Falling asleep while flying (Air sickness)

[Acejebriel]

I am a flight student in primary.

Did or does anyone have issues with falling asleep while flying in the T-6? Mainly when going through turbulence or when doing sharp turns, during the break or the pattern in general, I start feeling very nauseous, sweating, and salivating. Instead of feeling like I need to throw up, I start dozing off, to the point that my air work gets very slow and my eyes start to feel very heavy, then eventually have micro-naps.

Granted I am still in my fam block, but I have currently done about 4 flights in the front seat, 2 flights in the back seat with the RDO as an adaptation flight, about 30 sessions in the spin chair. I bought the air sickness relief band that shocks you, protein shake, sausage, egg and croissant diet, ginger pills, ice pops in the plane, and always hydrated. I will be doing my aviation review board soon. Please help!

I know most people can adapt, but it would also be great to hear from people who never adapted from air sickness. Thank you in advance!

 

[Swanee]

Wait... you're so incapacitated that you're losing consciousness?

 

[Acejebriel]

Wait... you're so incapacitated that you're losing consciousness?

Yes sir, I doze off. Like falling asleep as if I was in a boring brief.

 

[Swanee]

Yes sir, I doze off. Like falling asleep as if I was in a boring brief.

So why do you want to keep doing this? Your brain is literally shutting your body down when you're in a benign flying environment.

 

[joe dirt]

I’d say that’s probably something you’d wanna go talk to the flight doc some more about.

 

[Acejebriel]

So why do you want to keep doing this? Your brain is literally shutting your body down when you're in a benign flying environment.

Typical type A personality who wants to exhaust all his resources before giving up? I do understand that if I don't adapt, it will be bad for myself and for others. I want to be a pilot, Tilt, Maritime or 53's. So many people say they get over air sickness. I don't really know when to call it quits, so we'll see.

At one point, I think I do have to accept the fact that I probably have to re-designate. I was thinking maybe UAV, Cyber or Human intel.

 

[Acejebriel]

I’d say that’s probably something you’d wanna go talk to the flight doc some more about.

I will do that tomorrow. Thank you sir!

 

[FinkUFreaky]

I am a flight student in primary.

Did or does anyone have issues with falling asleep while flying in the T-6? Mainly when going through turbulence or when doing sharp turns, during the break or the pattern in general, I start feeling very nauseous, sweating, and salivating. Instead of feeling like I need to throw up, I start dozing off, to the point that my air work gets very slow and my eyes start to feel very heavy, then eventually have micro-naps.

Granted I am still in my fam block, but I have currently done about 4 flights in the front seat, 2 flights in the back seat with the RDO as an adaptation flight, about 30 sessions in the spin chair. I bought the air sickness relief band that shocks you, protein shake, sausage, egg and croissant diet, ginger pills, ice pops in the plane, and always hydrated. I will be doing my aviation review board soon. Please help!

I know most people can adapt, but it would also be great to hear from people who never adapted from air sickness. Thank you in advance!

I truly am sorry but no good news from this post. It's likely not airsickness. Airsickness is generally nausea, and people normally do adapt to that. Knew of one student that felt like this each time G's were pulled, review board was not favorable. I think his conditions were slightly different from what you are describing, but it is not normal for people that are lucky enough to be aeronautically adaptable.. Best of luck though, I mean it!

 

[Swanee]

Typical type A personality who wants to exhaust all his resources before giving up? I do understand that if I don't adapt, it will be bad for myself and for others. I want to be a pilot, Tilt, Maritime or 53's. So many people say they get over air sickness. I don't really know when to call it quits, so we'll see.

At one point, I think I do have to accept the fact that I probably have to re-designate. I was thinking maybe UAV, Cyber or Human intel.

For UAV you have to be able to fly the Air Force IFT/DA-20 syllabus in Pueblo. It's 45 hours of flight time.

As of about a year ago the Marine Corps is unwilling to waive this requirement. (Three guys in the past were waived, all three failed out of the RQ-21 FRD).


Type A doesn't mean anything if your body can't do it. Passing out is extreme. Would you trust a doctor to work on you if they passed out every time they saw blood?

I get it, you came here for positivity, and I'm not giving it to you. But you need to seriously consider your next move and you need to ask yourself if you're okay with putting other people's lives at risk because you're a "typical type A personality" who wants to be a pilot.

