Feeling Sick/Light-headed learning to fly
Blader,
there is much good advice on this thread. Follow these and normally the feelings will diminish as your flying progresses. I was a chunda wonder in early training too, and eventually did some special training with the RAAF on this. For most people the sensation decease with flying more often, and eventfully go away altogether.
The most common cause is that your inner-ear vestibular senors (sense of balance and spacial position) to the brain is not matching what your visual input is saying. Visual is often the dominant sense , so focusing on a stable feature like the horizon or on an instrument can draw attention away from the inner-ear mismatch. Watching the horizon whilst you control the aircraft is best. As you progress the brain will re-adjust to the amazing world of flying.
A second common cause is anxiety caused by combinations of things like fear of the unknown, a feeling of lack of control, personality, perhaps a gruff instructor, etc. However take it from me and all the pilots I have met that these things can be overcome if your are motivated to fly. So keep at it!
Fly for shorter times initially and fly often. Treat the flight as a fun challenge, not anything at all threatening or unpleasant. This allows your senses to adjust, accelerates your learning 'overwrites' and corrects the physical mismatch. If in the unlikely event that by about 15-20 hours of flying the problems remain, PM me as I have further advice for the next stage.
You will overcome...relax, and enjoy the lessons which are actually designed around training you to take control.
there is much good advice on this thread. Follow these and normally the feelings will diminish as your flying progresses. I was a chunda wonder in early training too, and eventually did some special training with the RAAF on this. For most people the sensation decease with flying more often, and eventfully go away altogether.
The most common cause is that your inner-ear vestibular senors (sense of balance and spacial position) to the brain is not matching what your visual input is saying. Visual is often the dominant sense , so focusing on a stable feature like the horizon or on an instrument can draw attention away from the inner-ear mismatch. Watching the horizon whilst you control the aircraft is best. As you progress the brain will re-adjust to the amazing world of flying.
A second common cause is anxiety caused by combinations of things like fear of the unknown, a feeling of lack of control, personality, perhaps a gruff instructor, etc. However take it from me and all the pilots I have met that these things can be overcome if your are motivated to fly. So keep at it!
Fly for shorter times initially and fly often. Treat the flight as a fun challenge, not anything at all threatening or unpleasant. This allows your senses to adjust, accelerates your learning 'overwrites' and corrects the physical mismatch. If in the unlikely event that by about 15-20 hours of flying the problems remain, PM me as I have further advice for the next stage.
You will overcome...relax, and enjoy the lessons which are actually designed around training you to take control.
Last edited by Roller Merlin; 5th Jan 2008 at 02:09.
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thanks to everyone for all your replies! i was terribly discouraged and felt really down after feeling that way during n after the flight...thoughts that perhaps flying wasnt for me began to creep into my mind..
i must say that i am now encouraged again and going to persevere for the next few lessons and see how things go...hopefully ill get adjusted to the motion sickness soon... hope to have gd news to update you guys soon! meanwhile, pls feel free to keep the comments/advice coming on this post...
cheers!
i must say that i am now encouraged again and going to persevere for the next few lessons and see how things go...hopefully ill get adjusted to the motion sickness soon... hope to have gd news to update you guys soon! meanwhile, pls feel free to keep the comments/advice coming on this post...
cheers!
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You will end up being a better stick and rudder pilot than many others who have lower sensitivities to acceleration threshholds. You will be OK when you do the flying as your senses know what is happening in advance.
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Can anyone help me with my (possible?) Barodontalgia and what i can do about it? :P
And I must say, Anxiety was never a problem for me, i love flying so much that i don't actually feel scared at all when going up, I guess i subconsciously think about the stats (more likely to crash a car than have an air accident), but also just the feeling of flying is the best ever.
I feel safe in planes, especially when my instructor helped me preflight them :P, I preflight them extra well though.
And I must say, Anxiety was never a problem for me, i love flying so much that i don't actually feel scared at all when going up, I guess i subconsciously think about the stats (more likely to crash a car than have an air accident), but also just the feeling of flying is the best ever.
I feel safe in planes, especially when my instructor helped me preflight them :P, I preflight them extra well though.
For something like that Pyro, you REALLY need to consult a doctor. Nobody on here (unless they are a doc, and even then you can't prove it) would know enough about it to give you useful or even safe information.
Seriously, talk to a DAME
Arrr
Seriously, talk to a DAME
Arrr
You will end up being a better stick and rudder pilot
It helps if your not hung over when you go for a spin.
I used to give my pax ginger biscuits and that calmed the nausea. The twin otter was a real boat in bumpy after conditions.
We had a few people on my course get sick during the first 10 or so hours of training. One even opened the door on the tomahawk and threw up all over the wing and runway on the roll out.
You'll laugh at yourself over this. Good luck
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I found doing my Aerobatics endorsment I was getting sick whenever the instructor was in control. As soon as I took over it went away (assuming I stayed level for a bit).
For the first 5 odd hours of solo aerobatics I found myself getting sick after about 20 minutes of rolls, loops and spins but since them I've been fine.
I remember when I was doing my PPL feeling queezy every now and then but the things that have been suggested so far took care of it.
You WILL get over it and laugh
Pyro - you may need a root canal and not know it, get ye to a dentist and get some x-rays.
For the first 5 odd hours of solo aerobatics I found myself getting sick after about 20 minutes of rolls, loops and spins but since them I've been fine.
I remember when I was doing my PPL feeling queezy every now and then but the things that have been suggested so far took care of it.
