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The time course of postflight simulator sickness symptoms
D R Baltzley1, R S Kennedy, K S Berbaum
1Essex Corporation, Orlando, Florida 32803.
Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine
|November 1, 1989
Summary
Simulator sickness posteffects are common, with many pilots experiencing symptoms lasting over an hour. Some symptoms, like disorientation, pose significant safety risks post-flight simulation.
Area of Science:
- Aerospace Medicine
- Human Factors Engineering
- Occupational Health
Background:
- Simulator sickness, a form of motion sickness, can affect individuals undergoing training in flight simulators.
- Previous understanding of the duration and severity of post-simulation effects may be underestimated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the time course of recovery from simulator sickness and its posteffects in military pilots.
- To quantify the prevalence and duration of simulator sickness symptoms after training sessions.
Main Methods:
- Surveyed over 700 Navy and Army pilots regarding their experiences with simulator sickness posteffects.
- Classified symptoms into visuomotor, disorientation, and nausea categories.
- Analyzed the duration of symptom persistence after simulator exposure.
Main Results:
- 45% of pilots reported simulator sickness symptoms.
- 25% of symptoms persisted for over 1 hour post-simulation.
- 8% of symptoms persisted for over 6 hours post-simulation.
- Postural disequilibrium symptoms were notably frequent and pose a safety risk.
Conclusions:
- Simulator sickness posteffects are more prevalent and persistent than previously thought.
- Symptoms like postural disequilibrium present a safety concern for aviation operations.
- Guidelines are needed to mitigate the risks associated with simulator sickness posteffects.