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Airsickness in Flight School


highflyin785

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I am seeking a job as an Army National Guard pilot. I currently have a single engine fixed wing PPL with about 90 hours. I flew for a couple hours in an R22 and was hooked on the idea of flying rotor wing!

 

I'd love to fly helos for the military, but my big concern is my airsickness problem. While flying cessnas in getting my PPL, I would get extremely airsick. If it was turbulent day, I would even vomit flying straight and level at times. I honestly haven't flown enough in helos to know whether I'd get sick in one, but I imagine the feeling is somewhat like being in a small fixed wing aircraft.

 

I have about 90 hours flying cessnas, but my problem airsickness hasn't really gotten better. Although flying on a relatively sporadic basis (once or twice every couple weeks) I never got over the problem even while in training to get my PPL.

 

My question is this, has anyone who has been through flight school at Fort Rucker observed anyone with severe airsickness problems such as mine? If so, are there methods implemented to help those students overcome their airsickness problem over time.

 

If I still get sick flying in cessnas, is a good idea to try to go to flight school with the Army, or will I be setting myself up for failure?

 

I'd appreciate any advice/opinions on this matter.

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I was spectacularly airsick on my first helicopter flight, overdressed and over-fed with an army breakfast and coffee. Not since, maybe because I take diet and fitness more seriously (and perhaps because I AM a steely eyed, fearless, supremely skilled aviator and sex symbol). I would guess that if you're still suffering after 90 hours in airplanes, helicopters will be even worse.

 

There are some things that can be done to control and minimize symptoms, do a little research. If nothing short of medication helps... oh well.

Edited by Wally
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I got sick a couple of time while on the controls of a small Cesna, it was the yaw that always got me.

 

Flying helicopters though I've only gotten sick a few times while actually on the controls, and that was under the hood practicing back to back steep turns and unusual attitude recovery, during instrument training. During private and commercial training I didn't get sick, and for all the years I've been a pilot since I don't get sick, but,...

 

I did (and still do) get sick as a passenger, which is why I never made it to cfi!

 

I don't know much about Army flying, but I've heard most of it is in two pilot cockpits. So you may want to think about how your body will react to being in something like a Blackhawk performing tasks while the guy next to you is doing the flying?

 

Good luck dude!

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I am sorry to hear that you get airsick while flying airplanes. Unfortunately, you do not need to pursue getting a flying slot in the Army National Guard.

 

If you get 'extremely airsick' flying in a Cessna while working on your PPL, then it will not get any better flying helicopters. It will only be worse at Rucker, IMHO, and here is why: I assume that while working on your PPL and after getting airsick a few times, you then limited your flying to no or low wind days. That will not happen at Rucker. If the weather is above minimums, you will go fly. Wind or no wind. Also, Rucker utilized the '1 flying+ 1 observing' teaching technique when I attended flight school many years ago. That meant that you are parred with a Stick Buddy and one of you flies a period while the other is watching and observing from the back. Then swap seats and do it all again. I don't know if this will be true with the LUH-72, but if you think you were airsick up front, with you hands on the controls, while working on your PPL, then wait until you ride in the back for an hour while your stick buddies is doing autos. You will be miserable.

 

Additionally, as a Guard pilot, as soon as you sign into that class date at Rucker, National Guard Bureau pays for the entire training slot, whether you stay two weeks or the entire class to graduation. So if you get selected and make it 3-4 flights, then get eliminated, that slot for your State is gone forever!

 

We had a National Guard WO in my class who got airsick. Every flight, at some point, you would see him over in the grass, down on all 4's, heaving his guts out. It was sad to watch. All his WO buddies kept encouraging him to 'work through it' but it was just his body. Nothing bad on him, it was just the way he was wired. The IP's put up with it for about a week, then he was eliminated.

 

Sorry for the bad news, but that is just the way it is (was anyway). Each State may only have 2-3 flight slots per year. Don't take that slot from someone else.

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I know you have a dream of flying helicopters but you should also take care of your body, I don't know if flying helicopters is for you but, there may be a silver lining in this for you down the road if the Army doesn't work out.

 

Realistically, you do not want to be an Army Aviator and get sick every flight. Have I seen people get sick in flight school? yes! I saw an LT vomit every flight. I'm not sure what happened to him. I'm not a doctor but it can't be healthy to vomit everyday. I think you need to ask yourself Is this an every flight thing or a once in a while episode?

 

To awnser your questions about whether the Army will work with you, yes, they will but I believe it will depend on the severity of your sickness and it's frequency.

 

Whether you are the pilot or pilot in command of an aircraft flying in combat or just a training mission, the crew can't afford to have your head down and mind somewhere else, if you are getting sick every flight and unable to focus you are not providing that attentiveness and assistance that the crew needs. I think this is something to consider when making your choice.

 

Good Luck!

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I really appreciate all of the honest advice. It has been a dream of mine to fly helicopters for the military for a long time, but maybe flying helicopters in the military isn't going to be my thing.