You WILL get over it and laugh
Pyro - you may need a root canal and not know it, get ye to a dentist and get some x-rays.
Apples are the best food to settle your stomach according to a former RAAF Pilot Mr Donald Pollock esq as he strapped me into a Decatholon.
Also try chewing gum or mints.
Make sure you are keeping yourself hydrated by drinking water, people have a tendency to not drink and therefore get a headache.
Also try chewing gum or mints.
Make sure you are keeping yourself hydrated by drinking water, people have a tendency to not drink and therefore get a headache.
If you are not feeling well, make sure you know where the spew bag is located and more importantly know which end to spew into!!!!
Also so it is good to watch the reaction of your instructor as you spew.
Great fun in a C150 on a 40 degree day with only one sick bag.
Also so it is good to watch the reaction of your instructor as you spew.
Great fun in a C150 on a 40 degree day with only one sick bag.
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XXX,
That was the whole point. DO eat a banana, because when it comes up it tastes better than bile etc.
Don't eat a banana before flying! they are probably the slowest digesting fruit or any kind of food for that matter that you can eat. It will be thrown up again in no time.
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airsickness
haven't read all teh replies, so if this has been mentioned then i do apologise, but two things that helped were
1) take pure ginger tablets or drink ginger ale, they aren't medicinal so you don't need to be worried about seeing a DAME (unless you're allergic, that could be a prob)
2) my headset is a flightcom, and while they are ok, the foam around the ears is very thin, and there is actually a pressure point behind your ear, my headset was extremely uncomfortable and gave me headaches and nausea. i had to get some david clark squishy gel pads instead and haven't had a problem since.
good luck
1) take pure ginger tablets or drink ginger ale, they aren't medicinal so you don't need to be worried about seeing a DAME (unless you're allergic, that could be a prob)
2) my headset is a flightcom, and while they are ok, the foam around the ears is very thin, and there is actually a pressure point behind your ear, my headset was extremely uncomfortable and gave me headaches and nausea. i had to get some david clark squishy gel pads instead and haven't had a problem since.
good luck
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quick update: i saw my GP today about it, he said that its more likely to be sinus issues.
Theres a passage where the hole there varies in size, when its small its more easily blocked by mucus etc. and it dries, so air gets stuck in there (and expands on descent).
He says that thats probably the case because barodontalgia is often caused by fillings having air underneath them.
Theres a passage where the hole there varies in size, when its small its more easily blocked by mucus etc. and it dries, so air gets stuck in there (and expands on descent).
He says that thats probably the case because barodontalgia is often caused by fillings having air underneath them.
Some combinations of headset and sunglass are not ideal either.
The headset can actually push the frame of the sunglasses into the side of your face which can make you fell unwell or uncomfortable. Try a flight or two without a headset, and then put it on for small amount of time. When I first started flying I didn't like wearing a headset, it didn't feel comfortable.
The headset can actually push the frame of the sunglasses into the side of your face which can make you fell unwell or uncomfortable. Try a flight or two without a headset, and then put it on for small amount of time. When I first started flying I didn't like wearing a headset, it didn't feel comfortable.
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Blader
Chuck Yeager used to get airsick when he started and he went on to break the sound "barrier".
I had never had a problem until I had around 3000 hours and was flying a Kingair on aerial medical ops. I went thru a period of feeling really sick after take off. Could have been something to do with the fact that it was often around midnight-or later and perhaps I was getting vertigo, or I really just wanted to go back to bed. Don't know what happened to "fix" it - it just stopped.
Chuck Yeager used to get airsick when he started and he went on to break the sound "barrier".
I had never had a problem until I had around 3000 hours and was flying a Kingair on aerial medical ops. I went thru a period of feeling really sick after take off. Could have been something to do with the fact that it was often around midnight-or later and perhaps I was getting vertigo, or I really just wanted to go back to bed. Don't know what happened to "fix" it - it just stopped.
E&H, sound like your blood sugar level might have been getting low and you needed some food intake.
VH-XXX, nothing like sharing a hot and sweaty headset or as you a said another pilot with horse breath or somebody with the hairy beard!
VH-XXX, nothing like sharing a hot and sweaty headset or as you a said another pilot with horse breath or somebody with the hairy beard!
If you are not feeling well, make sure you know where the spew bag is located and more importantly know which end to spew into!!!!
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The name says it all.............
Ginger is the best ingredient to consume prior to blast off!
Ginger tablets are from natural ingredients, and after your "apprenticeship" hours, you will be surprised when you forget to t
ake them and you feel ok....about 20 hr's.
Whether you accept it or not, there is a degree of anxiety with every flight. It is a well known fact that driving a car is one of the most anxious activities that a human can undertake, yet most pilots, including myself, consider that driving a car can be very relaxing. Flying is no different.
Do not take chemical substitutes to the ginger, any health shop or pharmacy will sell them, and trust me when I say........THEY WORK!
Ginger is the best ingredient to consume prior to blast off!
Ginger tablets are from natural ingredients, and after your "apprenticeship" hours, you will be surprised when you forget to t
ake them and you feel ok....about 20 hr's.Whether you accept it or not, there is a degree of anxiety with every flight. It is a well known fact that driving a car is one of the most anxious activities that a human can undertake, yet most pilots, including myself, consider that driving a car can be very relaxing. Flying is no different.
Do not take chemical substitutes to the ginger, any health shop or pharmacy will sell them, and trust me when I say........THEY WORK!