Motion Sickness: a barrier for a potential aviator?

[yak52driver]

I had an aerobatic student that used to get motion sickness after about 15 minutes of training. He started eating ginger snaps before we flew and that seemed to help him. After reading about it, ginger can be used to cure motion sickness. Good luck.

 

[USMC_Sparky]

Thanks for the responses guys, I guess my biggest concern was getting there and not being able to perform because I'm too busy trying to keep my lunch down. Much appreciated!

Oh, since there was some talk of exhaust fumes- worst moment for me was when we were grounding turning on a 53E in Bahrain. The winds just happened to be just right to the point where it seemed like the exhaust from all three engines were filling up the cabin. Combined with the 105 degree weather that day and the 30 minute wait we did there it was one of the most unpleasant moments ever!

 

[81montedriver]

...or do like folks I know did and vomit every day in flight school (NAVY only... AF frowns on that, apparently if you go vance) and then pick HERCs or helos.

Believe it or not, even pilots get motion sickness in a Herc, although I'm still trying to figure out how. The loadmasters probably have it worst because all those bumps from the turbulence affect the back of the plane the worst, right where their station is.

To the OP, everyone has given you very good advice. If you were able to hack it as a crew chief on shitters, then I'll bet you will be able to overcome whatever motion sickness you get in the T-34/T-6

 

[CWJones411]

This thread answers a few questions I had, since I'm about to put apply for an air contract- and I've gotten motion sickness a few times. I'm assuming it's the same deal with seasickness? Does this go away on the boat after a few days?

 

[Gatordev]

Yes. Give it about 2-3 days.

 

[torpedo0126]

Hey man, I know where you are coming from. I knew just from past experience that I was going to have problems in flight school. It started in IFS and got worse into primary. For me it was totally incapacitating. I was throwing up 3-4 times within the first 15min of flight. I was also a Vance student which meant very soon after I started, I was auto-unsating flights because of puking. I went to the spin chair 23+ plus times and had my friends spin me on the weekends.

I won't bore you with all the details but both the Navy and AF will do whatever they can to keep a student from attriting simply for airsickness. The AF gets a bad rap because they unsat people...their program and MASS scoring systems allows AF studs to unsat for airsickness and make it through grade wise. Unfortunately, when you take an AF designed system (MPTS syllabus + TIMS) and try and make it fit the Navy's way of doing things you run into problems.

After selecting helos, I felt nothing all through helo advanced.

I didn't feel anything throughout my first few flights in the 60S. However, when I observed a fam flight in the back, I thought I was going to cover the cabin with vomit...especially when they were doing autos.

I know I am rambling but from someone who almost attrited for airsickness, I can tell you that you can most likely gut it out as long as you want it enough. Thats ASSUMING you actually have a problem. From what I have heard, the 53 is NOTORIOUS for making crewman sick. I've never been in one but just from looking at one and talking to some 53 to 60 transition pilots, the 53 has little visibility in the cabin. Plus, if they have the back open, I bet its a huge mindf**k looking out there and seeing the horizon moving.

Feel free to PM me with any concerns. I have some "unofficial" methods for combating airsickness--besides the typical "just take some ginger" or "just relax, its all mental" responses.

I hope I calmed some of your fears. Don't think about it now, deal with it as it comes.

Best of luck.

 

[Gatordev]

Unless MTPS has drastically changed in the last 3 years, "TIMS" (read: MPTS) still allows you to move through the program while getting sick. The problem is the last two flights prior to your solo (including your C4390). So if you get sick on FAM 12, you get an ET flight (or an incomplete and refly). If you don't hurl on your FAM 12-2 (excuse me, I mean C4204-2), and don't hurl on your 4390, you're good. "TIMS" has nothing to do with any hold ups.

A stud who shall remain nameless (that's on AW) did that. We went up and he hurled on his FAM 12. However, he completed his flight w/ no other issues. After the FDO and I looked at one another for a little bit figuring out how to code it, we settled on a 4204 COMPLETE, 4204 refly (I forget if that's a 76 ride or not). My stud did fine on the refly and he went on to get jets.

 

[torpedo0126]

Unless MTPS has drastically changed in the last 3 years, "TIMS" (read: MPTS) still allows you to move through the program while getting sick. The problem is the last two flights prior to your solo (including your C4390). So if you get sick on FAM 12, you get an ET flight (or an incomplete and refly). If you don't hurl on your FAM 12-2 (excuse me, I mean C4204-2), and don't hurl on your 4390, you're good. "TIMS" has nothing to do with any hold ups.

A stud who shall remain nameless (that's on AW) did that. We went up and he hurled on his FAM 12. However, he completed his flight w/ no other issues. After the FDO and I looked at one another for a little bit figuring out how to code it, we settled on a 4204 COMPLETE, 4204 refly (I forget if that's a 76 ride or not). My stud did fine on the refly and he went on to get jets.

