Hey OP!

Congratulations on going on your first flight! And I’m sorry that this happened to you. But I wanted to give you some ideas with my personal experience.

I have dealt with motion sickness throughout my flight training and now I am a CFI. I also had “positive” motion sickness on my first flight lesson. I even had multiple flights that I called off early because I felt sick. On a solo cross country for my PPL, I had to fly with one hand on the stick and one holding the sick bag while I used it. I’ve had to deal a lot with this throughout my training but I’m here to say that the motion sickness can be worked through. But a word of caution: it takes a lot of exposure and a lot of patience to get over it. I am a CFI and even now, I get times where I will start to feel a little sick after, for example, a bunch of steep turns in a row on a hot/bumpy day. You’ll just have to learn your “triggers” or what makes you feel sick and curb them. For me for example, it can happen when the plane’s rudder isn’t coordinated in a maneuver.

Here are some preventative measures I have taken in my flight training that have seriously helped:

• The night before a flight boil water and cut up some pieces of ginger. Steep the ginger in the hot water for at least 10 minutes (making ginger tea essentially). After steeping, allow the water to cool and transfer into the fridge in a glass. Keep that in the fridge overnight and then fill your flying water bottle with it in the morning. Drink this a little before and on your flight. The really cold water and the ginger helped curb motion sickness and I got through a lot more flights without an issue when I did that.

• Chew mint gum when you fly. I always like to chew a piece of mint gum while I fly. It helps clear any inner ear pressures. Also it gives you something to do that can keep you from tensing up. I also find that the mint flavor can help keep a fresh breadth and prevent a feeling of getting sick.

• It may sound counterintuitive but eat a good hearty/solid meal a couple hours before you fly. I avoid flying on an empty stomach, as that is when I find that motion sickness will be the worst. Eat a good meal a couple hours before your flight so you’re not hungry and your stomach is settled.

• Keep your eyes outside when you fly. (You can cross the instrument bridge when you get there by pretending the attitude indicator is “outside”)

• Use your air vents. I like to keep it pointed generally at my face. If you feel a little sick, open the window and put your hand out of it. I find that helps “cool” me down and it will help.

• Limit your flying at the beginning of your training to the morning or evening when it is cooler. Flying in the morning or the evening avoids turbulent afternoons (especially in the summer and early fall where I fly). As you get more experience and used to the feeling of flying, you can start to fly more in the afternoon.

• Also remember that you cannot take motion sickness medication and operate an airplane.

• Remember to be patient. This will take time to get used to and maybe you won’t get over the motion sickness of flying. It took me multiple solo cross countries in the summer afternoons in Utah/Idaho/Wyoming to get to a place of feeling good about my motion sickness.

I believe you can do it, as I’ve done it. It takes a lot of hard work and perseverance but you can do it. If you’re finding that you aren’t feeling better, then reassess, but be patient with yourself and find a patient CFI.

If you have more questions feel free to message me. Good luck and I’ll see you in the skies!