rodcritt

rodcritt

Member
I have been preparing for about 6 months to build a -7. Collecting tools, reviewing builder?s sites, reading the forums, and talking to builders and flyers of RV's....... Then I realized that even though I have my wife's full support (she even helped me turn the office into a building space) we have not flown alone. I received my Private only 2 months ago from a great CFI and an admirable pilot, Steve Thompson had flown many years as a Red Barron Pilot and now for the Ethanol company as a member of the Vanguards, an all RV team. Needless to say he prompted my interest in RV's. Anyway Sunday My wife and I rented the same C150 I trained in and left Y14 Tea SD and headed west to the Missouri River with plans of following it down to the Iowa border then back to Y14. If you get the chance this is a beautiful ride. 80km into the flight my wife informs me she is getting sick. The GPS says 1D3 is 4.3km so we track to it. An hour and a half and 2 Bonine (motion sickness pills) latter we are on our way back to Y14. OUCH. Yes it was a little bumpy and she was trying to take pictures along the way.
Now with only 2 weeks until I place my first order with Vans I am considering changing my choice to an -8.
This leaves me with 2 questions I hope some of you can help me with.
1. Will being centered front to back as in -8 rather than side-by-side -7, cut down on the motion sickness for her. (I realize it probably will stop on its own after she gets use to flying)
2. I really like the interior options of the -7 i.e. side panels armrest etc. are full interiors available anywhere for the -8. Personally I like the looks of the finished interior. Both planes are cool.

Yes, I ramble on but I needed to paint the picture.
Please help.
 
motion sickness

Just my free opinion...
Side by side is WAY better than someone with motion sickness getting stuck in the back with something blocking some of her forward view. That will make things much worse not better.
If you ever cross the boarder into Manitoba or Saskatchewan grab yourself some "gravol" at the local walmart or drug store. My wifes takes childrens gravol and it works great. Rumour has it they dont sell it in your country, not sure why but it does work very well.
 
You are correct in that the motion sickness will most likely resolve itself with "practice". Tanya and I bounce around in the very bumpy Texas afternoon skies and it can even get to us if we aren't in control. We take turns as PIC in those conditions, or simply climb out of them (which my be a trick in a C150), for just that reason. There is something about having eyes out and being the one on the stick that can really take the edge off of the bumps. Like I said, practice helps. I can even get woozy if we were bouncing around in the afternoon heat, looking through a camera, and not in control.

However, build what you want to build, without regard for motion sickness or interior options. There is way more to the joy of building and flying than those little things. Consider the big requirements, hopes, and what you really want to do with it, and go that direction.

Welcome! The whole process is a really amazing ride.
 
sick

somebody makes this deal that looks like a watch and has 3 settings. it gives you a mild electric shock that is somehow supposed to help. their literature says it is effective with pregnant women and has helped the air force cut their wash out rate. don't know if it works or where i saw it but it may be worth looking into.
leon
 
7 will be best

The 8 will put her too far behind the C/G, which means she will swing around all over the place in turb. Even with fast feet. (good rudder work will make is easier on her) 7 will be MUCH better for this. But, as has been previously stated, build what you want. A little time in seat will cure her ills...if she keeps flying that is...
DM
 
My wife was a merchant mariner before she went to med school. They have a saying: There are those who get seasick and there are those who will. I've found that that is true with aircraft as well. Being generally healthy and well-rested helps. So does good hydration and oxygen, if necessary. Being overheated can also be a nausea-inducer. Finally, focus on some fixed point, outside better than in. Some people can't read in a car because of the disparate motion cues causing their 'internal gyros' to tumble.
 
Another advantage...

to the side-by-side RVs is that she could probably learn a bit more about flying herself (easier than in the back seat of a tandem). There are also some weekend courses (I think AOPA puts one on) for spouses of flyers to help them understand flying and be able to at least land the plane should you become incapacitated during a flight.

greg
 
7 or 8

Theres is nothing sexier then a RV 4 0r 8 tail dragger when it comes to looks, but there is nothing better then an RV 6 or 7 for transporting the wife. Ask me how I know. Good luck with your choice. CJ
 
ReliefBand

somebody makes this deal that looks like a watch and has 3 settings.
Click to expand...

It's called the ReliefBand (google link). We get amazing stories about how well it worked for people using it for flying, cruise ships, fishing trips, car rides, morning sickness during pregnancy, chemotherapy patients, and anything else that causes motion sickness. It doesn't work for everyone, but it sure seems to help the vast majority of people (we've sold over 10,000 units).

Corbin Glowacki
MyPilotStore.com
RV-6A
 
Greg Arehart said:
There are also some weekend courses (I think AOPA puts one on) for spouses of flyers to help them understand flying and be able to at least land the plane should you become incapacitated during a flight.

greg
Click to expand...

Incapacitated such as having warm vomit flowing over the top of your head from a direct shot from your 6 o'clock.
Build the -7, you will be able to introduce her to flying your new ride, the view out the front will be much better, and hopefully she will get past the queeziness. My wife is now my best navigator, which keeps her busy, so she is not concentrating on the turbulence and temperature.
And, if nothing else, you will be able to hold her hair out of the way as she "sells the Buick". With the -7 or -9 either way you are a hero!
 
Lose the camera

There is probably more yaw induced discomfort in an -8 than a -7, but my guess is if she would put the camera down she may find things go smoother.
Mark
 
Ditto the camera.

