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is due to a nerve that is connected from the brain to the stomach. When confusion or disagreement occurs be- tween the eyes and the orientating vestibular system, vomiting may erupt. 

When symptoms of motion sickness begin, get back on the ground. In the meantime, avoid unnecessary head movements and keep your eyes on the horizon. 

As the pilot, you should note if the passenger, who had been talking throughout the flight, gets quiet. You should ask “how are you doing” because getting quiet is sometimes a precursor to feelings of nausea. Inform passengers while still on the ground to let you know if their stomach begins to feel “uneasy.” 

Motion sickness can be the result of continued flight stimulation, such as rapid or unexpected turns and swinging through the PPC pendulum. As the pilot, you will find a reduced rate of upset stomachs if you let the passenger know, ahead of time, the flight maneuver you are about to make and avoid abrupt maneuvers. 

For new students, anxiety and stress may greatly con- tribute to motion sickness. However, after a few les- sons and some time in the air from the front seat, these feelings/symptoms will usually dissipate. 

Medication like Dramamine can be used to prevent motion sickness/nausea in passengers, but since it can cause drowsiness, it is not recommended for the pilot. 

## Scuba Diving 

Taking a flight, especially a high flight, after a deep scuba dive can have some devastating results. This is because the increased pressure of the water during a dive causes nitrogen to be absorbed into the body tis- sues and bloodstream. Then, when flying at altitudes of reduced atmospheric pressure, the nitrogen will move out of the bloodstream and tissues at a rapid rate. This rapid out-gassing of nitrogen is called the bends (as it is felt in the joints—the bending joints of the limbs) and is painful and incapacitating. 

A pilot or passenger who intends to fly after scuba diving should allow the body sufficient time to rid it - self of excess nitrogen that was absorbed during the dive. If the appropriate amount of time is not allowed, decompression sickness due to gases released in the blood can result in a serious in-flight emergency. 

As an absolute standard safety measure, any pilot fly - ing near a large body of water should ask the passen- ger during the preflight if he or she has recently been scuba diving. 

The following waiting times are recommended: 

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## Spatial Disorientation 

Spatial disorientation is not normally associated with slow and low (non-aerobatic) powered parachute flights. However, it is important to know that spatial disorientation is a condition of the body’s confusion relative to the spatial position. This commonly results from the eyes disagreeing with the sense of balance (the vestibular system of the inner ear) which may be disagreeing with the postural nerve impulses from the pressure areas in the skin and muscles. Hence, the brain gets conflicting spatial information. This condi - tion is sometimes called vertigo. 

The recommended procedure to deal with spatial dis- orientation is to maintain constant, straight and level flight via the throttle and remove all control input to the steering controls. 

## Stress 

Stress is a strong factor in pilot error. Stressful situ- ations are very disruptive conditions. There are three categories of stress: environment (physical, such as loud noises), psychological (the loss of a loved one) and physiological (fatigue). Any of these factors can be influential on your mental capacities, and hence should be given consideration when begining your medical self-evaluation prior to preflight inspection. Any pilot experiencing a high level of stress is not safe and should not fly as PIC. 

## Stroke and Heart Attack 

In the event you feel light-headed or dizzy, you should remove your feet from an input position on the steering controls. When you feel light-headed or dizzy, there is a possibility this could be a prelude to a heart attack or stroke. If you are about to experience a medical problem of this magnitude, then you could have a seizure or leg spasms (due to the pain from the heart attack) and therefore, uncontrollably and with- out intention, spiral yourself into the ground if the leg spasm induces severe steering input. 

If you don’t feel “right”— pull your feet away from those steering controls, at least until you begin to feel better, and then get yourself safely on the ground as soon as possible. 

