Surviving turbulence with queasy passengers
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denverpilot
Tied Down
Land. 
So you have uneasy passengers that don't want to go up if it is bumpy and you're insisting that they fly with you? That's a great way to cure them of ever wanting to fly in a light airplane again...
Climbing higher to get to cooler, smoother air would be a start if you're already committed to the flight. Otherwise, choose a different day or time of day to make the flight. Sometimes you just aren't going to find a good altitude no matter where you try to go.
Climbing higher to get to cooler, smoother air would be a start if you're already committed to the flight. Otherwise, choose a different day or time of day to make the flight. Sometimes you just aren't going to find a good altitude no matter where you try to go.
MAKG1
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Fly in the morning in inverted weather only.
Put a full cup of coffee next to the compass and don't spill it.
Most importantly, DO NOT pressure a reluctant passenger against their gut feelings. Listen to your passengers' concerns and comfort. Seriously, this has "massive disaster" written all over it. If you think they'll try it and love it, you're deluding yourself and torturing your passengers. Take this seriously!
Put a full cup of coffee next to the compass and don't spill it.
Most importantly, DO NOT pressure a reluctant passenger against their gut feelings. Listen to your passengers' concerns and comfort. Seriously, this has "massive disaster" written all over it. If you think they'll try it and love it, you're deluding yourself and torturing your passengers. Take this seriously!
skidoo
Line Up and Wait
My wife is like that. Turbulence has a significant effect on her. I have found a few things that help.
1) More exposure to smooth air first. Hours of good experience can reduce the anxiety of just being up there in the first place.
2) Have them wear the wrist bands. Not 100% effective, but that seems to have a positive effect.
3) Give them oxygen... My wife feels better with more oxygen at any altitude.
4) Climb higher for smoother air.
5) Show them where the barf bags are and how to best use them!
6) Bring a parachute and tell them if they get sick, then jump first... Just kidding on 6...
1) More exposure to smooth air first. Hours of good experience can reduce the anxiety of just being up there in the first place.
2) Have them wear the wrist bands. Not 100% effective, but that seems to have a positive effect.
3) Give them oxygen... My wife feels better with more oxygen at any altitude.
4) Climb higher for smoother air.
5) Show them where the barf bags are and how to best use them!
6) Bring a parachute and tell them if they get sick, then jump first...
Just kidding on 6...I made an investment on getting this plane and now to justify it we have to use it. There is no debate we have to travel this way so it has to work. My wife doesn't like to fly high either. That is how illogical she is you would think she'd figure out being higher is better! LOL!
Wrist bands and oxygen? How does that help?
I am convinced it is psychological. Driving in a truck is a lot more bumpy.
Wrist bands and oxygen? How does that help?
I am convinced it is psychological. Driving in a truck is a lot more bumpy.
Heftiger
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Sam,
I don't mean this to be judgmental at all, but this "sounds" like a dangerous attitude you have. I'm sure it's just coming across that way, but I would urge you to rethink the attitude that you "have to" do anything.
On the motion sickness part; make sure you get her some fresh air. I used to get sick on flights, and the only thing I could do was get lots of fresh\cool air straight at my face. Also, ask her to tell you as soon as she starts to get sick. I'm not sure if you've ever gotten motion sick, my wife doesn't and tells me she doesn't understand how it happens. For me, the process would go something like this:
1. "I'm feeling a little light headed, I'm sure it's fine."
2. "My head hurts."
3. "I think I'm getting motion sick, I'm sure it'll pass."
4. "Yup, I'm getting motion sick."
5. "I'm gonna barf."
If I would've started taking preventive measures at step 1, I could usually stop or ease the process, but for some reason I never said anything until step 4 or 5, and by then it was too late.
LOL!!!
It's not dangerous at all nobody ever died from being a little airsick. I just want to make it more comfortable.
What is it that makes it feel bad to passengers? Yawing? I try to keep on the rudder pedals constantly to keep myself pointed forward.
Sam, have you ever gone fishing and slowly pulled the lines behind the boat as you went?
But seriously, if you don't like the advice about flying early if at all, my best advice is to go high. Like, 20,000 ft. plus. You get oxygen, your passengers don't. Not a peep out of them, problem solved!
But seriously, if you don't like the advice about flying early if at all, my best advice is to go high. Like, 20,000 ft. plus. You get oxygen, your passengers don't. Not a peep out of them, problem solved!
