Knowing how to cope with that will help to salvage what could be a very uncomfortable (and potentially messy) flight.

If you are susceptible to motion sickness, don’t panic. That does not at all prevent you from becoming a pilot. However, you should let your flight instructor know so you can both take steps to reduce the chances that you’ll feel ill. For example, fly in smooth air and during cooler temperatures as much as possible to help avoid the hot and bumpy combination that makes my stomach lurch just thinking about it.

I’ve been prone to motion sickness, and I have also been a pilot for more than 30 years. The good news is that it generally does not affect you as the pilot flying as much as it may affect you as a passenger. And if you do feel queasy during your first few training flights, it is likely that those symptoms will diminish or even disappear with time and experience.

If you do feel the onset of symptoms while flying, notify your flight instructor right away. Cool air is one way to provide relief, so open the air vents as much as possible. Also, look outside the airplane and focus on stationary items, or the horizon, rather than moving your head and eyes around rapidly. If the symptoms don’t go away, land as soon as practicable so you can recover on solid ground.

Sometimes, your queasiness could be situational—perhaps you had a heavy meal before the flight, or something you ate or drank just didn’t sit well. Pay attention to these signs and avoid those foods and beverages next time you have a flight scheduled.

It’s always wise to have appropriate receptacles, such as Sic-Sacs, readily available in the airplane. (Whether for your use or for a passenger, they cost about $1.20 each and are priceless when needed.) When flying with passengers, address the possibility of motion sickness as part of your passenger briefing. Show them the location of the bags and how to use air vents. If your passengers are showing signs of nausea, you can also try to climb to a higher altitude where the air will likely be smoother.

Motion sickness can affect anyone and can happen in a variety of conditions, but it is manageable. More information about aeromedical factors including nausea can be found in Chapter 17 of the FAA’s Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge.