CPL » Human Factors » Motion Sickness

34.26 Motion Sickness

34.26.2 Explain the causes of motion sickness.

Airsickness or motion sickness is caused by prolonged and continued body motion that upsets the body's orientation system.

The effects of this mis-match of information reaching the brain can be the onset of a feeling of general unwellness along with a feeling of nausea, a pale face, a cold sweat and sometimes vomiting and occasionally hyperventilation.

Motion sickness is more common in pilot trainees and in passengers than in experienced pilots.

Anxiety, low cockpit activity levels and stress can aggravate it;

New students who are intensely concentrating can become susceptible to motion sickness on a bumpy day. It has quite a strong psychological component and therefore responds to desensitisation treatment.

34.26.4 Describe how motion sickness can be prevented.

Non-medical treatments and techniques for avoiding motion sickness are much preferred.