I didn’t hear about the novocaine test. I did have an instructor pilot open his door when we were on final approach. He was trying to see if he could rattle me.
Nothing like a 30 degree change in direction when you’re 100’ off the runway to see if you can keep your concentration.
OK, there’s spam and then there’s *spam*.
I just got something with a subject of the most popular Christmas door decorations of 2020.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrZyZn5nVks
Years ago, according to this article I read, some pilots decided to test the “flying by the seat of your pants” theory to see if there was any basis to it. They had their backsides injected with Novocaine just before they took off in a single engine plane and tried to do a few maneuvers. Their reactions were much slower, and in some cases, that slowness could have caused a life-threatening situation.
The conclusion was that the cliche was based on fact, and something to do with the nerve-endings and muscles in the posterior helping to tell your legs and feet what to do.
I can’t find the article, so I can’t cite the source. It may have come from the National Lampoon for all I know. I just thought it was interesting! (Now I gotta find it!)