Motion sickness in pilot trainees: management to keep them flying.

INTRODUCTION

Motion sickness is a recurrent problem in pilot schools. Many techniques to overcome motion sickness are used worldwide, mostly including sedative medication and psychotherapy. Motion sickness does not correlate with future pilot skills: it should not be a criterion for selection of candidates. The problem must be controlled from the onset in an objective way. In the Swiss Air Force selection program, time compression does not allow any delay between the selection flights, nor can drugs be used.

METHODS

We created an after-flight motion sickness checklist. We present a descriptive statistic for motion sickness assessed with our checklist in 2 consecutive years of pilot selection and our recommendations for a management policy without drug use and without interference with the selection schedule.

RESULTS

Due to the small number of observations, no statistically significant correlations could be verified. Nevertheless, we had no drop out from selection due to motion sickness.

DISCUSSION: The use of the after-flight motion sickness checklist seems to be effective. Further studies with a greater number of observations are required.