, just a water and a coke.
I vurped pretty hard a couple times.. Made it thru the flight but it was rough.
Minty gum helped me.
Make sure you never fly dehydrated or on an empty stomach. Lots of folks think that if they don't eat, they won't get sick - not always true. I always recommend a nice, greasy breakfast ( I know, sounds counter intuitive), but trust me, throw an Egg McMuffin down your throat before you go flying and you'll be fine.
Seriously, I'll second that. I never got airsick in the plane but felt pretty bad a few times. I had eaten a sandwhich or something like that beforehand, but when I would eat something like a breakfast burrito for a morning flight or hamburger for an afternoon one, no problems at all.
"Most" of the people who can't adapt are that way because it's a mental thing, as was noted in another post. If you do whatever the thing is enough, you'll adapt. On a ship, the magic number seemed to be about 2 days. For flying, you just need to stick w/ it and keep yourself distracted w/ tasks.
The chair actually belongs to NOMI/NAMI and it seems to work pretty well. I've seen both IPs (as IUTs) and SNAs go down there and have it work for them. I also remember when I was going through Primary that the CO at the time didn't believe in the chair and didn't let studs go down to try it. If they didn't get better by their solo, it was time to leave. I haven't heard of such a case since I've come back as an IP.
It happens, but not often. Either you will get over it or you won't.
First you will get meds. If you can fly and not get sick off the meds after a few flights, then you are done.
If the meds don't work or you can't adapt, you will go to the chair and spin there for a while. This cures or at least helps 90% of everyone. If that doesn't work and you just can't make it through C4204 without puking, you will get NPQd.
Guys who puke after 4401 (first solo) are generally just watched closely. You can't puke on a safe for solo flight. Other than that, as long as you can make it through most flights without it effecting you, you will be fine. Regardless, if you are a puker, the squadron will watch you closely and make you a priority to fly so that you can stay acclimated. All IPs are fairly sympathetic and try to do what they can so that guys can make it through a flight if they are having trouble (ie - do the spin last instead of first, only do a few PAs on a PA flight as long as they have met MIF previously, hit the landing pattern first, etc.)
I have had guys puke in every stage, including RI's.
MasterBates
Well-Known Member
I had to use the chair when I was doing the Helo-to-Strike syllabus in Corpus..
Going from not flying for 6 months, and barely 10 hours in the last year to doing OCF in the T-34 was not making my stomach happy.. (turned out to have another prime cause) but the chair helped me adapt to something that had changed since I was there as a student the first time.
Going from not flying for 6 months, and barely 10 hours in the last year to doing OCF in the T-34 was not making my stomach happy.. (turned out to have another prime cause) but the chair helped me adapt to something that had changed since I was there as a student the first time.
Ginger is good, so is food and plenty of water.
I puked my first flight...IP was laughing...he said, 'don't worry about it, I puked my first 7 flights.
Next time I puked was after doing FCLPs in the back of a Hornet....yup, I was fine until I was walking away from the jet.
Puking is but one way your body will adjust to unfamiliar stimulus. Once it adjusts, no more puking.
You might also consider seeing an ENT specialist to see if there is something goofed up in your middle ear.
I puked my first flight...IP was laughing...he said, 'don't worry about it, I puked my first 7 flights.
Next time I puked was after doing FCLPs in the back of a Hornet....yup, I was fine until I was walking away from the jet.
Puking is but one way your body will adjust to unfamiliar stimulus. Once it adjusts, no more puking.
You might also consider seeing an ENT specialist to see if there is something goofed up in your middle ear.
It there's no physical cause to the sickness, then the mental aspect can play a big part. When I was in the F-4 RAG, one of the pilots in a class ahead of mine (who had been a SerGrad IP) said, "It isn't 'motion' sickness... it's 'emotion' sickness."