How to overcome nervous of being zero gravity?

Y

yk1988

New Member
Hello,

I currently think about getting a pilot license. But i feel very nervous when being zero gravity. Every time when i drive down hill with fast speed or descend in elevator, my lower body will feels uncomfortable.

Can anybody give me an idea how to overcome this? My dream was to be a pilot since i was young.

Thank you.
 
<Moved from Ask a Flight Surgeon Forum, please keep topics there specifically AME/medical related. Thank you>
 
Go out and fly some aerobatics. The airplane (and your physiology) are actually capable of quite a lot. And being nervous about it is perfectly normal—99.99% of the time the force of gravity in your life is 1.0G, straight from your head, through the rest of you and into the ground.

Generally speaking what you get in an airliner is peanuts compared to what the airplane is actually capable of (or what an aerobatic airplane is capable of...)

(with a qualified instructor, of course)
 
yk1988 said:
Hello,

I currently think about getting a pilot license. But i feel very nervous when being zero gravity. Every time when i drive down hill with fast speed or descend in elevator, my lower body will feels uncomfortable.

Can anybody give me an idea how to overcome this? My dream was to be a pilot since i was young.

Thank you.
Click to expand...

Just like in a car, unless you seek it out, you will spend very little time in zero gravity. If you can handle it in the above situations without shutting down, you will be fine. You'll feel a slight zero-g when doing stalls, but it is very brief and not a normal maneuver. So unless you are practicing or working on a new rating, you don't need to worry.

If you want to get over it, then go up and do some acro work, after that w basic stall or spin should be cakewalk.

Have fun!
 
I think when he says "zero G" he means anything slightly less than 1 G (i.e. going down a hill in a car). That is a legitimate issue. The answer is you get used to it (unless you were addicted to it to begin with, which a lot of us probably are in that category :) ). If you want to conquer your fear and prove to yourself you can do it, go on an aerobatics flight. Or at the very least go ride some roller coasters.
 
I think the advice to go do aerobatics is premature. Go take an introduction flight to see if flying is what you think it is all about. Take some lessons. After a dozen hours or so in a plane then decide if this is an obstacle you are willing to overcome through the practice of flying.

Aerobatics can be like a rollercoaster to the uninitiated since you might not know what you'll fell or expect. That's why I recommend on holding it off. Learn what it is to fly first, then expand your experiences into aerobatics.

Walk -> Run eh?
 
Yeah, I hate roller coasters and seriously dislike negative G's. That being said, I've been flight instructing for quite a few years and teaching through less than 1 G maneuvers. You get used to it. Sometimes it gets my stomach, but you learn what you're comfortable with. I can do a -1G pushover but I still hate that. I found that -.5G to +4G is my comfort zone. If you get into aerobatics you'll get more comfortable with more, but you have to keep at it.
 
yk1988 said:
Hello,

I currently think about getting a pilot license. But i feel very nervous when being zero gravity. Every time when i drive down hill with fast speed or descend in elevator, my lower body will feels uncomfortable.

Can anybody give me an idea how to overcome this? My dream was to be a pilot since i was young.

Thank you.
Click to expand...

I only have 60 hours or so of flying, but the only time I ever experienced zero G was when my instructor intentionally did it with the parabola manuever. If anything, it was positive G's I felt, during steep turns.

What I did experience though, was fear of the airplane and the sensations it produced. Up to that point, I had only ever flown in airliners, which are obviously operated much differently than a training aircraft. It took a long time for me to get acclimated to the sensations associated with the various maneuvers. In particular I remember power on stalls. My instructor made the dubious decision to show me what happens in an uncoordinated power-on stall on my third lesson. Scared the poop out of me, and pretty much made the next several lessons worthless. I should ask for my money back !:)

Anyway, in my experience, the only way to get used to it is to do it, same as with anything else. You'll be fine. Just remember that your instructor doesn't want to die anymore than you do, and that he won't let you kill him. Have fun!
 
gotWXdagain said:
Generally when you're flying though, there's really not alot of zero g, unless you're either A- Doing it wrong, or B- Doing aerobatics.
Click to expand...

x10. If you are looking to go fly cessnas or (insert light single here), I really wouldn't worry about it. Turbulence might make you uncomfortable at first, but I'm sure you will get used to that. Otherwise, nobody is doing negative/0 g flying in this sort of flying.
 
Smile and Embrace it. We are only born with one natural fear. That is falling. Just know that all other fears are learned... I think you've possibly learned that zero G is involved with all flying which isn't the case. I like the advice about of starting a few lessons, see what it's all about and then you'll know weather you'd like to continue or not. Aerobatics? That's down the road a bit.

So with that, go out down that hill in your car next time with a smile and enjoy the tickling feeling like a crazy little Elmo.
 
///AMG said:
x10. If you are looking to go fly cessnas or (insert light single here), I really wouldn't worry about it. Turbulence might make you uncomfortable at first, but I'm sure you will get used to that. Otherwise, nobody is doing negative/0 g flying in this sort of flying.
Click to expand...
That doesn't mean you should not experience it, and be capable of it...but that's a "pilot qualifications" thread item.
 
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