MAKG1
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My wife had the unfortunate habit of looking at the panel in turbulence, when she started to feel queasy. I had to train her to look out the window, where the airplane is going.
She never has puked in the airplane, but she's complained a couple of times over the coast ranges in ~15-20 knot wind. It's important to get a few thousand feet above the highest terrain in conditions like that. That is good for light turbulence below the peaks (and since we were sightseeing in the valley the first time this happened, that's exactly where we were).
She never has puked in the airplane, but she's complained a couple of times over the coast ranges in ~15-20 knot wind. It's important to get a few thousand feet above the highest terrain in conditions like that. That is good for light turbulence below the peaks (and since we were sightseeing in the valley the first time this happened, that's exactly where we were).
Geico266
Touchdown! Greaser!
Fly early, or fly late. Flying during the middle of the day? You are asking for trouble.
acrophile
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You made an investment that precludes other means of travel before seeing if your wife can tolerate small-plane flight? And what happens when bad weather makes it unsafe to fly?
If there's "no debate", then what's likely to happen is that your wife will vomit while you're flying, perhaps all over you or the plane. Be sure you're prepared to continue flying the plane without letting yourself be distracted. Afterward, I suspect the "debate" may be reopened.
Heftiger
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Sam,
I'm not sure I can even identify what actually made me sick. Although, circling over something ALWAYS made me sick. So try to avoid showing off your awesome turns around a point skills.
This is what I don't get. She never complained when I took her up in a rental a few times when I got my ticket. Then we had one bad experience with some vomiting one flight and it has just gone downhill from there. That is why I think it is psychological. It must be psychological because how else can those BS bracelets work?
I try to leave early but sometimes get delayed. Those of you married to high maintenance wives know what I mean. No matter what time I say we should leave it is three hours later. And if I try to make it real early to trick her, she figures that out and delays us five hours.
I hadn't thought to use oxygen but next it will be getting little Miss Prissy to accept a mask on her face. Yeah looking forward to that discussion!
I try to leave early but sometimes get delayed. Those of you married to high maintenance wives know what I mean. No matter what time I say we should leave it is three hours later. And if I try to make it real early to trick her, she figures that out and delays us five hours.
I hadn't thought to use oxygen but next it will be getting little Miss Prissy to accept a mask on her face. Yeah looking forward to that discussion!
Geico266
Touchdown! Greaser!
Let her decide when you fly then. If she pukes its her fault.
Get a mistress that likes to fly, and be on time.
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There is also an acclimation factor. Many people who are queasy in initial flights get over it. (I'd say most aerobatic pilots fall into this category.) Also the queasy effect takes time to develop. So my suggestion is to start with short trips. That allows the passenger to acclimate to flying, but the trip is too short for really bad things to happen. Combine this with the suggestion to fly early on these trips, and you have a decent chance to develop a tolerant flyer.
And by the way, nobody likes bumps (except possibly glider pilots searching for thermals.) Sometimes it seems like half the radio communications from commercial airliners are for information or clearance to different altitudes to avoid bumps. Talk to pilots that fly a lot of cross country about the techniques they use to avoid turbulence. It's a big subject and should be important to ALL pilots who carry passengers.
) Also the queasy effect takes time to develop. So my suggestion is to start with short trips. That allows the passenger to acclimate to flying, but the trip is too short for really bad things to happen. Combine this with the suggestion to fly early on these trips, and you have a decent chance to develop a tolerant flyer.And by the way, nobody likes bumps (except possibly glider pilots searching for thermals.) Sometimes it seems like half the radio communications from commercial airliners are for information or clearance to different altitudes to avoid bumps. Talk to pilots that fly a lot of cross country about the techniques they use to avoid turbulence. It's a big subject and should be important to ALL pilots who carry passengers.
Heftiger
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I don't think it's necessarily ALL psychological, but I think it can be overcome. When I first started flight training I would get sick, and I started wearing those wrist bands. I knew that they really didn't do anything, but they seemed to help. Eventually I stopped wearing them, and didn't really have issues. Every once and a while I would get a little sick (especially doing hood work), but nothing nearly as bad as when I started. Have some sympathy for your wife, it's not "all in her head". Being motion sick is a horrible feeling and can sometimes make you feel like crap for the rest of the day.
