motion sickness desensitisation training in England

[italianairman]

Hello everyone, I've done all my PPL training struggling with motion sickness. I love flying and I d'love to go through with my commercial training.
I feel that in this condition i can't give my best as I wish and its time to do something.
I've heard about the RAF desensitisation program in Farnborough. Does anybody know anything about it?
I'm looking for some centre strictly aviation related that use to work with pilots that really know what to do in this cases.
I have been checked by several generic ENT and balance doctors but none of them could be able to fix my problems.
Any suggest is very appreciated.
Thank you

[Flyin'Dutch']

I am not aware of anyone that offers this in the UK.

Have you looked at the States?

[Capt Scribble]

I was aware that such a programme was run for military pilots many years ago. The course consisted of being taken up in a Hawk and being made sick as a dog; didn't have any close friends who experienced the treatment. Flying frequently will help get you used to the airborne environment but motion sickness is not a pleasant experience. Good luck.

[italianairman]

I am not aware of anyone that offers this in the UK.

Have you looked at the States?
yeah, i found few in the US but i was looking for something here in Europe, since i live here


I was aware that such a programme was run for military pilots many years ago. The course consisted of being taken up in a Hawk and being made sick as a dog; didn't have any close friends who experienced the treatment. Flying frequently will help get you used to the airborne environment but motion sickness is not a pleasant experience. Good luck.

I used to fly frequently but i just got very slight improvements, i can't handle more than just a couple of manoeuvres and if the day is turbulent I'm done

[Lou Scannon]

I was a pilot at the RAF Institute of Aviation Medicine back in the 70's. There was indeed a facility to desensitize aircrew with an airsickness problem.

The task was always to build up the subjects ability to withstand motion not to just give them unlimited practice in throwing up!

A chair was used fixed to a motion table and for each session the motion was increased slightly so that eventually the subject could stand considerable motion and move his head rapidly in all directions.

It was run by Dr Alan Benson and had a high sucess rate.

I seem to remember that certain physical types were more prone to motion sickness than others. Ginger headed chaps with pale skin seemed more prone than some.

I also remember a chap on my course at basic who felt sick at the drop of a hat. He persisted and eventually became part of a formation team...so keep at it.

[Denti]

Dunno if that program is open to the public or if it was one of the many contacts between Lufthansa and the german air force, after all LFT does train airforce pilots. We had one chap throwing up on every training mission, after a week of that the company decided to send him back home to germany for desensitation training at a german air force unit in Fürstenfeldbruck. Since he was not in my course, i don't know if it worked, but apparently the success rate was usually very high. Might be worth to contact the medical service of the GAF if you want something in europe. The GAF website is in german only though as far as i can see.