 

[Acejebriel]

For UAV you have to be able to fly the Air Force IFT/DA-20 syllabus in Pueblo. It's 45 hours of flight time.

As of about a year ago the Marine Corps is unwilling to waive this requirement. (Three guys in the past were waived, all three failed out of the RQ-21 FRD).


Type A doesn't mean anything if your body can't do it. Passing out is extreme. Would you trust a doctor to work on you if they passed out every time they saw blood?

I get it, you came here for positivity, and I'm not giving it to you. But you need to seriously consider your next move and you need to ask yourself if you're okay with putting other people's lives at risk because you're a "typical type A personality" who wants to be a pilot.

I completely agree sir! And I am glad I am finding this out now in primary rather than when I am in the fleet. I came here for exactly these kinds of responses. A lot of the responses I get from my fellow aviators are "keep trying," "your body will adapt," "I threw up also..." and I am tired of it. It sucks that my body sucks, but I agree, I am of full support to move on from flying.

In terms of flying the Air Force IFT, from what I have checked, with a never exceed speed of 164, it sounds like IFS again, which I can do. But if not, I am okay with Cyber or Human Intel.

 

[Mos]

I would echo the recommendation to talk to your flight doc, and probably your instructors too. My own experience with air sickness is that it has left me fatigued by the end of flight but not necessarily drowsy. A quick Google search turned up that drowsiness is a possible effect of airsickness and there's also something called sopite syndrome, which is motion induced drowsiness (not necessarily tied to airsickness). I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that you need to question what you're doing trying to become an aviator, but this sounds bad enough that you should talk to the professionals about it too see what, or if anything can be done.

I'm also curious, since you didn't mention anything about it, what kind of sleep you're getting? The times where I actually have been drowsy in flight were the days that I didn't get enough rest, sometimes due to mismanagement on my part and sometimes due to things outside of my control. That's probably a question the flight doc will ask you. Additionally, you may recall that in aviation physiology, we learn that fatigue can make us more susceptible to airsickness.

 

[Acejebriel]

Oh yes sir! I get 8 hours of sleep! Sleep is not the issue for sure. Because about an hour after landing, I feel energetic again, with a slight headache or lightheadedness

 

[joe dirt]

I remember what it was like being in your position and I don’t doubt you’re anxious about what’s gonna happen to you. Right now it’s 0130 in FL...I’m assuming you’re in whiting. Try to sleep, talk to your senior Marine and see what he/she thinks. They’re supposed to help guide you through this, they’ll likely be positioned to assist you more than some strangers in a forum.

 

[FinkUFreaky]

I would echo the recommendation to talk to your flight doc, and probably your instructors too. My own experience with air sickness is that it has left me fatigued by the end of flight but not necessarily drowsy. A quick Google search turned up that drowsiness is a possible effect of airsickness and there's also something called sopite syndrome, which is motion induced drowsiness (not necessarily tied to airsickness). I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that you need to question what you're doing trying to become an aviator, but this sounds bad enough that you should talk to the professionals about it too see what, or if anything can be done.

I'm also curious, since you didn't mention anything about it, what kind of sleep you're getting? The times where I actually have been drowsy in flight were the days that I didn't get enough rest, sometimes due to mismanagement on my part and sometimes due to things outside of my control. That's probably a question the flight doc will ask you. Additionally, you may recall that in aviation physiology, we learn that fatigue can make us more susceptible to airsickness.

I'm not a doctor, not a physiologist. But flights where I felt drowsy on were generally long leg Instrument flights from point A to point B... An hour straight and level or 2, or 5 hours in a circle during carrier ops... And agree, amount of sleep the night before and on a regular basis is definitely important. But in the break and in the landing pattern, never felt drowsy, regardless of lack of sleep. That's kind of the time where napping can kill quickly. I'd also argue for any stud to exhaust all options before calling it quits. This one I'd recommend seeing the doc, and he/she already mentioned he/she will be.

 

[FinkUFreaky]

I remember what it was like being in your position and I don’t doubt you’re anxious about what’s gonna happen to you. Right now it’s 0130 in FL...I’m assuming you’re in whiting. Try to sleep, talk to your senior Marine and see what he/she thinks. They’re supposed to help guide you through this, they’ll likely be positioned to assist you more than some strangers in a forum.

eh they have until at least Monday before flying if it's the same as at NASP. Hurricane and all... And only 1230 in west FL