air sickness?

[liam548]

I've just completed lesson 7. On one or two of them I have felt air sick though. the first time I was in an AT-3 and it was very warm and I was dehydrated.

Today though I was doing climbing turns and I felt slightly ill again.

Is there anything I can do to stop this as it can easily get in way of my valuable lesson. Do you suggest eating/drinking beforehand or any other techniques?

Liam

[Lister Noble]

Liam,I am fortunate that it has not happened to me but I understand it is important to drink before you fly so as not to be de-hydrated and maybe take some water with you,also I believe it is important to eat something light and not fly on an empty stomach,although probably the full English is not advisable!
Cool loose cotton clothing is sensible as well.
Lister:)

[Gertrude the Wombat]

take some water with you
There's no way I'm having bottles of water rolling around under the pedals in any aircraft I'm flying. Best way to ensure that this doesn't happen is to make sure none get taken on board at all.

[youngskywalker]

Try and get the fresh air vent blowing gently into your face.

[The Grim EPR]

I had the same problem early on in my training. I used to think that not eating was the best plan. It really isn't! As others have said, it's very important to make sure that you have eaten (I found a couple of hours earlier was best and something quite light).

Plenty of water beforehand (and during if your instructor will allow).

All the air vents open full.

Try extra strong mints. Helped me feel less sick.

Don't let it worry you. Worrying about it made me feel worse. It is very likely to pass. Just relax and enjoy yourself.

[DX Wombat]

Try ginger tea, ginger tablets or crystallised ginger - it's approved for use by pregnant mums so is unlikely to do much harm. Alternatively try some of those pressure bands.

[flybymike]

The cure for air sickness is repeated exposure to it. I suffered terribly for the first 12 hours or so before it tailed off, which it WILL do if you just endure it!;)

[Urshtnme]

Eat lotsa food mate, seriously!

The flying I do is mainly low level and rough as guts so I eat a big meal before flying. Something a P-3C crewman told me and it works wonders. Give it a shot.

The more food in your belly, the better you fly.

Also, just keep your heap on the horizon and get some ventilation in the cabin.

You'll be right :ok:

[JohnPits]

Hi,

I had big problems when I started flying could only last about 30 mins then instructor would have to take the controls, at one point I was gonna quit.
Now I only have 20 hrs towards my PPL but I have tried eating lots before going up and have also tried going up with an empty stomach. For me I have a big meal about 2 hrs before then 45 mins before I eat a flapjack. Touch wood the last 8 hrs have been fine. One more thing that is a must, dont leave it more than 2 weeks between lessons, the more you fly the better it gets didn't believe it myself but its working for me.

J

[1946]

I have / had a deal of problems with acceptence of turbulence. I got to a stage where I could not or would not fly solo, although I have a ppl and been flying since 1973.It got so bad I was scared to do circuits on all but total calm days. I started having a bit to eat a couple of hours before a flight, and on the advice of an ex RAAF instructor had an apple about an hour before flying. Apparently the acid in the apple has a neuterlising effect on stomach your acid, and so lessens the effect of motion sickness.
I also found by wearing sea bands, designed to stop sea sickness, again a motion problem, helped a great deal. Ginger is good, plus a herbal calmer called valerian, no side affects, just helps lower the worry factor. I find if I have to do a long flight in a comercial aircraft all of the above seems to help.
I have been flying solo lately, but yet to venture out of the 'safty of the circuit area'. It is probably all physco-sematic! (all in the head)

[Shunter]

Not sure about eating LOADS of food, but some food, yes. Don't skip breakfast and don't show up at the airfield fuelled only on coffee.

[Barkly1992]

Always keep your eyes on the horizon as far as possible even in step turns and climbing/descending turns - apart from an instrument scan of course - moving your head too quickly and having your eyes dart about confuses your brain. You middle ear is being stuffed by the changing forces - so you eyes and brain need to know which is up and which is down.

Well that's what I did - 30 years ago.

:p

[flybymike]

I think the business of whether to, and what to eat is a complete red herrring ( especially if you have in fact been eating herrings...)

I believe this is a neurological problem not a gastroenterology problem. Your brain and vestibular apparatus and motion sensors are receiving confusing messages. As I said before the way to deal with the problem is repeated exposure. It will go away and stay away unless of course you have lengthy spells away from flying

[10069]

Theres no need to eat anything but from my experience a nice choclate milkshake always settled the stomach as well as giving you an energy boost:} which just helps improve your flying

[Urshtnme]

Ohh that's just nasty!! Better out than in then eh? :ok:

[RTN11]

taking a rennie always settles any stomach upset i've ever felt.

