Motion Sickness

[Masmith]

I’m sure there are a few pilots here who suffer from motion sickness.

I myself am not a pilot but enjoy flying with the cadets in Grob 115 and 109 and also with my father who owns a PPL.I was wondering if anyone has any tips on how to cope or overcome motion sickness or any medication that is certified by the CAA etc…Ive heard about these relief bands, and read a review about them in "Pilot Magazine Issue December 2005" it sounds quite convincing is there anyone here who has exsperence with these?

I can’t describe how much I love flying, however when it comes to aeros, steep tunrs, flaps on final I feel absolutely awful!:bored: It’s the only thing that stands in my way of pursing a career as a pilot :ugh:, I am literately willing try anything! so any tips or comments are fully appreciated.



Thank you,

[gingernut]

May be worth running a search, as this has been covered before on this very forum.

It seems your not alone. "Sea bands" work on some sort of accupunture pathways, (or some such hocus pocus), but appear to work well for some pilots.

Experienced pilots tell us that continuing exposure to the forces causing your symptoms, eventually "damp down" the response.

Avoid any medication, without first talking to your AME, as most of the effective stuff can cause drowsiness.

Good luck with your career.:)

Oh, and don't ever skip breakfast.

[Pilot_in_the_making]

Don't let motion sickness hold you back on a career as a pilot, as a kid I had a terrible problem with motion sickness, my record for the quickest vomit (don't ask, my older brother and sister used to place bets, whoever lost had to buy the other a chocolate bar, it was a running joke in my family) was less than 5 minutes in the car, approximatly 2.5 miles down the road to my Grandparents house!!!!!

I gradually got better as I got older, I'm fine as the driver, but I still can't go more than about half an hour in a car as a passenger without feeling a little bit rough.

Needless to say, I had a few problems when I started flying, but the effects died down as I progressed through the PPL course. Still occasionally feel a bit rough if I go flying in turbulent weather, but generally it's not a problem now. :)

I found some natural herbal tablets in the chemist that stated non-drousey. I asked my instructer what the official line was on these and his response was that the training school didn't have a problem with me using them when I was flying with an instructor on board, but I wasn't to take them when flying solo without consulting an AME first. I used them for the first 10 hours or so and they worked a treat. By the time I was ready to go solo I found I didn't need them anymore.

The best advice I can give you having been in your position not that long ago is:-

As the last person said make sure you don't skip breakfast.
Armbands work on some people, but they do bugger all for me!
Look into the possibility of tablets, but for God sake make sure that they are non drowsey!!! I would also check with your training school, they probably won't have a problem, but it's always best to get the official line.
Make sure you always have a sick bag on you!!!
Without being too graphic, don't ever be tempted to try to be sick out of the window of the Cessnas, anyone who has ever tried it (and the passengers in the back if it's a 4 seater) will tell you that it is an incredibly bad idea!!! It was quite possibly the most embarresing apology I have ever had to make!!!!! :OLike I said, don't let it put you off getting your pilots license, I have now held a PPL for about six months and have about 80 hours. I originally only wanted to fly privatly for fun, but have now decided to go down the long route of trying to get my ATPL. (Assuming that I pass the class 1 medical, got it booked for Monday, so wish me luck). :D

Although the first few hours were a nightmare and I had to cut the first couple of lessons short, it's well worth it and it does get better, so keep plugging away. :cool:

Good luck with the flying career. :ok:

[Masmith]

Cheers for the advice...I’m not the type of person to miss any breakfast :O, but next time I go flying Ill give some ago...and those relief band things...and I hope the class 1 medical went well:ok:.

[A2QFI]

I used to instruct on a UAS (Bulldogs). I had one student who felt very ill during his aeros and mine! I bought him a set of C bands and they certainly enabled him to get thru about 10 minutes aeros without feeling too ill. A cheap enough remedy but I am only commenting on one case!

[David Horn]

My brother used to get intensely car sick - in fact, when travelling abroad he has thrown up over the loading deck on a ferry and over the landing gear before boarding the plane...

The best solution he found was ginger tablets(?), which worked much better than the wrist bands.

Cheers,

David.

[puckhead]

Hey not really the same problem but close enough I figured id post on here. I currently am working on my Commercial multi and dont get nautious at all while flying. Sitting in the back is fine too until its in an airliner. I dont know why but i always feel quesy. I dont get it one bit it can be humid, hot and bumpy as heck but I dont get affected in planes im flying or backseating. The minute i get in an airliner I sometimes get nautious and I say sometimes cause its not everytime but id say lately 50/50. Any ideas?

[Jen_x]

I get airsick sometimes and want to be a cabin crew ...

Any ideas how to over come this ?

Thanks x

[Jen_x]

Thank you .. i got to help them out to overcome fears and wasn't sick so hopefully i think i only get sick if im jsut sat there .. as stupid as it sounds .. fingers crossed .. xx

3 year to over come it!!! :ok:

[Bob the Doc]

There is a desensitisation course for RAF pilots that has considerable success with motion sickness.

Always worth making sure that you don't have the heater on too high and if you have supplemental O2 in the cockpit, that can help as well. I remember on a Hawk flight, the pilot (I was on a jolly) sneaked the heater up a bit before the aeros and I felt much more green than I usually do.

Sea Bands work well for some. I can't prove the science but if they work then great and they are less than a tenner at Boots (and you don't need to tell the CAA!)

[XL319]

It's very strange...in the air im fine, dosent effect me at all, but put me on a ship and i'm as green as a leaf....effects people in a many ways!!!