air sickness

Janies advice makes a lot of sense IMHO. I may just have the chance to put it to some use soon I hope.

You are 17th on my list at the moment!

It doesn’t matter what you try – my loops (I call them twoops, because they are twisted!) will make you sick.

It never seems to affect me if I have done the majority of the flying. I assume it is something to do with the fact that while you’re concentrating on flying, you forget about being ill(?). Perhaps the more learned members can confirm.

Well it is not the concentrating which makes it OK. It is the fact that you tense your muscles in preparation for any action, if you are causing that action. You will not even be aware that you are doing this. It is the same with driving. Try braking without tensing your stomach muscles and you will see what I mean. You probably did not even know you used them.

This is why I said to keep you muscles tensed all the time when a passenger for aerobatics. You do not need them tense all the time, but as you will never know the exact moment to tense them, it just hedges your chances of getting it right.

Here’s another thing: G-suits – they push down on your abdomen and surrounding area, for you, the moment that there is any g-force. This just equates to you tensing your muscles buts means that you do not have to worry about the timing. And what is all that doing? Stopping the blood from draining away from your brain.

I’ve more info, but it’s getting a bit wordy here, so I’ll save it for later.

I would like to echo a point that Janie and Blue Robin amongst others made. I’m not yet a pilot myself (other than a solo with the Air Cadets – don’t think that counts somehow) and as a result all my flying has been as a passenger. The only time I have felt ill was a 1.5 hour soaring trip in June 91 (ish), where I didn’t touch the controls once. I wasn’t actually sick, but was the same colour as the grass when I crawled out of the glider. It never seems to affect me if I have done the majority of the flying. I assume it is something to do with the fact that while you’re concentrating on flying, you forget about being ill(?). Perhaps the more learned members can confirm. Looking inside the cockpit for long periods seems to have a similar effect and I assume this is to do with your senses and balance and visual cues – again, perhaps the more learned can confirm.

Stugeron? Not recommended if you’re the pilot! In my experience they dope you up and it stays in your system for over 24 hours (though te makers claim otherwise on this time period).

I was speaking purely as a passenger. I don’t seem to suffer any adverse effects , but then I am pretty dopy anyway even without tablets !

Thanks for that Janie. My problem with my fear of flying is that I’m ok upto about 2,000 feet then as you get higher panic starts to set in. I guess it’s a fear of heights more than anything, bit like walking up a ladder – go up 2 steps and your ok, go near the top and your terrified. I figure the only way to get over it is familiarity, so I’m going to try and get up as much as possible as soon as the pennies are available.

Stugeron? Not recommended if you’re the pilot! In my experience they dope you up and it stays in your system for over 24 hours (though te makers claim otherwise on this time period).

There is IMHO a difference between gentle motion sickness that can be cured by tablets and honking round in 6G turn motion sickness that can usually only be cured by getting used to it! Janies advice makes a lot of sense IMHO. I may just have the chance to put it to some use soon I hope.

I have found that ‘Sturgeron’ travel sickness tablets are quite effective at preventing air sickness (they work well for sea sickness also). They are available over the counter at most Chemists.

P.S. I’m not a pilot but I am trying to get over my fear of flying.

Try these;
“Flying without Fear”

http://meettheauthor.com/bookbites/466.html

scaredofflying.com

I bought the book and I can honestly say that I have had no fear since. The author is a friend of a friend, who was an instructor at Panshanger.

I’m worried that if I do get the chance to go flying in a jet or something were you pull a bit of G I might be getting friendly with the brown bag!

It does not matter whether it is a jet or a piston, or whether it is flying slow or fast. What does matter is the difference between where your ears are travelling (I’m serious) and where your eyes are looking. The further apart these are and the longer you hold that difference, the greater the chance of feeling ill. It’s all to do with the movement of the hair in the inner ear.

Example: If you are travelling in a particular direction and you look out of the window perpendicular to the direction of travel for a couple of seconds, then look back where you are going, you will feel fine. If you hold this head-turned position for too long then you will start to feel ill. If you only look a few degrees either left or right of centre, you can look out for longer, before returning to the central position without feeling sick.

