Introduction to Glider Flying > Introduction to Glider Flying > Medical Factors Associated with Glider Flying > Motion Sickness

Motion sickness, or airsickness, is caused by the brain receiving conflicting messages about the state of the body. You may experience motion sickness during initial flights, but it generally goes away within the first 10 lessons. Anxiety and stress, which you may feel as you begin flight training, can con-tribute to motion sickness. Symptoms of motion sickness include general discomfort, nausea, dizzi-ness, paleness, sweating, and vomiting.

It is important to remember that experiencing air sickness is no reflection on your ability as a pilot. Let your flight instructor know if you are prone to motion sickness since there are techniques that can be used to overcome this problem. For exam-ple, you may want to avoid lessons in turbulent conditions until you are more comfortable in the glider, or start with shorter flights and graduate to longer instruction periods. If you experience symptoms of motion sickness during a lesson, you can alleviate some of the discomfort by opening fresh air vents or by focusing on o b j e c t s outside the glider. Although medication like Dramamine can prevent airsickness in passen-gers, it is not recommended while you are flying since it can cause drowsiness.