First spin = Airsick. What's next?

[Praying4OCS]

I just completed my BI sims/flights and now I'm back into Contacts. I did my first spin today and it didn't go so well. About 30 min after the spins, while in the pattern I became "actively" airsick. I haven't had any problems up to this point. I have to go see the doc tomorrow to get on the airsick program. I haave to be honest, not only did I get sick but during the spin, I could barely think. I have searched the "how to" not get sick threads but its not really clear on what's ahead. Will I continue to fly (especially doing spins)? Best case scenario,......I adapt. What's the worst case for a guy with 10 years of active service? Thanks guys!

 

[MIDNJAC]

Stick with it. I know a girl who was "actively" airsick all throughout primary/int and is now headed to Growler land. Not saying airsickness is a girl thing, just that you can get over it.

 

[Ken_gone_flying]

The very first time I did spins, I got hot and queezy like 10 minutes after. I didn't blow chunks, but I was feeling pretty bad. After that, I didn't feel sick in the plane again. Hopefully experiencing it once will help get you over it, like it did me. As far as the thinking part...you really just have to concentrate on what you need to do and not think about plummeting to your death if you can't recover. I'll leave it to someone who as actually gone through the "getting sick" pipeline to describe that. Don't worry bro, you'll be fine.

 

[bunk22]

A lot of you guys get yourself worked up with the spins. You don't even get sick in the spin but in the pattern after the fact. I've seen a few times. Now you've gotten yourself worked up about it, thinking about it that you just might get sick again. You need to relax, know your procedures and execute them. A MIF on a spin is 2. You only have to do spins for the 4100 and 4200 and maybe one or two in the 4500 block. You can then be done forever with them. Relax, don't overthink it. Guys with airsick issues make it through, go on to bigger and better things like helo's and P-3's.

 

[Gatordev]

A lot of you guys get yourself worked up with the spins. You don't even get sick in the spin but in the pattern after the fact. I've seen a few times. Now you've gotten yourself worked up about it, thinking about it that you just might get sick again. You need to relax, know your procedures and execute them. A MIF on a spin is 2. You only have to do spins for the 4100 and 4200 and maybe one or two in the 4500 block. You can then be done forever with them. Relax, don't overthink it. Guys with airsick issues make it through, go on to bigger and better things like helo's and P-3's.

Concur. Got sick after your first spin? Want to know what to do next? Fly the next event. Sadly, you're not special.

And ask Malice_1 (who's been kind of scarce as of late) about his Fam 12 ride w/ me. I don't think I've ever seen someone so pissed off at himself for something out of his control (well, kinda, but I'll let him tell that story), but in the end, he's flying Harriers, so it's all good.

 

[MIDNJAC]

Like Bunk said, concentrate on the job at hand. Altitude, AoA, Airspeed, Turn Needle. Bring your head into the cockpit and just be a robot with that stuff. Sooner or later things will slow down, and you might even find yourself looking outside and having some fun. You may feel completely different by the time you get to PA's

 

[BarrettRC8]

I had a few passive symptoms during FAM1, but only when I was not at the controls. Its been my experience that if you're focusing on the task at hand - flying and all the shit that comes with it, you're too occupied to get sick. I'm assuming the spin was being demo'd to you? It might be different when you're at the controls and checking AOA, A/S, TN, etc... and not simply taking in the show.

While others obviously have more experience than I do, my advice is to just get up there and focus on what you're doing and properly executing the procedure. Worrying about getting sick seems to be one of those self-fulfilling prophecies.

 

[picklesuit]

Dude, I blew chunks the first flight after my initial solo in primary. Auto-hook, go see the flight doc. Flight doc says "Are you gonna get sick again? I didn't think so...go fly."

Dude, it happens to the best of us (well, the mediocre of us, in reference to myself) you will be fine...eat some bagels, followed by some toast, topped off by some good hydration. Don't let go of the stick if you don't have to, and concentrate on flying on altitude/on airspeed...that will keep you busy enough to not think about puking.

Pickle

 

[MasterBates]

First time airsick ever was on Natops-4 (I think) when I was in the T-34 IUT as part of my retread syllabus. Spins followed by inverted flight set me off. Then I got sick the next 2 flights.

I had external stuff going on, but in the end it was nerves. Just get confident. And try the spinny chair thing. It helped.

This was with over 2000 hours total time, and 100+ already in the T-34.

 

[pourts]

I never had problems with airsickness, but have heard of the flight surgeons recommending ginger pills. Of course, check with your particular flight surgeon.

 

[Bevo16]

The only time I was ever close in flight school was the first RI flight under the bag (somehow, I made it through RI's before going under the bag for BI's in AC). The shadows rolling around the cockpit with no visual reference really messed with me.

I didn't get sick, but after the first day of autos in HS-10 (60F), I felt REALLY weird. You do something like 25 autos on one flight, and that can really mess with your stomach.

I am a puking dog too. I would blow chunks every Monday and Tuesday at track practice in high school. I also don't have a very effective "off" switch once I start drinking. The beer, it's just so good, once it touches your lips...Anyway, I drink, I spin, I puke. Not in the aircraft though. Strange.

 

[scoolbubba]

OP, you're donezo, broseph. None of the salty dogs here have ever puked, and if they did, then they squeaked by and probably ended up flying something lame like P-3s.


I kid. I didn't get sick, but i've definitely had the queazes. A weekend of booming (without breaking 12 hours) in OK City plus double PA flights on a monday when it started getting hot in the 'Nid was not a recipe for success. Don't worry about it. You're not the first, definitely not the last.

I did almost blow chunks in the sim the other day when we were on freeze. If you kick the rudders on freeze in the sims here, it will still move just enough to make scoolbubba want to blow chunks.

 

[A4sForever]

I just completed my BI sims/flights and now I'm back into Contacts. I did my first spin today and it didn't go so well. About 30 min after the spins, while in the pattern I became "actively" airsick. ...

You're over'thinking' this ... most airsickness is between your ears ... believe it.

If you get yourself behind the "I'm gonna' puke" power-curve ... you're toast.

Don't eat breakfast, drink some coffee, look outside the cockpit, feel 'it' ... go do it. YOU WILL SURVIVE.

Or .... you shouldn't be in Aviation -- which is 89% mental, in any case ....

 

[FlyinRock]

FWIW - Don't get all worked up over it. Waawyyy back when I first got into crop dusting in the 60's, I'd get airsick the first week of the season from a combination of the nervous stress, chemical smells, and the severe low level maneuvering. And I had a couple thousand hours of flight time! Then, things got back to normal and I could eat a full plate of anything and never notice it. I think that happened the first 3 seasons. And my hands would be swollen in the morning from gripping the controls so tight!
As A4's and many others have said, its a mental thing for the most part as a result of odd movements that you are not accustomed to yet. Get a good case of vertigo and you can find yourself puking in your lap while on a snotty approach with the approach strobes making you feel like you're diving into a bowl of milk.
If you don't have chronic motion sickness, you have just experienced what most will or have and its transient. can be a bad day, a touch of tummy bug, hangover, start of flu, or ?????
Not to worry. Good luck
Semper Fi
Rocky

 

[AFUAW]

I probably puked 10 times in the T-34. Spins were the worst. Eventually it got better. I fly Rhinos now with no issues. I know people who had it worse than I did, and they're fine now too. Almost everyone gets over it.