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:

A pilot conducted a flight simulator experiment to assess the lingering effects of NyQuil on instrument flying proficiency, noting that while AOPA lists it as approved, an aeromedical report suggests a higher risk of spatial disorientation within 72 hours of use.
During a challenging VOR-A approach, the author experienced significant cognitive impairment, including degraded instrument scan, loss of situational awareness, and missed checklist items within 18-35 minutes of the simulation.
The experiment demonstrated a measurable negative impact of the medication on the author's piloting faculties, even after a self-imposed non-dosing period, reinforcing the importance of FAR 91.17 regarding drug use and aviation safety.

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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.”