Getting a Dose of Flying with NyQuil in the System

You may feel better on the medication, but you’ll fly worse.

Meg Godlewski

Wednesday, August 09, 2023 at 03:29 PM ET

Verified

For those who have never used an AATD, it can be more difficult to “fly” than an actual airplane. [Redbird]

Key Takeaways:

Common over-the-counter medications like NyQuil can significantly impair a pilot's cognitive function and spatial awareness for much longer than typical "bottle to throttle" guidelines suggest.
During a simulator experiment while under the influence of NyQuil, the author, a proficient pilot, experienced a notable breakdown in instrument scanning, situational awareness, and adherence to critical checklists on complex IFR approaches.
This personal account highlights that even experienced pilots are susceptible to prolonged impairment from such medications, emphasizing the persistent danger to critical piloting skills like altitude and track maintenance, and procedural execution.

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The only thing I despise more than getting sick is taking medication that keeps me out of the airplane. I came home from EAA AirVenture with the flu, and for the better part of two weeks I was the poster girl for NyQuil, the popular over-the-counter (OTC) nighttime cold and flu medication.

Although NyQuil is approved per the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association database of FAA approved/disallowed medications, I’ve learned to give myself at least a week of nondosing before going back into the cockpit. I made this a rule after reading an aeromedical report that claimed pilots who ingest this kind medication within 72 hours of a flight are three times as likely to develop spatial disorientation than those who did not. Apparently the combination of acetaminophen (aspirin), dextromethorphan (cough suppressant), and doxylamine (sedating antihistamine) stays in your system a lot longer than the typical eight hours allotted for “bottle to throttle.”