I think what you're doing is good though, you're obviously trying to find ways to make it better for her. Does she have any interest in flying the plane? I'd say let her take the controls for a bit. But don't do this after she's started feeling sick; that never helped me.
jordane93
Touchdown! Greaser!
This. I made this mistake. While I knew I could handle the gusty winds, I didn't take into account passenger comfort. My friend ended up throwing up right on final into Atlantic City
Jim_R
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After reading through this thread, assuming the OP is legit, the answer is clear:
Sell the plane and fly commercial.
There's too much trouble involved in this situation, which goes way beyond a little queasiness in bumpy air. What happens the first time you need to scrub due to weather or an aircraft maintenance issue, especially if it's the return flight? "Having to" use the plane for travel to justify the economic investment is not a good approach to the situation...worst-case, this is the preamble to an accident report describing a flight that never should have taken place. Best-case, the plane just festers as another source of tension between two people who don't sound like they're a hand-in-glove match-made-in-heaven to begin with.
All that said, my troll detector is reading high yellow and bobbing into the red. I hope that's the real situation.
airguy
Cleared for Takeoff
Leave her at home with a Southwest Airlines ticket. It won't take long for the situation to resolve itself, one way or the other.
Trade her in on a low maintenance one.....
.......My gut feeling is this poster is a troll....
Jaybird180
Final Approach
What type plane is this? I have a feeling it will be going real cheap soon. Maybe before, maybe after the divorce, but the plane is going.
Lindberg
Final Approach
What does your marriage counselor say? If you don't have one, you should. Or you could just ask her primary care doc to prescribe some meds to knock her out for the duration.
kgruber
Final Approach
Fixed that.
warthog1984
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LanCA'r
Based on your plan of action, if it is now, it WON'T be soon.
Your logic escapes me wart pig. My plan of action is to make her more comfortable. You also need to learn some manners. Would you say that to my face? No you wouldn't. You would be saying "yes sir sorry sir".
Newly registered user, and bait in pretty much every post but the original. Hmm..
Like I said earlier, Sam, do you like pulling a fishing line slowly behind a boat? Because I think you're into trolling.
dell30rb
Final Approach
DavidWhite
Final Approach
Land.
Or just wear a poncho.
DavidWhite
Final Approach
Wow this thread devolved very quickly. I only read the first 2 posts, post 3 is where stuff started to go downhill. Dayyyyum!
paflyer
Final Approach
It will probably need a thorough cabin cleaning.
Aeric
Line Up and Wait
Wouldn't this affect her ability to pass the medical when he forces her to get her certificate?
radioguy01
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They are pure placebo. The idea that two elastic bands with plastic dots putting light pressure on your wrist would treat motion sickness is preposterous.
acrophile
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What I would tell you in person is that you publicly belittle your spouse and express disrespect for her autonomy and her physical well-being. Yes, you want to make her more comfortable (which would benefit you too), but only if you can do so without changing your preferred mode of travel or acknowledging and rectifying your poor investment decision. Otherwise, she has to resign herself to continued nausea and vomiting, with "no debate".
In short, you seem like an unpleasant person to fly with or be married to. It has taken very little exposure to you for several complete strangers here to form that impression. But, true to your personality, you conclude that the problem lies with all of them, not with you.
I would like to say sorry for using an obscenity earlier. I was not aware that this is a venue populated by children.
And Acrophile thank you for your comments but they are completely wrong. I was not belittling her only employing some humor in my descriptions and I also apologize to you for using humor since you possibly are unable to understand it or appreciate it. It is commonplace for married couples to refer to each other in jokingly disparaging terms.
None of you know anything about me. I am absolutely amazed that you can come on here and openly make insulting comments about me and my wife. If you can restrict your comments to airsickness and how to mitigate against that I would appreciate it.
PS You all suck. Just kidding. Carry on.
And Acrophile thank you for your comments but they are completely wrong. I was not belittling her only employing some humor in my descriptions and I also apologize to you for using humor since you possibly are unable to understand it or appreciate it. It is commonplace for married couples to refer to each other in jokingly disparaging terms.
None of you know anything about me. I am absolutely amazed that you can come on here and openly make insulting comments about me and my wife. If you can restrict your comments to airsickness and how to mitigate against that I would appreciate it.
PS You all suck. Just kidding. Carry on.
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