[danielk]

I've had some problems with motion sickness during my training too. Climbing/descending turns and turbulence often made me feel sick. Make sure you've eaten, bring water, make sure that you have enough time before flying to do all your checks as that will usually calm you down.
One of my instructors told me that he used to have big problems with motion sickness during his PPL-training he even threw up a couple of times but now he can sit in the right hand seat all day long, so exposure really does the trick fine!

[Urshtnme]

We copped some serious turbulence yesterday for at least 4 out of the 6 hours that we flew. I started to feel pretty ordinary about an hour and a half out of our destination so I got into a bacon and egg toastie. Took twice as long to eat while getting thrown around but it eased my stomach. You don't want to eat or even think about food when you're feeling like this and it might not work for everyone, but try getting something decent in your stomach could settle it enough to get your mind back on the job.

[AMEandPPL]

You don't want to eat or even think about food when you're feeling like this

How about the remedy suggested elsewhere ? ie 2 x Phenergan 30 mins prior to flight.


Hopefully the soporific effect would be working at maximum efficacy !

[Silent T]

Eat some bananas...

At least they taste the same on the way up as they did on the way down!!!:)

[Sallyann1234]

Porridge!!
I used to suffer bad sickness in small boats, was recommended to eat something filling but bland like porridge. It worked a treat to stop seasickness, so when I started flying I tried the porridge right from the start and never had a problem. When I started overnight trips and couldn't get porridge in the morning I almost needed the bag once or twice but now I'm fine. Don't know whether this was physical or psychological but the porridge worked for me.

[sevenstar]

My personal way of dealing with air sickness before i 'grew' out of it was

1) Those acupressure wrist bands-worked a treat and when i got used to it all i threw 'em away.

2) eat something a maybe 2-4 hours before hand and be well hydrated.

3) plenty of fresh air

4) Mints are excellent-just dont ask me why!

5) Those ginger tabs

6) Eyes outside as much as possible - only very quick and occasional glance at the instruements, after all it is vfr flying. And if possible do as much flying as possible, and during each lesson maybe ask do the first 5-10 mins yourself just doing whatever(climbs,descents turns etc) before intsructor starts demonstrating the next set of exercises.

Hope that helps and remember it will pass with experience

Ps be well rested and defo not hungover

[AMEandPPL]

4) Mints are excellent - just don't ask me why!

A very good suggestion ! One with scientific backing too !
Mint is part of a chemical grouping known by pharmacists as "carminatives". These relax smooth muscle in the gastro-intestinal tract. Release of trapped gas by "burping" is one effect, and less nausea and vomiting could be expected if pressure and tension in the gut was reduced.

"Polo" , anyone ? :)

[Urshtnme]

How about the remedy suggested elsewhere ? ie 2 x Phenergan 30 mins prior to flight.


Hopefully the soporific effect would be working at maximum efficacy !

Yeah I'd like to see a pilot or aircrew do that. I'd still make the suggestion to any PAX but when it comes to those doing the job.....yeah right!

[snapper1]

Flybymike's got it right. Its all about your senses giving your brain conflicting information e.g. if you are looking at instuments while in turbulence your eyes are telling you that you aren't being thrown around but the balance mechanism in your ears is telling you that you are. So keep your head out of the cockpit as much as possible and look around the horizon (good airmanship anyway).

When I first began flying gliders I thought I might get air sickness and so I did, although only minimally. Now when I fly into what you call turbulence I recognise it as thermic activity and therefore just what I want! Learn to accept it, you'll soon get used to it.:ok:

[oxo]

Are there no medicinal treatments without drowsy side effects? Though I'd heard about some patches a while back..?

[AMEandPPL]

Are there no medicinal treatments without drowsy side effects?

The answer to that is "yes", but there are a few provisos !

Non-medical treatment should ALWAYS be considered first, if at all possible. I have commented on here before that too many folk "reach for a pill" far too readily these days ! However, if other means do not control, and the situation is distressing, one might consider MOTILIUM (that's a trade-name , chemical name is domperidone ).

It is prescription-only in the UK, so you'd need to discuss getting it with your GP, cannot just buy from a chemist. This suggestion from me is ONLY FOR ADULTS ! I could not condone children being given medication like this for non-medical and recreational reasons.

But in the right circumstances it has a very powerful anti-emetic effect without any of the sedative side effects of the phenothiazines. My (adult) daughter used it very successfully in the early days after I got my PPL. She doesn't need it now ! :)

[RatherBeFlying]

Flying frequently will help get rid of the woozies or at least keep them under control.

When thermalling gliders, scanning for traffic inside the turn is much easier on the tummy than looking outside the turn.

On a hot day with rough thermals, it's shake and bake.

In a glider you can be up for some hours; so have to take along food and water and have provision for letting out the used water:\