[Tim Jones]

I had a trial lesson recently. I was really enjoying the experience for about 45 mins, and then my stomach had other ideas.

I had to use a sick bag. I was mortified. But it didn't faze the instructor who told me he'd experienced the same thing on his first flight... I thought he was just being nice. But then I see, on these forums, a few others have talked about suffering motion sickness. It's left me conflicted about taking lessons, but also curious.

In your experience... is it just a question of perseverance and allowing your body to adapt? Or have you found motion sickness is just a permanent hazard for certain people?

[Flyin'Dutch']

1. It happens and is not uncommon
2. It will get better
3. Don't fly with an empty stomach
4. Eat something light
5. Avoid fizzy drinks
6. Tell your instructor
7. Fly short flights and limit them so you don't get to the feeling icky state

Welcome to the club and the forums!

[editmonkey]

I had it second flight and it definitely got better with time for me but have to make sure there’s a constant stream of cool air in the cockpit.

First item on my pre-startup checks now is cold-air vents fully open. Also leaving the window open at startup gives a nice rush of cold air from the prop.

Good luck, it’ll pass.

[JAFO]

Don't fly with an empty stomach

I have been constantly prepared for flight for over 50 years now.

I have never suffered from motion sickness but my daughter did and it concerned her when she first flew with me. There are anti-sickness wrist bands you can buy - I don't know if there's any science to it or if it's more of a placebo type effect but they gave her the confidence to fly and now she loves it and can't get enough flying.

Maybe they would help for the next trip or two while you acclimatise.

[TopCat]

is it just a question of perseverance and allowing your body to adapt?

This, I think. ^^

I've never actually hurled, but I felt pretty ill sometimes in the early days, especially in turbulence, and if I hadn't been able to get back on the ground fairly soon I would have.

I did some aerobatics years ago and I could only manage about 20 minutes at a time initially before I had to get back on the ground. But my tolerance did improve.

I can still make myself feel a bit sick if I fly repeated steep turns.

I'd persevere - aim for shorter flights initially and cut it short once you start feeling ill. Once you start feeling bad, IME it doesn't go away till you're back on the ground.

[leiafee]

It’s generally accepted that most people adapt fairly well.



Just don’t be too proud to call for a break in the meantime.

I’ve been doing an aerobatics course all week and was very woozy by the end of day two but fine (appart from veryvery tired) on day five.

[lobstaboy]

If that was your first time in a small aeroplane then I wouldn't worry. Nerves/excitement/unfamiliar environment/motion/slight claustrophobic feeling/etc etc... It's not uncommon at all on your first flight. If you take lessons, as you get used to it and, in particular, begin to be familiar with the way the controls affect the motion you sense, then it'll be fine.
And if it's any consolation, Nelson was always dreadfully seasick and he did alright.

[rdfb]

I had really bad motion sickness on my second lesson. We had to abandon the lesson and I was unable to do anything while we flew back. I'm mildly prone to motion sickness, and on that occasion I'd overheated because it was a relatively cold day outside so I was layered up but we'd left the heater on and it had fully compensated. Since then, I make sure I remove layers before take-off and rely on the heater if needed.

The remaining lessons were fine, except for a few manoeuvres such as demonstrating control coordination (rapidly/frequently turning back and forth while the nose turns around a point) and stall recoveries. These lessons always left me queasy.

My skills test was a nightmare because I had to demonstrate all these nausea-inducing manoeuvrers all together in a row. When we returned to do circuits, I had to ask for a break to recover. So I'm really keen to keep my rating current, because I don't ever want to do that again!

I've never had an issue since - probably because I don't repeatedly do nausea-inducing manoeuvres during normal flight. I have had passengers be sick for what seems to me to be mild turbulence that doesn't bother me. Possibly I've become more accustomed to it. I want to try aerobatics at some point. I'll see how I do then!

Anyway, just a story to show that it is possible to get there, for some people at least, even if there's suffering at the start.

[bladerunner911]

I was sick on my first flight and was so disappointed - embarrassment and thinking oh no I won't be able to learn to fly.
I decided to try motion sickness tablets with agreement from my intructor and the next lesson I didn't feel a thing.
I used them for 4 lessons just in case, but I haven't had the feeling since.
I can feel my stomach when we do sharp turns, but nothing serious. I guess we'll see what happens with steep turns and so on soon!
Eat non geasy food, avoid dairy, but make sure you aren't completely stuffed as well.
I also have the wrist bands and an electronic gizmo that gives you electric shocks on your wrist
I usually take the ginger as it's herbal and gives me a psychological comfort I suppose.
I read alot about it and it seems it is pretty common, especially in airforce training.
Apparently only about 5% are incurable so the odds are massively in your favour of finding a solution if it keeps happening!

[Tim Jones]

Lots of useful advice - many thanks for the info

I had inner-ear problems as a child, but in my mid-forties I'm much less prone to motion sickness. So I was a bit surprised about feeling ill during the test lesson, and extra conscious of how it could be a deal-breaker for future lessons. It doesn't feel like that now... thanks to your feedback. Much appreciated.

[leiafee]

As an extra thought, don’t underestimate how much nerves (even the good excited kind) can contribute to an uneasy stomach!

The non-aeros times I’ve felt yuk have been - stalling in a new-to-me aircraft during the start of tailwheel training, and when someone else was flying in deteriorating weather conditions and looking for a waypoint we couldn’t find.

And having sat down after much sleep and with enough brain capacity returned to reflect - even most of the aeros times this week where there was a passing yuk factor were following things that included a certain amount of startle - rapid direction changes, incipient spins, quick-ish onset of G in max rate turns…

Doing actual spins later in the week wasn’t anything like as yuk as those first incipient ones and I’m sure it’s in large part because by then I was more relaxed and knew more what to expect.

[Dman]

On my trial flight I was fine until instructor took the controls back ( as if I had them anyway ) to come into land.
Then started felling queasy
Didn`t need to use the bag fortunately.
I was a bit worried before my first proper lesson that it would be a problem, but been fine ever since.

[AndyR]

I felt a bit yuk a few times during my PPL training.

My early aeros lessons were very much reduced in negative g and the first couple of evenings I felt pretty awful.

Tolerance increases in most people. @leiafee makes good points about expectations and startle factor too.

[Paul_Sengupta]

I felt a bit yuk a few times during my PPL training.

I did, but it was sort of the opposite problem. I learnt in the US and had never been there before, and I ate out in the evenings - I wasn't immune to the local bacteria...

Anyway, several times I felt a bit yuk before going flying, but I asked my instructor if it was ok if we gave it a go but to land if I still didn't feel well. He agreed. As it was, probably due to the concentration, etc, I felt absolutely fine when flying!

[ROG]

Most get an uncomfortable feeling during first few hours--you get used to it and finally you fly an aircraft with the same approach as a car--normal activity.
You"re going through what thousands of others have gone through.