By Howard Deevers
Motion Sickness is hard to deal with. It is also a hard subject to write about, but here goes....
First of all, there are pilots who never get air sick, and sailors that never get seasick. I envy them, because I am not one of them. I thought that I would never learn to fly, because I got air sick on every lesson at the beginning. I also spent four years in the Navy. Yep, I got seasick too.
Early in flight training you will have to talk about Aeromedical Factors. Your instructor will talk about Hypoxia, Hyperventilation, and that inner ear that is associated with spatial disorientation, drugs and alcohol use, and other factors, but very little is said about air sickness.
Here is what I learned over time: motion sickness can be controlled or at least lessened. In the Navy, I was uncomfortable on the ship (a large ship, too) when we got 50 feet from the dock. I don't remember actually throwing up, but you didn't eat much during rough seas. After a few days at sea, my body adjusted, and I could eat, work, and get around on the ship just fine. Of course, there was Dramamine, and that sure helped. Since I knew when the ship was scheduled to sail, I would start taking one or two Dramamine about 2 days in advance.
Motion Sickness can be one of the most distracting problems while flying. It doesn't matter if it is you that have the problem or a passenger. If you are a single solo pilot, and get into some unexpected heavy turbulence, that flight can become very uncomfortable. Several years ago on a flight to Denver to visit family, I was planning to land at Rocky Mountain Regional Airport (formerly Jeffco airport). Frequently there is at least light turbulence on the East side of the Rocky Mountains from Albuquerque to north of Denver. The turbulence went from light to heavy after passing Pueblo, and I was getting quite uncomfortable. I considered landing at Centennial, south of BJC, but since it is only 25 nm I thought that I could make it OK. As I was on final for landing at BJC, the controller told me to be ready for a go-around. I was so air sick at that point that I replied Unable, I am air sick and must land. The landing was fine, and I turned off of the runway and off of the taxiway, opened my door and lost by breakfast on their ramp there.
If you have an autopilot and can trust it to keep you straight and level when you are air sick, it is a real asset. If you have another pilot on board that can control the airplane while you attend to the necessities of air sickness, that is even better than an autopilot.
As a flight instructor, I am very aware that new students may get motion sickness. I always ask if they have ever had any motion sickness. Most will say no, it never bothers me, but I usually don't believe it. I tell the student that if they feel sick from motion sickness, or any other reason, to please let me know well in advance of it becoming a serious problem that may require a cleaning crew upon landing. If we can find a nearby airport, we can make a landing there and take a break. That usually helps.
Students and pilots are not the only people that you should pay attention to. Passengers should also be briefed before a flight. Let them know that you have a bag, or something available within reach. Every airline has motion sickness bags in the pocket on the back of the seat in front of you in case you need them. If your passenger loses their lunch all over the interior of your airplane, it is not their fault; it is your fault for not telling them in advance that you have preparations for that and show them where the bags are located.
As I said, this is an uncomfortable subject to write about, because no one wants to be sick with anything. Motion sickness is not looked at as a disease or disability. If you do have severe and continuous motion sickness, your doctor can prescribe medication to help you. Not just Dramamine, but some drugs require a prescription. So have a talk with your doctor about your recurring or persistent motion sickness, and ask for help. But be careful. Some of those prescription medications may ground you for a while after taking them.
Some years ago I read a story about a reporter that was going to get a ride in the back seat of one of the F-16 demonstration planes used by the US. Airforce Thunderbirds. The reporter talked to the pilot a day in advance. Being concerned that he may get air sick, he asked the pilot what he should eat for breakfast that day. The pilot replied “bananas.” The reporter said Bananas? Why bananas? The pilot replied, “Because they taste about the same coming up as they do going down.” The reporter did write that he lost the bananas, and the steak dinner he had a week ago, and all of his Thanksgiving dinner five months ago, even the Milk Duds he ate in grade school. I am sure that the F-16 pilot was thankful for having motion sickness bags at the ready.
To learn more about Aeromedical Factors and other aviation safety tips, come to a WINGS seminar sponsored by your ARIZONA PILOTS ASSOCIATION, and the FAASTeam at a location near you. They are free, and don't forget to “Bring your wingman.”