What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Spatial Disorientation Site

mdredmond

Well Known Member
Hiya,

Sorry for putting this here, but I'm not sure where else it would go.

Reading all the NTSB reports on Cirrus accidents, it seems like quite a few involve accidental IMC encounters. Of course we all know the spatial disorientation stuff we've been told, but so many people are still killed by it... Even high-time instrument rated military guys are dying (typically several per year).

So I stumbled across this site, which is the Air Force's 'Spatial Disorientation Countermeasures' site. Pretty good reading and some interesting videos. Well worth checking out I think.
 
Good site here is some more info

mdredmond said:
Hiya,

Sorry for putting this here, but I'm not sure where else it would go.

Reading all the NTSB reports on Cirrus accidents, it seems like quite a few involve accidental IMC encounters. Of course we all know the spatial disorientation stuff we've been told, but so many people are still killed by it... Even high-time instrument rated military guys are dying (typically several per year).

So I stumbled across this site, which is the Air Force's 'Spatial Disorientation Countermeasures' site. Pretty good reading and some interesting videos. Well worth checking out I think.
Good site. Much of this info is found in FAA advisory circulars and the AIM (aeromedical section).

http://www.faa.gov/pilots/safety/pilotsafetybrochures/media/SpatialD_Seeing.pdf

http://www.faa.gov/pilots/safety/pilotsafetybrochures/media/SpatialD.pdf

http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulator...1a86afd5b09862569b900709047/$FILE/AC60-4A.pdf


I have been in the FAA's spatial disorientation trainer. Lesson is no fast head movements.

My best advice is practice under the hood with a qualified safety pilot or CFII. Don't wait every two years for hood time. When you do your flight review ASK for lots of hood time. You don't need 20 touch and goes. The review should be tailored to your needs and desires. Hood time is very valuable.

You should subject yourself to unusual attitudes and spatial illusion demo maneuvers. The maneuvers are done when the CFI takes the plane thru maneuvers and gyrations while you, the pilot with hands off controls look down. This induces the false or erroneous sensations, relative to the actual aircraft movement. The above practice along with hood time every 6 months is a good idea.

The old old saying is "Trust your instruments". The second part of trust you instruments is "trust them unless they are lying to you", so cross check. (A good instrument scan incorporates: Cross-check, Interpret and Control.) That 3 hours you got many years ago when you did your PPL is not enough. Even VFR pilots can get into conditions where visual references are poor or misleading. George
 
Last edited:
Back
Top