As for pulling G. If you are the one pulling (flying) you will feel fine because you know the direction you are pulling in and for how long, so you will tense your body accordingly without even realising it, as you do when you drive. If you are a passenger, there is no way of telling exactly how long you need to react for so you will always be out of synch with the movement. Momentary differences will not make you ill. Sustained G or continuous repeated low-G, will make you ill. So pauses between manoevres are recommended.

If you read whilst a passenger in a car, your ears are going forward, your eyes are down. They are going in different directions which is why you will feel ill.

Any thoughts.

Yup. Read my first post in this thread.

Some people are soooo nosey round here aren’t they?! 😉

There was no indication as to whether they were flying in a B52, a Tu52 a Yak-52, a C152 or a B747. I just wanted to try to picture this guy and his psychadelic yawn.
:p

The only thing that makes me sick is when everyone goes flying and leaves me behind. 🙁

Air Sickness – I’m to busy being scared!! 😮

I must admit that I’ve never suffered with air sickness but then I’ve never been stretched ( aero’s etc ). What does worry me is that I did 3 laps at Silverstone last year in a Caterham 7 and felt sick as a dog after that, so now I’m worried that if I do get the chance to go flying in a jet or something were you pull a bit of G I might be getting friendly with the brown bag! Any thoughts.

P.S. I’m not a pilot but I am trying to get over my fear of flying.

lol – no problem.

I fly a warrior – which I hear is can make poeple feel sick – they have a certain smell about them I always think.

We will just be doing local out of sywell or crainfield depending on plane av. Sometimes we go to duxford, etc. But at present I have to keep the flights under an hour, but we are getting there!

In what will you be flying? Where are you and your friend planning on going?

Some people are soooo nosey round here aren’t they?! 😉

going flying this week

In what will you be flying? Where are you and your friend planning on going?

dont forget to keep him involved in what u r doing. If u keep his mind busy with how to fly a plane properly he wont think about sickness. Uh and of course avoid shaking him with tight turns, stalls etc…
After all is also a matter of getting used to it, and if he’s fit enuff he shouldnt have many troubles.. most of the ppl who feel sick in planes (and cars, boats, bicicles..) are just scared or unsure about the vehicle they’re sitting in, it’s above all a pshycological issue..

Alex

wow, loads of cool advice, many thanks – going flying this week so will let you know how we get on! I think it maybe the turbulance that causes some problems – humm warm weather wont help there then!

thanks again!

1. Keep off the alcohol. That means no traces from the night before.
2. Look out of the window.
3. Good Ventilation
4. Comfortable clothing
5. Keep your eyes in the direction of travel. It is all very well looking at the horizon, but it is detremental to look at the horizon on the right when you are turning to the left. Also if you are in a steep turn looking at the horizon may not work. When I am a passenger and I am in a steep turn, I look at the ground below the wingtip, then I gradually move my eyes up to the horizon, somewhere in between you will feel comfortable. By the time you have done that, the aircraft will probably have changed direction, so get your eyes back in the direction of travel without hesitation.
6. If pulling G – tighten every muscle you can find in your body. Then tighten all the ones you cannot find.
7. Relax!
8. Fly the aeroplane – that works every time.
9. Keep a sick bag handy, so you are not stressed about what to do if the worst comes to the worst.
10. If the worst comes to the worst and you are wearing a headset, move the mike out of the way before talking to the sick bag.
11. If you are wearing a full face helmet … well I’ll tell you that story another time!
12. Do not use old sick bags. The bottoms fall out.
13. Read number 5 (above) again. That’s the important one.
14. Entertain yourself with this: http://www.airsicknessbags.com/

I was told by an instructor not to mention air sickness to my passengers, but I’m so passionate about the subject that I just cannot help myself!

Have him to fly the aeroplane. Cured my airsickness 😀

I always cherish some advice offered back in 1952 by an RAF Flight Sergeant to a bunch of ATC cadets at Abingdon before a planned 4 hour Hastings flight on a turbulent day –
“If you are going to be airsick and eventually you detect a round object in the back of your throat then for God’s sake swallow it. It will be your a******e and you will need it tomorrow…….!!!”.
Seriously though, the advice offered by others is useful and I have nothing further to add.
Cheers,
Trapper 69