THE Airway

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 800, 22 October 1929, Page 14

THE Airway

(By THE ROC.?

Air Sickness is Rare

AIR-SICKNESS, recently referred to in a well-known journal as an aviation jiroblem, is dealt with in only a fragmentary manner by textbooks on flying. The bibliography of aeronautics is rather barren of contributions to the. question. Cases of sickness in planes are rare and would-be flyers would be foolish to take notice of any gruesome and misleading reports.

Passengers rarely fly at altitudes over 5,000 feet above sea level. Generally the altitude will not exceed 2,000 feet; planes carrying passengers seldom Indulge in fantastic aerobatics or stunts; it weather warnings are heeded, as is usually the case, exceptional meteorological conditions are rarely met with. What is true of the war-time experience of pilots flying at excessive altitudes and performing incredible stunts of all sorts is not true of passengers in normal flying. It has been said that “flying requires a physical effort and a constant mental strain because it is carried out under conditions to which _ the organism was not originally adapted.” But this conclusion does not at all apply to passengers who sit quietly in their seats and do not exert themselves in any way. Those who have had experience in mountain climbing know that it is the exertion primarily that brings on so-called mountain sickness. At rest, the symptoms usually pass away except at extreme altitudes. UNAWARE OF ALTITUDES But the average passenger is not aware of altitude variations. Nor do planes carrying passengers, as a rule, ascend very rapidly from low to excessive altitudes, although, of course, conditions might arise under which that would be necessary. In any event, what is true of pilots responsible for the operation of the plane do’es not apply to the same extent to passengers.

In rapid ascents the respiration of course becomes shorter and the heart beats faster, which may result in a slight sense of discomfort to a person particularly predisposed to physiological disturbances. Buzzing in the ears does not become apparent until a considerable altitude has been reached. Dizziness is rarely experienced, for the plane moves almost without any motion. In. many cases the effects of flying are psychological, due to nervous apprehensions on the part of the passenger without previous experience; the effects soon yield to a sense of security if the flight is prolonged. Most of the views, medical or otherwise, regarding air sickness are based on war experience, and observations published 10 to 15 years ago. Air sickness is common among pilots during their early experience, when they first take up a plane alone. Anderson’s “Medical and Surgical Aspects of Aviation” reports that out of 100 men examined, 37 said they were

subject to air sickness, 03 said that they were not inconvenienced by it. NAUSEA IN GUSTY WEATHER It was explained at the time that “the rolling and pitching of an airplane in gusty weather may produce a feeling of nausea. . . . But in some pupils, especially after a bumpy crosscountry flight, actual vomiting may occur after landing. Again, some otherwise quite good pilots are unable to stand aerobatics on this account.” There are sections of the country where the air conditions are, of course, much more trying than others, but on the whole the reports from many prominent New Zealand pilots give the assurance that air sickness is relatively rare, and that when it is experienced the symptoms are relatively slight, while no aftereffects have been reported. As to the means of preventing air sickness entirely, some hope is placed in the gyroscope, which for other reasons has proved a boon to air navigation. In a recent report it is remarked that “it seems that a fair proportion of air passengers succumb to a sickness caused by the motion and dip of the plane, much in the manner in which maritime travellers fall a victim to the roll of the waves and rhythmic surge of the vessel. But the gyroscope has been valuable in stabilising a ship and preventing it from rolling; seasickness has been almost wholly eliminated upon a vessel so controlled. It is the aim of air authorities to apply the same principle to aircraft, particularly to the dirigible type and passengercarrying craft.” GERMANS HAVE A CURE

From Germany comes a report that air sickness need no longer be apprehended; Templehof officials have installed an apparatus for Inhaling antiair sickness fumes, and they assert that it is a success. They expect that other airdromes of the Lufthansa will install the apparatus. A passenger who fears that he may become air sick inhales the antidote, which consists in the main of oxygen gas and cinnamon. The mixture has a quieting effect upon the nerves of the diaphragm. It is planned to have an inhalation apparatus installed on every passenger plane with tubes running to every seat.

Thus, not only is air sickness comparatively rare, but efforts are being made to minimise its effects in cases where it does occur. The delights of air travel amply compensate for the slight, occasional sensations of air sickness, which should not hinder air travel more than any seasickness hinders ocean travel. Compared with seasickness, air sickness is much less trying.