Airsick Pilots

[Oddball]

Keeping your head down and looking at the instruments certainly does not help, but I understand your problem with not being used to a rudder and wanting to look at the ball.

After a while you will get used to how the aircraft feels when it is out of balance but what you could do is to use a small length of wool to see the balance instead of looking at the ball. The wool is glued or prestic'ed to the windscreen on the centreline of the screen. If the aircraft is balanced then the tuft will lie along the centreline. If it is off the centreline then you are out of balance. Since the tuft is at eye level will be looking out of the cockpit a lot more, which may help.

The correction is the same as for the ball- that is, step on the ball/ string. If you don't know the analogy 'stepping on the ball' means push the rudder pedal on the same side that the ball is...

In many aircraft you can see whether you need rudder or not by looking down the top of the cowl centreline and see if the centreline is 'tracking' the radius of the curve, but this is difficult in the Cheetah as you cannot see the cowl centreline.

[Morph]

The string doesn't work on a tractor type configuration because the prop thrust disturbs the airflow needed to control the string. It is only used on pushers and gliders. In this case the string works opposite to the ball. If you are skidding right, the ball will move left and you need to use the left foot the rectify. The string will be blowing right. I always imagine the string as an arrow pointing down. If it blows right then the arrow points to your left foot and vice verse.

[Oddball]

Morph, thinking it through a bit more I seee that you are correct...

When I pictured how the string would work (I once saw and used a string years ago in an ab intio glider course) I visualised the skid rather than the correction...

[Smiley]

May be an inner ear problem.

It also helps to eat before flight, espescially a slice or two dry brown bread, this works without fail. (Helps for sea sickness as well)

Make sure you have some butter and Marmite on as well. It does wonders, when you throw-up it will taste much better

[John Young]

Make sure you have some butter and Marmite on as well. It does wonders, when you throw-up it will taste much better

Smiley you old D%^.

Actually - best advice is -

"Have you got a hairy feeling in your thoat"

"Yes".

"Well, swallow hard, it could be your Poepa%ll"

After 20 000 sea miles, you "gotta" love it. Man, have I seen some cases.

Regards
John ZU-CIB

[Bubble Guts]

Stuff called avomine is what u looking for! used for any sort of motion sickness :D

[John Young]

Stuff called avomine is what u looking for! used for any sort of motion sickness :D

Trouble with ‘Avomine’, Dramamine etc. is they are “downers” and can make you sleepy and/or slow.

Suggest you consult a Doctor / Pharmacist. There are products that work as mixed “uppers” and “downers” and leave you relatively neutral.

Some of the patches are quite good – they work for up to 72 hours – stick it on Friday night and take it off after flying on Sunday.

Regards
John ZU-CIB

[MILO]

"My mother swears by wrist straps that have a ball attached that presses on a pressure point on your wrists. She sent me a pair and will give them a shot." I am trying to visualise this but it occurs to me that the pressure on the ball will take your mind off the air sickness. You are lucky to be able to get others from your Mom, my softness has on occasion ....... yah I think I will leave it there.

[Morph]

NOTE: Now before I get moered from certain instuctors on this site, these are my experiences and might differ from your method of teaching.

Eyes outside the cockpit, direct fresh air to your face, if they have vents, which they should have. The big issue IMHO is the inclination of the head, i.e. looking down is causing the balance tubes in the ears to conflict with the motion that the body is feeling plus what your eyes are seeing. It's the same thing as reading in a car

Keep your head upright, look straight out, and only glance down now and again to see the ball.

Also don't overreact on the ball. In straight and level flight it's apply gradual pressure on the side the ball has slid to and when it centres hold that position. Now you need to glance much less. The same in a turn, establish your turn with the combination of stick and rudder and as soon as your ball is centred stay there. Unless you pull the turn tighter by applying up elevator or you steepen the bank the ball should generally stay where it is.

I got the impression however that you felt nauseous only at the end, while coming in for landing. I never look at the ball once on finals, wings level, use the rudder to maintain centreline, which can and will mean a crabbed approach in a crosswind, don't worry about that, just add right rudder pressure to move right and left rudder pressure to move left. You should be focused on the runway, with glances now down to ASI. This is now the most important thing in the world, your speed.

[gertcoetzee]

My mother swears by wrist straps that have a ball attached that presses on a pressure point on your wrists.

Well, you would have to be some contortionist to be able to do this, and secondly, having a ball attached to your wrists will make flying very difficult. In fact, thinking of this makes me nauseous.

[Morph]

Well, you would have to be some contortionist to be able to do this, and secondly, having a ball attached to your wrists will make flying very difficult. In fact, thinking of this makes me nauseous.

Could also be painful, especially if the other one has to stay behind. Advantages of this method will be of course no way to feel nauseous with all the pain and the higher pitch of the voice is supposed to be clearer with radio transmissions.

[RV4ker (RIP)]

I get sea sick, car sick and air sick, but none of the above when I am PIC? Worst was on my last dual X country. Had to swallow hard for last 20mins and felt K@K for 2 days after than. Instructor could not understand why I was "crying". Eyes were watering so badly from swallowing sooo hard. I said I was just so happy I "made it" . Too Sh!t scared to tell her I was

I try do the following
Never fly on empty gut.
Never spend too much time looking down.
Try to get as much fresh cool air as possible. (If you have to Climb up to FL's. Warm burg winds are lethal)
Tight restrictive clothing also accelerates it. (In trike I don't wear helmet I am fine. With Helmet 30mins and I am ready to coat pilot's back)
Baking of the head (ie no cap) also causes a problem, but if there is no air the cap boils the head and has same reaction ....

Key for me is
Food, air and no squeeze on the ears, temples (sunglasses) or head.

[John Young]

I get sea sick, car sick and air sick....

Sorry Bud - I've never had the feeling ever.

Storms, cold, hungry, hangover , tired, full, lazy, fish not biting, guys honking on my bait, tackle and shoes, etc., nix

Have seen plenty of sorry stories though.

A sure way to start the “action” is to offer cold pork chops and stale fried eggs.

Regards
John ZU-CIB

[Dre'man]

Thanks for the advice guys, firstly it is not my balls tied to my wrists.
Morph the upright head may be part of the prob. The cheetah we flew still has the cross bars which touch my head when upright (6'2") the new one I will be flying doesn't have them so will have no restriction. the airflow would help and was warm when we went up, may have contributed.

As PIC i probably will feel better as well, first hour in type so plane was maybe flying me more than I was flying plane. suppose once I get used to the motions it will help. Although I survived the close your eyes to see why you don't fly in cloud bit with no I'll effect. Ended up 180' to supposed heading, lasted nearly 2 mins without going into a dive.
Was on empty stomach, just a cup of coffee. And also had a hectic quad ride to the airfield so motion was very different to what I had just experienced.
Will be going up on saterday again, early. Will give feedback.

[Thunderboy]

Just a thought

I wonder if birds get air sick or if there are birds scared of heights

Or are there dolphins that get sea sick