 

I'm glad I asked the question because many of you have been to flight school at Rucker and know what it is like when somebody with a more severe kind of airsickness problem tries to make it through. Thanks again for the info.

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I can't give you any advice about Rucker (not there yet) but I can relate to the motion sickness. I'm a fixed wing pilot with around 160-170 tt, I got very sick my first 5 hours and would occasionally get sick up to about 75-80 hours. You can get over it, fly more often, do some upset training and try and de-sensitive yourself to it. I have a few hours in an r22 and to me it's nothing compared to fixed wing, the motion in the helicopter didn't seem near as bad to me as airplanes. I wouldn't apply to flight school until your over it but there is hope for you. If I can do it, so can you.

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I can't really speak to being airsick because fortunately I have never had a problem with any form of motion sickness... The one thing I will say or ask I guess is did you feel the same sickness sensation while flying in the 22? I have my fixed wing PPL and also my rotorcraft ratings and even though I never felt sick flying in the fixed wing, which I do enjoy flying, I have always felt much more comfortable and natural in a heli. The way that an airplane shifts and moves, especially in turbulence has always bothered me more than a helicopter. I don't know why but it just seems like the helicopter moves more naturally with the air vs the way an airplane kind of hops and shifts from side to side....anyway good luck with whatever you end up doing.

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Radam/JHanner 1, I appreciate the posts. I actually did just fine in the R-22. Only flew one hour, but I was fine during that flight....That being said, it was a very calm day and we really only did a little pattern work, hover practice, and light turns. I have also had the opportunity to ride in the back of a UH-1 a few times. Really only flew from Point A to Point B, nothing crazy. I did ok on a few of the flights, but one flight It was was very turbulent flying through a mountain pass, and I was facing backward in the chopper. That flight didn't go so well.

 

I agree that flying in a chopper is much smoother, as I think the blades in a chopper tend to absorb rising air better than the small fixed wing airplanes which make you feel the bumps a little more. All of that being said, I'm still not sure whether flying choppers in the Army is right for me given how much I struggled flying in a Cessna working on my PPL. Throughout the 85 hours it took for me to get my PPL, I probably lost my lunch every couple flight all the way up to about a flight or two before the check ride. Thankfully, the check ride went well. I wish there was some way I could overcome my problem and fly for the Army, but I just don't know if it is possible given my condition. Wish there was a cure.

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I'd suggest going out in a 22 a few more times and try to go out in some bumpy conditions. At least that way you will know for sure.

 

The only time I've ever even got close to getting sick in a helicopter is when I had to ride in an aft facing seat once. It was only a 15 min bumpy ride, but next time if it's the choice between that seat or walking... I'll walk.

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I've always been a bit prone to motion sickness myself. Particularly in boats. I'm careful to don a patch before I hit the waves and though the patch cures all - it's a bit hard on the body. No way you could use one every time you fly if you fly with any consistency.

 

I've got 140 hours in an R22 and I've never had an issue. I think it has something to do with the fact that I'm usually on the controls. I can drive a sports through the twisties with no issue, but put me in the passenger seat and look out!

 

I was taken through some battlefield maneuvers recently in a vintage Cobra gunship that were a quite intense. I was on the edge by the time we landed. Good thing I failed the Warrant Officer written test in '71.

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I've always been a bit prone to motion sickness myself. Particularly in boats. I'm careful to don a patch before I hit the waves and though the patch cures all - it's a bit hard on the body. No way you could use one every time you fly if you fly with any consistency.

 

I can drive a sports through the twisties with no issue, but put me in the passenger seat and look out!

 

 

Now I'm ok as a front passenger in that car, but put me in the back and I'll lose my lunch for sure! Yet I've never gotten sea sick on a boat, large or small. Roller coasters don't bother me either,...well except Batman at Magic Mountain, but that's the only one. :D

 

Strange beast this motion sickness! :blink:

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Hey man, I hate to be a dream crusher but I'll insert a little dose of reality. You can take the leap and go for Army Aviation...but you'll have to go through a year's worth of completely non-flying related training...some of which, er, you'll never ever want to do again. And you already know you have a problem with airsickness. All I'm saying is it would really, really suck to go through all that and have the sickness to pop up again as an issue. One of my friends here was a commercial fixed wing pilot and had issues initially with airsickness in the TH-67. He got over it, did some tests and motion sickness stuff at lyster and is now graduated. It's possible but...maybe civilian flying would be a better fit for you. If you get airsick you can just not fly and go about your day or switch back to fixed wing, etc. It's not so simple in the Army.

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While you can't self medicate with dramamine or the likes.. the Army will (or at least has) approve the patches for airsickness. But you will have to go to an Army Flight Surgeon. There were at least 3-4 people that I knew of at IERW that had those patches.

 

http://www.transdermscop.com/index.htm

 

Don't let someone tell you you can't do it, if you want it bad enough, you'll find a way.

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