Ditch the camera. Take her on a series of flights, early AM or late PM is a good time. Just site see, no cameras. Focus on the outside, and get plenty of fresh air in the cabin. Looking through a viewfinder is almost guaranteed to make one sick, even another pilot (don't ask...)

Another data point- my wife barfed on me in several Cessnas while I was building. She has yet to get sick in my RV. She has credited this, at least partly, to the great visibility and lack of claustrophobic feeling in the RV compared to the 172. YMMV but get her a ride in an RV with someone you trust, you might be surprised.
 
in all my wild experiences i've never gotten motion sickness... i would say i have a very strong stomach... but my first ride in an RV...............

i'd flown in TD's before, and i'd sat back seat too... but that first RV flight.. :D

i was with Dave Dollarhide in his RV-4.. and he took me for the ride of my life.. formation flight, climbing and diving like i'd only read about before, extreme low level high G races thru the trees.. canopy rolls over Pat Lee's RV-7, wow.. :cool:
by the time we landed my grin was so wide i thought the canopy wouldn't fit around it!! :D:D

but when it came time to step out of that plane i realized just how "woozy"/lightheaded/queezy i was... never got sick but took about 20 minutes and a good meal to get over it..

still never got sick.. but that was the closest i've gotten.. but now that i've flown more, i don't feel like that even in *relatively* high G flight.:)
 
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Build what you want, If she likes pictures you will be better off with the 8, it is a lot easier to have the object on the correct side of the plane for a picture when either side works as well as the other.

Like anybody would look at the back of someones head for any time at all with the incredible view that bubble canopy on an 8 provides;)

The vanguard guys have an 8, maybe you could get Steve to give your wife a ride in it and let her decide.
 
Go with the 7

My buddy has an -8 and I have a -7. My tolerance of motion sickness has diminished the more I fly but sitting in the back of his -8 has some drawbacks. First, there is much less direct ventilation unless you do some serious vent mods. This makes it very hot back there with little airflow that is a great help on a hot day for someone that gets motion sick. Second, not being able to see forward is also an issue. Third, I have a Relief Band...have used it for years. It works great at keeping you from tossing cookies but does nothing for the head woosiness. Last, taking pictures while flying is a great catalyst for motion sickness. Fourth, do not mention anything about motion sickness before or during the flight until it happens and keep the barf bags hidden. Just the suggestion alone can trigger it. In CAP we fly a lot of Cadets and this is SOP for us because most never know if they will get motion sick until it happens (On these flights I have multiple bags stowed away).

In CAP, some rules for myself is that I will not sit as a scanner in the back seat of the plane on a search...it is a sure fire recipe for me to get sick. I also will not use the cameras or binoculars while in the air. Even when I fly as an Observer in the right seat I need to keep my heads down time working the instruments to a minimum especially when we are bouncing around while doing search patterns. The one drawback to the binoculars deal is that when we do our Bay Patrol over the Chesapeake Bay I have a hard time seeing the topless girls on boats from 1000' without them :mad:

I think that if you will be flying a lot with a spouse that side-by-side is the way to go. It allows you to adjust for moods much easier when you can see the face along with the voice :D

The course that was mentioned is the "Pitch Hitter" course. We teach it through my flying club about once a year. The pilot spouse/sig others are not allowed to attend. There is a video that goes with the course but not sure where you could find it.
 
Drugs

Since she a passenger, she is not limited on what she can do and can have a pharmaceutical intervention. You have several choices on the OTC market.

Meclizine under the trade name Bonine (RX - Antivert)
Dimenhyrdinate under the trade name Dramamine
Scopolamine patch (that little dot behind the ear on the neck)
Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) but causes a lot of drowsiness and is least effective.

Once motion sickness has occured, it's too late. These must be used prior to going wheels up.

In addition, she needs to keep those eyes moving. A fixed focal point such as reading, staring at the back of a seat, a view finder, etc.... Ever notice that those car sickness don't get sick very often when they drive but when they ride in the back seat they do.

Pressure bands that have a hard plastic half ball that is about 1/2" in diameter that places pressure on the underside of the wrist on an acupressure point that is supposed to be associated with motion sickness. Effectiveness is questionable, however for some people it works very well. Pregnant women buy these to help with morning sickness.

For long trips, I would definately recommend premedication since motion sickness can ruin the trip. On the little shorties around the patch, try the bands and keep her looking around. If she gets a bit green, you can land it. Tough to do when cross country. The meclizine doesn't cause much drowsiness, and is inexpensive. She can try it out and if she does well with it (I suggest 12.5mg as a starting dose), then her doctor can write a presciption for it next time she goes and get a large qty in generic dirt cheap. The patches are most expensive and were off the market for a while. Haven't seen those for a while but they are good for 3 days when left on the skin.

And of course - keep a motion sickness bag or two handy at all times.

Now - go build what you want.....and of course what you want may be a bit of what she wants.
 
7 it is

Thanks to all of you who replied. I will stick with the 7. It really helped my wife to see that so many people have experienced motion sickness. We will try again this weekend. Maybe a little Bonine first and a bucket with a lid. :D
 
Good Luck

rodcritt said:
Thanks to all of you who replied. I will stick with the 7. It really helped my wife to see that so many people have experienced motion sickness. We will try again this weekend. Maybe a little Bonine first and a bucket with a lid. :D
Click to expand...

Your wife sounds like a real trooper! Best of luck in your upcoming flight. Go early in the morning or in the early evening when it is cooler, it will be better ride all around.
 
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