Road block in my training

[oilcanbland]

I'm getting ready to start my comm/cfi training, and unfortunately I've ran into a little problem. First of all, on my very first lesson for my private training, I went up early in the morning, a little bumpy, I didn't have any food in my system, went up and felt pretty sick. Didn't puke, but still felt pretty bad, and not a feeling that I care to ever have again. And that was the only instance I've ever felt sick in an airplane. Now for some reason, that one instance has been making me extremely nervous to start aerobatic and spin training. Here I am, 150 hours later, and that one first flight lesson is completely overshadowing all of the other flights that I didn't feel sick at all. I guess it's the principle of primacy. But I'm to the point now where I am so nervous about this, that it's discouraging me to pursue my training as hard is I should be. Has anyone else encountered this before?

I'm sure after I do it, it will be a blast, and I'll probably want to keep doing it over and over. But it's this initial fear that I have.

 

[bigD]

If your apprehension of sickness is really getting in the way of studying for your commercial, perhaps you should just bite the bullet, grab an instructor, and do some spins, aerobatics, or whatever else that'll help boost your confidence. Not a hard core training flight - just something fun. It doesn't sound like you have an actual physical sickness problem, and a fun flight doing some spins, aerobatics, etc...will let you know for sure, and hopefully alleviate your apprehension.

 

[mar]

Ginger and Maryann. Maybe just Ginger.

Some people say ginger relieves nausea.

Go to your local health food store and buy some ginger tablets.

About 1000mg to 1500mg should do the trick.

Beyond that, the more you fly, the greater your tolerance to motion sickness.

I hope it helps.

 

[TEXAN AVIATOR]

I too got sick on one of my first few flights. I think it just happens sometimes especially when you factor in a lack of food. My problem was we were picking up some mountain wave that day, kicking our ass in a little Katana. But I never lost my lunch, or lack there of.

As far as spins, the best you can do is as advised before; get a good nights rest, then have your CFI go up and show you some spins. But keep it fun, you will get used to it. I know one guy who's doing his CFI training now and he got sick while working on his spin endorsement. It took him three or four flights, one time he puked, but he got though it, and so will you.

Fly safe,
TA

 

[bobbysamd]

Airsickness

Congratulations on your progress! You should be focusing on how far you've come more than what you think can happen.

Don't even think about it. Just go out for your lesson. You'll be fine. I second the others about getting plenty of rest before your flight. Lack of sleep and a little turbulence can induce the uneasy feeling of which you speak.

Keep us updated.

 

[172driver]

Also, bring an airsick bag with you. Just the thought of embarrassing yourself by hurling all over your CFI can make the nausea worse.

 

[oilcanbland]

thanks guys

I know I'll be fine once I actually go out and do it. I just wish there was a way of calming myself down until I actually get to that point. I've actully been through a couple spins, and I didn't feel sick at all. I don't know why I'm so nervous over this. I guess it's just a mental thing.

 

[liv'n_on_credit]

Don't worry

In the past two years as a CFI, I've trained plenty of pilots for their private. In my experience, during the first couple lessons, 50% of my beginning private students qet queasy, and most of those who got queasy have puked.

Those same exact students who puked have moved on past the private into the next rating with me and I've yet to have a single post-private student even get a little sick, even in turbulence.

Moral of the story--After those first few pukings as a student pilot, you'll be fine.

 

[BrokeAssPilot]

eat bannas, they taste the same coming back up as they do going in!!!

 

[mizzouguy]

I never really got sick but was terrified of doing spins for my CFI even though we had done them in my private training. I had a great instructor who worked pretty hard at getting me over them. AFter we did them they were a no brainer, although I'm still not fond of spins