Really Flying, Really Airsick

[dkohl 0]

After two intro flights over the summer, I found an instructor at DXR and started my flight training in a Piper PA-28-161. Thanks to ROTW, getting in the air was a snap!One problem.After about 15 minutes airborne, the bumps from the light wind gusts got to my stomach and the sweaty forehead, clammy hands, and generally crappy airsick feeling took over. I had a pair of those acu-pressure bracelets that are supposed to help, but no luck. Perhaps you need to put them on before taking off.I've spoken to a few and have also read an article on the AOPA website all saying that I'd probably get over it after a few flights. But I was hoping for some tips from you real pilots, other than to tough it out for six or seven more hours.Thanks.-DK----David KohlFly! II v2.5.240Dell 8200 P4/1.8G, 1024MB RAM, Nvidia GF4 Ti4600 v44.03, WinXP Home Edition SP1.CH Pro Pedals and Yoke USB.

[Guest Chris Wallace]

Hi David,I have also heard that it is something you will just get used to, and of course you can help yourself by following the usual advice...be well rested, have a small snack so there's something in your stomach, and make sure your bladder is empty before your flight. But there is a safe drug-free alternative to get you over the rough spots...There is a product called "ReliefBand" which is approved by the FAA for use by pilots. It is worn like a wristwatch, and sends electrical impulses through the skin to a nerve that somehow reduces nauseau. SeaBands work on the same principle, by applying pressure to this nerve, but the ReliefBand takes it further. I am very prone to seasickness and find it very effective. My wife also used it to control nausea during her pregnancy. The most grueling test for me was a helicopter tour of the Juneau glaciers...five passengers crammed in a little Eurocopter with very gusty winds...I felt a bit queasy at times but got through it with no problems. I'm sure I would have been :-erks without it.There is a good article at AvWeb on motion sickness and piloting:http://www.avweb.com/news/aeromed/181895-1.htmlReliefBand web site:http://www.reliefband.comBest of luck,Chris WallaceOttawa, Canada

[Guest spenik]

I know how you feel David! My frst flight only a few months ago was not the most plesant. It was in a Cessna 210, just a small program the EAA had put out to get young kids involded in real-life flight. Well, rattled of a few remarks about the aircraft and got to sit up front and call the pre-takeoff check list ;-) !In the air, was a different story. It was bumby and tossy and the pilot says it was usually rougher then this. I found my only relife in watching the HSI to see that we were banking and not being trown sides ways like it felt like we were.BTW, I asked the pilot about leaning the fule mixture, but he said 3000ft wasn't high enough yet. I haver leaned out the Flyhawk in Fly II at 3000ft and increased fule efientcy.Anyway, laning was the roughest part of all. I had this terrible feeling I was going to trow up, but I could not find the bag! I remember him saying something about up and to the right, but my harness would not let me reach that far. You can guess what happened...I do hope that sort of thig goes away after a while, I still love flying, but I would not reish going through something like that again.Oh, and one last point. Is it easyer to handel air sickness when you are the one flying the airplane? I raefd a book about a Flight instruckter who got sich riding in the back of cars on bumby roads but neaver got sick flying and air plane.

[Guest Bart]

Glad to see you got started on your training!! did everything unzip OK? Don't get to worried about the getting queezy, it'll pass, just remember the bladder, food and sleep thingy, also let your instuctor know how you're feeling, they can keep you occupied to keep your mind off of it. Ask them to quiz you on airsapce minimums, V speeds, just anything to keep you from thinking about feeling sick and before you know it you're back on good ole terra-forma :) I used Dramamine about my first 10-15 hours then didn't need it after that, I've heard of the wrist thing that Chris mentioned but just remember Wallace hasn't had any electrical impulses to his brain in a long long time!!. We had a guy that got one and hurled all over inside the plane. We gave him the "clean-up" bag and told him to drop the wristband in it when he returned it for the refund, just in case they needed proof it didn't work for him. My advise would be to give it a little time before you rush into buying something you might not need after a few more hours of flying, and most important let your instuctor know when you get feeling bad. c ya :-waveBart flyhelp@zoomtown.comhttp://bartsflyplace.tripod.com/bart_logo3.jpg

[dkohl 0]

Yes - Unzipped just fine. I'll use some of it, but so far, I'm planning on flying the Piper. But wonderful little peice of work.On the airsick, thanks all (so far) for the counsel. I'll keep the "hurl-o-meter" on board and let you know how I do come Saturday (next lesson).-DK----David KohlFly! II v2.5.240Dell 8200 P4/1.8G, 1024MB RAM, Nvidia GF4 Ti4600 v44.03, WinXP Home Edition SP1.CH Pro Pedals and Yoke USB.

[Guest CaptainJ]

Hi David,Here's some tips for you from my own experience1 never go to the backseats of a 4 seater plane when they ask you for a flying trip with some flying friends! the backseats of a C172 will cause you more illness, then the seats in the front. 2 Never turn your head to much from the right to the left for sight seeing, just turn your head slowly. 3 Also never look to much trough the capture window of your photocamera/videocamera. your equilibrium organ doesn't like the little view.4 when you don't feel well just keep looking at the horizon in front of you and don't make steep turns or do aerobatic manauvres like stall procedures take care, and enjoy flying the real stuff!

[Guest nycflyer]

That happened to me once or twice (feeling a bit nauseous) during a checkride, but it was always when I hadn't eaten in the morning. Now I always eat before flying, but not right before, and don't drink too much coffee!Have you landed on 26 yet over there? The slope of the terrain makes it feel a little awkward the first time.Are you going through Sadler Aviation?ScottPPASEL-KTEB

[Guest pilotsim7828]

My first time I got Quezzy, was the time I was`nt looking out the window ( ya know the one over the front panel :) , Not the sides! :( )Dont watch your insturments too much, Try to feel the plane by the seat of your pants, This will help you when your BALL of the turn cordinator goes out, and the sooner you get this, the better. It will also help you look outside of the aircraft, Rather than trusting your insturments... YOUR NOT INSTURMENT RATED YET :)Just wait till you try to get IFR Rated, Your Not even close to being as sick , now ..As you will be geting IFR ratings . Boy ..Timed turns will make you hyperventilate !First few climbs will send you up in a stall situations,Becuase of the fluids in your inner ear , Doesnt know what to make of it yetBest suggestion, Glance ( 1 ) second, at your instruments for every 20 seconds OUTSIDE. Same with landings , This will help you think your driving a car , Rather than flying a planePPL 04/15/94300 hours total time 187 hours C-152 & 172 ( somewhere around there )18.5 hours C 172RG II1 hour C-3101.9 hours AA5-B Grumman tiger6.0 hours PA_28-140 Cherrokee28.6 hours Saftey Pilot39.0 Simulated Hood time ( IFR)80.0 Hours cross country52.9 hours Night Flight175.9 hours PILOT IN COMMANDHopes this helps .......... And good luck ..You WILL get it :)Jeffaka; pilotsim7828

[LAdamson 240]

>BTW, I asked the pilot about leaning the fule mixture, but he>said 3000ft wasn't high enough yet. I haver leaned out the>Flyhawk in Fly II at 3000ft and increased fule efientcy.>As a general rule, 3000' density altitude is the height you can really think about the beginning of leaning procedures. If the airplane took off from a much lower altitude, I doubt most pilots would be fussing with it much at 3000' if they weren't going much higher, or a short ride like the EAA Young Eagles Program.Since I start at 4600' msl, I always lean right after engine startup & then fine tune it before takeoff. Air sickness is also "easier" on the pilot, since you can anticipate the manuvers (just in case this isn't answered farther down the list).L.Adamson