I totally did not mean for what I said to come off the way it did. What I meant is that it was frustrating at Vance an unsat for airsickness wouldn't do much against me if I was under the AF grading scheme. However, when I came back to the Navy with 14+ unsats right when 5 unsats became the magic number was an issue. Ultimately, it was resolved. So that's all I meant was that MPTS was designed to allow for unsats and still progress. However, it got interesting when I had my jacket review and people were like "you had how many unsats!!!???"

Was not trying to speak to something I am not an expert in.

 

[Gatordev]

Gotcha. I honestly can't remember if there was a limit to UNSATs when I instructed (there was when I was a stud). I don't think there was but Bunk may remember better.

 

[Swanee]

Unless MTPS has drastically changed in the last 3 years, "TIMS" (read: MPTS) still allows you to move through the program while getting sick. The problem is the last two flights prior to your solo (including your C4390). So if you get sick on FAM 12, you get an ET flight (or an incomplete and refly). If you don't hurl on your FAM 12-2 (excuse me, I mean C4204-2), and don't hurl on your 4390, you're good. "TIMS" has nothing to do with any hold ups.

A stud who shall remain nameless (that's on AW) did that. We went up and he hurled on his FAM 12. However, he completed his flight w/ no other issues. After the FDO and I looked at one another for a little bit figuring out how to code it, we settled on a 4204 COMPLETE, 4204 refly (I forget if that's a 76 ride or not). My stud did fine on the refly and he went on to get jets.

I know a guy who got sick for the first time on a PA flight. He completed the ride, but it was the flight before his first PA solo. Some black magic was worked and he ended up getting a couple extra PA flights so he could still do his 2 PA solos.

 

[Swanee]

I totally did not mean for what I said to come off the way it did. What I meant is that it was frustrating at Vance an unsat for airsickness wouldn't do much against me if I was under the AF grading scheme. However, when I came back to the Navy with 14+ unsats right when 5 unsats became the magic number was an issue. Ultimately, it was resolved. So that's all I meant was that MPTS was designed to allow for unsats and still progress. However, it got interesting when I had my jacket review and people were like "you had how many unsats!!!???"

Was not trying to speak to something I am not an expert in.

With 5 unsats being an issue in Navy world but not AF, I wonder how they are working it? Talking with my brother whose doing UPT at Laughlin it doesn't matter how many they get as long as they can pass a progress check they get thrown right back into the mix.

 

[squorch2]

There are different rules for folks at or coming from Vance.

Also, just a quick reminder - 5 unsats triggers an FPC, not an auto-boot. A subsequent unsat would trigger a TRB, which are pretty skewed towards attrition.

 

[DocT]

I got sick on fam 1 in the 34 and a little queasy during PA's. I took ginger pills before every flight and have never felt a twinge of sickness in a helo (with the exception of vertigo, which I think makes everyone feel sick). The heavy tasking that came with actually flying took my mind off of it.

As an aside, has anybody had people get sick in the back while shooting, especially in hot weather? I think that's the only time I've had any crew get sick in the bird.

 

[torpedo0126]

With 5 unsats being an issue in Navy world but not AF, I wonder how they are working it? Talking with my brother whose doing UPT at Laughlin it doesn't matter how many they get as long as they can pass a progress check they get thrown right back into the mix.

You're exactly right. That's what I meant when I said MPTS and TIMS are Air Force systems that the Navy uses. The huge issue is what you just said...MPTS allows essentially an unlimited amount of unsats. If you trigger an initial progress check (88 ride) or a subsequent final progress check (89) as long as you pass it you go straight back into the syllabus. There were many students at UPT who had several 88 and 89s. They were very common. The problem is the Navy imposes its own restrictions, like minimum NSS scores or unsats.

I cannot speak as an expert on this, but I speculate this is because the Air Force uses IFS as a major attrition tool. It is MUCH different than our IFS and they attrite a lot of people there (that is from the grapevine, not necessarily truth).

 

[PropStop]

Probably not the best idea to go into it with this plan.

Hey, it worked for me. I filled four bags my first flight (and I mean FILLED), three the second, two, then usually one until I got meds. I was able to over come it by my checkride and have a few revisits during PAs. Of course, the T44 was no fun when you were in the back on a hot Corpus day!

I always felt WAY better after hurking up my toenails so I just kinda went with it.

I will note: they WILL NOT let you solo if you get ill on your checkride and you CANNOT use drugs for your checkride. Or at least, that's how it was when i went through in '02. I assume that probably hasn't changed.

Stick with it man. The navy will not kick you outta flying for getting air sick and will give you several opportunities to fix it (spin and puke). i really wanted nothing to do with flying after my frist few flights, but I'm glad I stuck it out and got over the airsickness.